Urgent, I run out of Breastmilk!

[airhostess]

Hi, I'm shattered and I have zero Breastmilk left and my baby who is a very big boy is getting upset. Should I give him formula? He's 4 mths and been exclusively bf, ?

I don't think it does run out. If you put him back to the breast then you should make the breastmilk on demand. Sounds like he is having a growth spurt

you will not run out of breast milk. even if your boobs resemble deflated balloons, they'll still make milk as your baby feeds. four months is famous for a big regression and growth spurt so just keep feeding. formula will decrease your supply further and is the last thing you need.

Assuming you mean feeding direct and not expressed, don't worry it doesn't run out. Just keep feeding.

You're very unlikely to have run

Even though he's squiming and crying through frustration? I'd like to add that I'm enjoying bF him I'm not looking for a way out x

4 month grown spurt. Makes me shudder with horror remembering it. Hang in there, things will get better very quickly.

Keep putting him to the breast, swap breasts every 5-10 minutes. You need to cluster feed like this to trigger an increase in your supply. Your body will catch up :)

Make sure you stay hydrated and if your partner can take the baby so that you can get some sleep then do that too.

Good luck :)

You're very unlikely to have run out, but four months olds can be fussy, crabby creatures about feeding. They're in growth spurt phase and may be feeding and fussing a lot. Don't worry, it will pass. You can just 'be available' for feeding. Be nice to yourself though, go to bed and feed, forget about housework for a bit. Get as much sleep as you can.

I agree...Drink loads and let him feed. Growth spurts are always a rocky couple of days but your boobs catch up.

Yup as said - it's the dreaded 4 month growth spurt and sleep regression. Also around this time you swap from hormonal production to demand driven production so you just feel less engorged and less full.
Have confidence in your boobs

Oh yes and keep swapping sides during a feed - helps to up your supply

Ah I remember this well. I was convinced there couldn't be any milk left as she was so cross and grumpy and my boobs were like empty sacks. As long as baby is sucking, milk is being produced (even if it doesn't feel like it). My advice would be drink lots of water, eat lots of cake and ride it out.

Yes give him formula if you don't want to see him hungry. I'm in exactly the same position and an doing just that. Your supply would probably catch up with his demand but might take a few days. (And might not mind...!) Not having enough milk is more common than many people think (I've consultanted dozens of lactation consultants over the past few years). You can always go back to exclusively breastfeeding after his growth spurt.

kellymom.com/bf/normal/growth-spurts/ - giving formula will interfere with your milk production and he may be more unsettled as he is having something he wouldn't normally have.

Not having enough milk is actually very rare if truly demand feeding and not misusing dummies etc. thinking you don't have enough milk is quite common. And "lactation consultant" is not a protected description. Anyone can call themselves that, including some employed by hospitals who haven't got a clue.

kellymom is very wise, every woman who wants to make a success of BFing should be given the link on day 1 :)

Your supply will catch up by feeding more, not giving formula. The more you feed, the more you make.

Totally agree, four month growth spurt. He's upping your supply even if it feels like the opposite. Hang in there, this is totally what should happen at this stage

Oh, and take care of yourself, eat well, drink lots of fluids and rest (I know, so annoying when people say that when you have a baby ). This too will pass.

Every growth spurt is your baby's way of telling you to sit down and eat more cake

Well that's what I tell myself anyway!

Kellymom is indeed awesome

You haven't run out of milk. Nature is very clever and so is your baby. He's preparing for a growth spurt as everyone else has said. Running out of milk is uncommon.

If you want to keep EBF then don't offer formula because that will affect your supply by taking a feed out of the loop.

This in my experience is the last great hurdle that BFing throws at you, once you get past this then you can go on feeding for as long as you want.

Take to the couch and keep swopping from boob to boob. The formula will interfere with your supply in the longer term and will end up being counter productive. Everyone who has bf has sat where you are and in my case that was after a bout of over supply.

Personally I found another growth spurt at 13 months ish where both mine reverted to feeding loads for about a week - then massively cut back.

But yes, the 4 month one is the hardest