still bf at 14months but worried about my milk supply

[babycentral]

How do you know if you have dried up?

Dried up? After 14months! Not a chance!

why no way?

My boobs aren't as full and ds seems to suck away for ages. I am trying to figure out if he is comfort sucking or drinking but I just don't know.

It's pretty unlikely. Unless you've not breastfed for a few weeks (months?).

At 14 months, you're unlikely to get engorged or leak, if that's what's worrying you. Actually, my supply has been really good with DS2 (unlike with DS1), but I've barely leaked, and not been engorged for ages.

Can you hear him swallowing?

If he wasn't getting anything, he'd get cranky about it all.

My milk was still spurting out a few weeks ago but recently not and boobs just don't seem full. My ds isn't a big eater but I was never worried because he was bf but now I am just worried that my ds isn't getting enough of either. (Should probably just not worry, and try to sleep more etc...)

How often is he feeding?

I have just stopped feeding DS, (last feed on Monday night) - he was down to only having one feed before bed, and my boobs feel totally normal, no aching or feeling full.

If he's eating well and drinking other fluids he probably isn;t having that much, but you will still be making what he needs / wants, don;t worry!

He seems to suck with more vigor, I used to always feel the let down but don't anymore. Have been attempting to introduce milk/formula/other liquids but he isn't keen.

He isn't cranky but he is waking up every 2 hours as of late.

If he's not taking other liquids, but is still peeing and well, he must still be getting milk from you.

If you want to try and increase your supply try this for a few days:

drink lots - several pints of water
eat three healthy meals a day
eat porridge for breakfast
rest - early nights if poss

This is what they recommend for new mums. I'm pg at the moment, and in the first few weeks (before I knew I was pg) my milk just seemed to disappear. Once I found out why, I started following the above rules, and lo and behold lots more milk again (fullness, ds seems to feed better etc). Previously I had been getting by on toast for b/fast and sometimes also lunch, a normal tea and only a few cups of tea/coffee as fluids during the day.

Does he seem to be weeing as much as normal? Hope that helps.

just to reassure you - my ds is 16 months and I noticed a couple of months ago that my boobs were a little smaller. Nothing to worry about just my supply adjusting to his needs. Meant I could go out & buy some new bras!

Seriously though - if your lo is doing plenty of nappies then he is getting plenty of milk from you. My ds has days when he seems to just be on me all day & others when he has 3 feeds total. At this age your boobs will be very good at adapting to the different supply highs & lows & so may seem a little less full.

Thank you for your thoughts! I probably do need to be eating and resting more but on my own most of the time so it is tough. Aaaaaah the joys of parenthood!