Where has my milk gone?

[Babyblues14]

Baby less than two weeks old, managed to bf for the first few days and then when my milk came in properly my baby really struggled to latch on. So I started to use a pump just to make sure she was being fed. I still try to bf every time I feed her but have the expressed milk nearby just in case. Still not getting any better.
But the issue is that my milk seems to have gone. When I first started pumping I could get six ounces in 10 minutes but for the past two days it takes that long to get 1 ounce. Can't keep up with babies demand for milk and can't bf so it is getting very frustrating.
Is there anything I can do to produce more milk? Family have said to drink more and eat lots of fruit but it seems to be making no difference.
Sorry for long post
I really don't want to have to formula feed
Thanks

[ThatUsernameIsTaken]

Could it be your period is about to start? For me a day or two before a period my milk supply dwindles and baby gets very frustrated. Apart from that is there any way you can try and get baby to latch on?

[IrregularCommentary]

What you can pump bears no relation to your supply necessarily. I got a huge amount once in the early days and then shortly after found pumping quite hard going. I'm still bf 12 months later so it honestly doesn't mean you have an issue with supply.

I really recommend you get in touch with somewhere like la leche league, who should be able to offer rl support. I had huge problems with getting dd to latch and ended up seeing a lactation consultant in the end, who made a huge huge difference to me.

Has your baby been checked for tongue tie by a specialist? Tongue tie is so common and can seriously affect how easy a baby finds it to feed. It's often an undiagnosed problem that makes women think they can't bf or don't have enough milk etc.

Good luck with it, hopefully you can get it resolved.

[IrregularCommentary]

Sorry for lack of paragraphs. Looks like the app is playing up again.

[Babyblues14]

I do have an appointment with my midwife tomorrow so I will ask about it again. I saw her last week and she suggested nipple shields but they haven't helped.
Just worried about how i will get through tonight when I am hardly producing anything. I have an owl baby who spends all night screaming if she isn't being cuddled or fed and then sleeps all day

[Moregilmoregirls]

Definitely get her checked for tongue tie, both mine had it. Is there a bf support group near you? Found them great support and they can check for latch/ tongue tie all that sort of thing. As for your supply eating oats helps (lots of porridge) and you can get a supplement from health food shops called fenugreek. Also pump little and often. Good luck the early days can be so tough but you're doing a great job.

[Moregilmoregirls]

Oh and I used nipple shields but they do vary greatly in size and thickness I got some small Medela ones and found they worked well. But using shields can negatively affect supply!

[Gooseygoosey12345]

Have you tried the rugby ball hold? Kind of seems to be a fix all for breastfeeding. Have you got a la leche league group near you? Or on Facebook. They seem to be quite helpful

[Babyblues14]

Yes midwife taught me the rugby hold in the first few days and it did work but as soon as my milk came in my boobs were huge and baby just couldnt latch properly. Will definitely ask about the tongue tie when I see her tomorrow, thanks

[IrregularCommentary]

It's really worth contacting LLL as well. Midwives are usually not actually trained in diagnosing tongue tie and so many miss it - even those who tell you that your baby doesn't have it.

It's honestly incredibly unusual for bf not to be physically possible for Mum/baby so if it's something you're keen to do then do seek support with it. It can be the hardest bloody thing in the world to start with for the first few weeks, but it's great once you crack it!

[IrregularCommentary]

How are you getting on OP?

[Polgaraisbloodylate]

Oats are supposed to be lactogenic. Try googling lactation cookies?

Otherwise, the only way to increase milk supply that I know of is to put the baby to the breast. Let your child spend as long as possible attached to your boob. Do lots of skin to skin - 'babymoon' - stay at home with your top off and the baby on your chest all day. A sling can help. Sod visitors and housework.

Personally, I don't think that using a pump helps.

Can you find a breastfeeding support group to go to? My HV didn't have a clue.

[tiktok]

Sorry you have had such a difficult start to BF, babyblues.

The overwhelmingly most likely reason for a drop in your supply is NOT tongue tie, lack of fruit in your diet (that one is ridiculous, sorry), lack of oats, your period starting (not at two weeks post natal)....it's pure and simple lack of effective and frequent removal of milk from the breast.

If you have been expressing since the start and not BF direct the ONLY way to build up and maintain production is to express at least eight times in 24 hours, and this should be day and night.

If you don't do this it is very hard to keep up a supply.

However, it's not clear from your post if your baby is BF direct as well and you are not using formula. If she is BF direct and you are expressing as well. , it may be that she is getting what she needs and your breasts are simply behaving normally! In the very early days mothers tend to over produce - few women would manage to keep up six ounces in ten minutes....that's very generous even in the very early days scenario.

Yes, speak to someone expert in real life. There's not enough info in your post to know what's happening. Hope it works out and post again with more details if you can.

[tiktok]

PS drinking more yourself won't help either - drink to thirst, no need for more.

[Polgaraisbloodylate]

I never said that she needed to eat more oats or that eating oats will solve the problem.

Diet, is not going to be the cause of her problems but optimising your diet for breastfeeding can make it easier. Breastfeeding puts a huge strain on the body. I know it's always made me very hungry and thirsty!

[Ohwell14]

Hi everyone, feeding is getting a bit better, manage to latch on at least once a day and then the rest of the time ebf.
Milk supply went back up, as I did start expressing more often which seems to have help. I am starting a breastfeeding support group next week. I was referred by my health visitor
Baby doesn't have any formula and I want to avoid it as much as possible and breastfeed or at least express for as long as I can
Thanks for all the advice xx

[tiktok]

OP, have you changed your user name??

Getting confused here :)

[Ohwell14]

Yes different username, for about that