Milk gone - devastated - anything I can do?

[drjane]

I got back from a work trip to the US 2 days ago and my milk seems to have gone completely - my ds is 7 mo and has been more or less exclusively bf. Can't stop crying - I know it's probably the hormones, but feels awful.

I was away for 4 days and 4 nights and I'd expressed a freezer full of milk for my dh to give him while I was away (supplemented with formula). I planned to just pump as often as possible while I was away but unfortunately the pump stopped getting any milk out (it wasn't broken, I just stopped responding to it). I carried on trying but was only getting a few mls after an hour or more - was very painful.

The day I got back (yesterday) I was able to feed him fine (was residual milk?), but today, as far as I can tell, there has been nothing so I've had to resort to giving him bottles.

Is there anything I can do? I really don't want to stop bf-ing him - totally devastated...

[oiFoiF]

are you sure there isnt anything?

my ds2 is bf but mix fed too .ie has the odd bottle, and my breasts feel quite empty all the time but they are not. Not sure that makes sense!

I think you need to have more faith in yourself (although I am no expert and just a mum)

[soapbox]

I very much doubt that you milk has gone - it really isn't enough time for it to go in that way. It sounds to me as if perhaps you are feeling a little bit stressed with all the travelling and are jumping to the conclusion that because you weren't able to express much, that there is no milk in there to express

Take your gorgeous baby to bed with you, both stripped to the waist and just let him graze off of you for as long as you can - certainly for the rest of the weekend. If he isn't still waking in the night, then it might be worth waking yourself and expressing some off whilst gazing at him.

I'm sure there will be more expert posters along soon, who can give you more advice, but in the meantime - please don't panic!

[whomovedmychocolate]

Okay, don't panic. This is not what you think. Your supply may have decreased but it can increase again. Can you spend tomorrow nursing your DS as much as possible - go to bed, and just get reacquainted. It's really unlikely your milk will have gone that quickly.

Of course if you are completely knackered you'll feel like and probably be less full than normal. But take it easy, it can be fixed

[sushistar]

One of the experts will correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe even at 7 months lots of skin-to-skin and letting baby suck often will help milk return? As will some herbs - nettle or fenugreek both good.

[AdamAnt]

Is your period due, perhaps? I remember my milk seemed to dry up shortly before my first post-partum period. Normal service was resumed after a few days.

If I were you I'd just keep putting your DS to your breast as often as possible. The increased demand will hopefully kickstart the supply.

[artichokes]

After 4 days your milk will not have totally dried up. You just need to get your DS to restimulate your supply. Try not to give him to many bottles, you need him to suck alot. The more he sucks the quicker your body will respond to his needs. You also need to relax, get some sleep and recover from your trip. Once you are rested and your DS has done his work on your nipples milk should flow .

[moondog]

There will be milk there.
Give the babe free access and it will come.

[lackaDAISYcal]

Try not to panic; as others have said, I'm sure it hasn't gone.

I've not fed my DD for nearly a week, and I still have milk. But, you have to use the milk to produce more milk, and the lack of removal coupled with the travelling has probably reduced your supply a bit. Bear in mind that your breasts get more efficient at producing only what's needed by this age which will also account for them feeling empty.

Have a babymoon and feed your DS as much as possible and pump when you can. It'll come back.

[barking]

my dc3 stayed at granparents for 4 days over easter - (I was trying to wean him as he is 2) I thought he wouldn't be interested or forget to feed when he got back - he went straight to feeding and kept going from then. The sucking will stimulate your milk supply, try and relax as much as poss, maybe have a bath with him, Just feed as much as possible.

[StealthPolarBear]

i had supply probs, was only away for 24 hours but ds much younger (about 5 mo) and i did no expressing while away.
It took a couple of days to sort out, feeding almost all the time, but it did work and I'm still feeding now at a year.
I'm sure it will come back - just keep the demand up.

[designerbaby]

Would ditto what Adam Ant said re: period - my milk supply suddenly went trough the floor, and I couldn't understand why (DD always been difficult to feed...). Period arrived a week later... Apparently it's quite common - wish I'd known though...

db
xx

[drjane]

Thanks everyone - I've calmed down a bit now I've read your replies! I have been feeling some period-type cramps the last few days so that may well be the problem - thanks for the tip.

I will also take everyone's advice and feed him as much as possible the next few days and get some skin-to-skin contact (although he's pretty mobile these days, will have to grab him when he's sleepy!)

Fingers crossed...

[StealthPolarBear]

Good luck - let us know when you start drenching him in milk again at each feed

[MoominMum]

Just back from our first family hol with 17 wk lo and going thru exactly the same thing. Know just what you mean about the devastation - I've cried as much as I did when having trouble bfing him to start with . The hol got us out of all routines, so didn't bf enough, didn't drink enough fennel tea or nearly enough water and stopped taking the brewers yeast. Also it wasn't much of a hol for us as there were lots of family visiting obligations, quite stressful, and we drove to Orkney and back, so v tired. Checked with our MW when we got back and she said to get back to all the routines and bf at every available opportunity and it would def come back. It's been a week and I can't say I'm overflowing but it is better than it was and having seen all the other good advice here I know I just need to let the wee lad take more of the strain and sook for Scotland !! All the very best.