Supply question, dropping feed, Tiktok, anyone?

[bakedpotato]

DS is 6 mths+ and mixed-fed. I bfeed at 7.30am, 3pm and 6pm. I've had my doubts about the 6pm feed for a while, as he is really irritable afterwards -- and now falls ravenously on his solids.
At 3pm, I feel confident that it's a good feed, boobs feel fullish beforehand and there's a big letdown, plus he last well after it. However, I want to give up this feed for various reasons. My only concern is that I am jacking in the 'good' feed.
Does anyone know, will my 3pm supply just dwindle away, and will I be lumbered with the poorish supply I've established for the 6pm one? Or will one run into the other?

[tiktok]

bakedpotato, this is what I think is happening now - you are not feeding very often, and there are long gaps between feeds (10 and a half hours for the overnight one, then 7 and a half hours, and then 3 hours). Milk is made in response to the frequency with which it is removed....v. long gaps between feeds means a much slower replacement. Your milk is still there - it's well-established enough not to dwindle with only three feeds a day, and you are probably a good producer. Some mothers at 6 mths postnatal would not manage to keep up a supply with 3 feeds in 24 hours only.

Normally, we would always say to mothers 'don't leave long gaps between feeds, waiting for your breasts to feel full' - too many mothers do this, to the downfall of bf, because this slows, and ultimately reduces, their milk production.

But in your case, your milk supply is slowing down, and by 6 pm you probably don't have a full supply by 6 pm, because production is too slow (due to the other long gaps).

Dropping the 3 pm feed would be a further lowering of supply, and a further slowing down, but it might still be fine for you and your baby - obviously not enough to feed a newborn, and for a mother with a younger baby or for one with a less robust milk supply, this might be the start of a real drop leading to milk dwindling to nothing.

Hope this explains it

[bakedpotato]

Tiktok, many thanks for that. I've decided not to jack in the 3pm for now but will risk missing it out occasionally.