Weight Loss & Milk Supply in BFeeding

[DefNotYummyMummy]

I am BF my third child. I gained 3 stone through pregnancy and I have managed to lose 2 stone so far. The baby is 3 1/2 months.

Earlier this week I literally ran out of milk. I was 9 1/2 stone 2 weeks ago and quite quickly, without trying, my appetite decreased and I started losing a couple of pounds a week. I have been really busy and so have skipped a couple of meals. But I am not underweight or anything for my height. I am only 5ft 2.

So anyway I congratulate myself thinking this is great and although I was keeping hydrated, my milk supply has plummeted. I have never had this before with any of my children.

Do you have to be a certain weight to breastfeed or have a certain calorie intake ? Is everyone different and it just depends who you are ?

So anyway I was just wondering as very quickly after eating 4 meals a day for the past two days and eating a lot of the stuff you shouldn't (chocolate, candy floss, coke etc) my boobs are bursting at the seams again.

Or is it just coincidence. I have gained 2lbs back and was thinking do I have to make sure I eat regularly to maintain this supply.

Baby is a lot happier by the way !

Weight loss you describe should not be linked in any way with a fall in supply Defnot. You are not acutely ill (which can sometimes affect supply for a short time) and you are certainly not literally starving (!) which can make maintaining a full supply difficult.

I wonder if you have observed the perfectly normal feeling of very soft breasts? This can happen fairly suddenly - it does not mean you have no milk. All it means is that your supply is calibrated with the needs of your baby; the very common slight over-supply that leads to very full-feeling breasts in the first weeks has ceased, and in addition, the fat that gives our breasts their shapes has been replaced by milk making and storing tissue. It absolutely not a loss of supply - the milk is there, I promise you :) Just keep feeding.

The other 'false sign' is not being able to get as much out with expressing - again, that's common. It's not a sign of a loss of supply.

Any of the bf lines would confirm what I say here so you might like to give them a ring.

Does that help, or do you have other reasons for thinking you have a loss of supply?

My baby is the same age and my breasts have also suddenly lost that full feeling - even first thing in the morning they're not bursting anymore.

Am very jealous of you losing 2 stone though - don't think I've lost a pound.

Defnot - what do you think?

I have lost weight since my baby was born ( although sadly not 2 stone sigh) but it hasn't affected the amount of milk at all. The only time I have had a sudden drop in milk supply - or at least i think i did it is hard to tell was when i had a 24 stomach bug which made me pretty ill for a day. She was screaming for food and eating pretty much constantly ( fun day) by the next day i was fine and milk was back but a lot more, as in she was lying there stuffed in my arms and milk still rushing out.

bumping again - defnot, please come back and comment :)

defnot - 3 people have posted in response, concerned about you. Please come back with an update :)