Help needed - 8wo ebf in hospital and supply is dwindling.

[Trucha10]

My 8wo ebf ds has been in hospital since Boxing Day with the rvs virus and broncilitis. We were transferred to Intensive care for 4 days as he needed ventilating. Now back on the ward and I'm having problems with my dwindling supply. I have been expressing while he wasn't feeding and he's received breast milk through a gastric tube. Has been feeding from me for the last two days.

My worry is my milk supply. I used to have a really big supply and fast flow and now it's much reduced. I am expressing after I feed him to empty the boob. When I did this when he was well I would get a good 30-50mls. I'm barely getting anything now and worrying that my supply is drying up. I did have several very stressful days, didn't eat much and have been getting about 2 hours sleep a night for a week now, so I'm sure that's not helping.

What should I do? Keep expressing? Does anyone know how offen? Should I express after each feed or in between? He's feeding every 2-3 hours.

Thank you for any advice - it is greatly appreciated at what seems to be a particularly trying and depressing day.

I'm so sorry your DS is ill.

First of all, don't panic! Expressing isn't a reliable indicator of how much milk you have and doesn't necessarily mean you haven't got enough milk now. It's normal for yield to drop as time goes on. How is your DS after feeds? Does he seem hungry still? Is he exclusively feeding from you now or still being tube fed?

Even if your supply has dropped you can get it back. This page has some ideas/useful info.

Hope he gets better soon.

Thanks so much for your reply. He seems fine after feeds and has in fact put on nearly a kilo since we've been in hospital. He feeds quickly and always has and there has been no change in that. He seems very settled and is sleeping between feeds quite well so I guess that means he's satisfied? Nasal gastric tube came out yesterday and he is only being fed by me now.

are you sure you are drinking enough and not dehydrated yoursel? ?

Anita that's a very good point. I will attack the water and hope that helps.

That's brilliant news! I think your supply is probably fine in that case. If you are worried you could express once a day, but doesn't sound like you need to and sounds like you could do with some sleep and food yourself!

They do get more efficient at feeding and no pump will ever be as efficient as your baby so try not to worry too much about that.

What a relief for you he is a bit better! It's awful when they are ill.

Sorry your DS has been ill and glad that he's on the mend.

As others have said your supply may not have been affected at all. The best way to keep it up is to put DS the breast often! Good luck.

You're all so lovely. Thanks for the replies. I guess I was surprised that my ability to express just dwindled so quickly, but then again it was at the same time that he started feeding again, so - duh, of course my supply. would appear to have dwindled. I had horrid visions of not being able to feed him, which is the only thing giving me much comfort at the moment.
Thanks again.

Must be giving you both comfort. Hope you can take him home soon

Waiting - yes we have a hospital pimp. We had a Madela symphony when at Great Ormond St but now back at UCH and using an Elite, which I don't find as good but seems to get the job done. Will ask about a feeding coordinator tomorrow - really good idea.