My milk let down has been perfect for 10 weeks and now has slowed or doesn't happen. I desperately down want to stop breast feeding but the problems getting increasingly frustrating for both of us!

[CathR2014]

Hi all, any help great fully received.... The first 10 weeks of breastfeeding were perfect formby son and me. Great latch, ample supply and guaranteed fast milk let down. I had to wear breast pads day and night as leaked a little or let down triggered by crying or just looking at him sometimes. At 10 weeks I decided to start taking the mini pill. The doctor assured me it wouldn't disrupt feeding so I thought nothing of it. Within just a few days I started feeling as though in the afternoons my ds just wasn't getting much and questioned my supply. It the became apparent that the issue was more to do with milk not letting down. I used to have a fast and dramatic reflex- I could feel it happen and ds would latch really deeply and gulp away happily and other breast would dribble/spurt milk. When the let down issue started I was finding that even when i was engorged, ds would suck and little milk would come (just fore milk). I didn't feel or see the reflex and he wouldn't gulp, instead shorter shallower sucks. He'd then start getting frustrated and I got stressed. Generally let down has been better in the morning, deteriorates in the day, either happening after up to an hour if fruitless sucking or not at all. Often in the night I don't get let down despite noobs being really full. As a result of this happening supply dwindled a bit and there have been a handful of nights where I've given him a few oz formula when he's got upset and I've been concerned he's had such a small amount if breast milk.
I should say that I'm working on our dairy farm. Josh comes with me in sling to feed upto 200 calves morning and evening and during the day I do lots of paperwork inside. It's our busiest time if year on the farm so lots in my mind and I'm usually doing paperwork whilst feeding etc. it hasn't been an issue for the first 10 weeks. When I started the pill tho it was as if somebody flicked a switch as far as let down went.
I've tried so many things to resolve this issue. Stopped pill after a week, taking fenugreek to help maintain milk supply, eating and drinking plenty, putting paperwork aside during feeding. I've tried "laid back" feeding to ensure a deep latch, hot flannels, deep breathing excercises, visualisation, skin to skin and this week I've even tried hypnosis to help me switch off from farm work and relax more. I'm certainly better away from the farm but can't do any more to remove those stresses. It wasn't a problem before so not sure that's the issue anyway. Problem is self perpetuating as I'm willing milk to come and the more i worry the less likely it is to happen. Viscous cycle. So that's my problem and as I said any help at all from anyone that's experienced a similar issue would be so greatly received. I would love breast feeding to become the pleasurable, easy and satisfying experience it was for both of us. Josh still weeping and pooing enough but not as much and last weighing he'd dropped off the growth curve he was in a little. HV not concerned about ds and like I say on the occasions i've been concerned he's not got enough I've supplemented with small amounts of formula as a last resort. I look forward to any advice. Thanks in anticipation x

Could you call the la leche league helpline tomorrow? www.laleche.org.uk/content/telephone-helpline they gave me lots of useful help when I started struggling with too forceful letdown recently. There's also nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk or the NCT have one too.

There's also this kellymom page about low supply
kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/low-supply/ and this one kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/low-supply, which suggests anecdotal evidence that the mini pill can reduce supply.

The milk let down does change a bit around this time in my experience and becomes less immediate and more on demand as your production changes with his needs.

One thing I do wonder (especially given the posting time) is are you getting enough sleep. My milk supply could cope with dehydration, illness, skipped meals and stress but it couldnt hold up when I was over tired and often a good sleep would lead to breaking the cycle for both of us.

What you're describing actually sounds absolutely normal - with both my boys my fast letdown, engorgement, leaking, etc. all calmed down enormously after the first couple of months. As biscuits says, your milk production switches from being just hormonally driven to being more "on demand", it's why people with oversupply often find it clears up around the 2/3 month mark.

Baby is probably also going through a bit of a growth or developmental spurt and hence getting upset/demanding more feeds - it doesn't necessarily mean he's "not getting enough" or needs formula right that minute, it means he's trying to get you to produce more for his growing needs (think of it like putting a note out for the milkman). Also you've said your HV isn't worried about his weight.

That's not to say that the mini-pill couldn't have caused an issue, but if you've stopped taking it I can't see how it would persist if you've kept feeding. As a PP suggested, try talking to LLL or another BF help group if you're still worried.

Thanks for the feedback and I accept there's an element of normality in what's happening, however when my milk does let down it's an unmistakable sensation and sometimes even when boobs full I just don't get a proper let down and they don't milk out properly. On these occasions I know he's getting something but he doesn't gulp and latch not as good as when the reflex happens. I've spoken with 2 BF consultants and one made some good suggestions and the other not at all helpful. In the US an oxytocin spray is available but not here. So desperately don't want to stop BF but on the occasions he's not getting enough when milk not coming to the point of crying (he doesn't cry much generally) I just don't know where to turn as he's obviously hungry. I wonder whether combined feeding with just a little formula would be a possible solution, e.g 2oz during the day e.g lunchtime if needed and 2oz at night. My concern with this is knocking supply further. I'm being lent a medulla swing pump too so will try and use to boost production/stimulate let down before considering formula. Thoughts? I've been doing battle with this for a few weeks and i can't carry on with it like this forever. It used to be so easy....gutted it's not quite working....

As I said, I stopped feeling a noticeable let down around the 12 week mark, I'm still BF DS2 at nearly 2 years and hardly ever feel a let down (to be honest I'd only notice it if I was pumping). Ditto the gulping.

Is there anything else other than not feeling a let down and a cranky baby that makes you feel like he's "not getting enough" or "obviously hungry"? You say he's gaining weight (albeit with a slight dip), wet nappies, etc. - is there anything that would/could convince you that you're not underfeeding him? And unfortunately babies of that age are often just cranky, even after a fairly peaceful first few weeks (see The Wonder Weeks for some good info). I do feel for you, but I think thinking that you're not making enough milk is something that BF mums often wreck their heads over and often (though not always) it's for absolutely no reason. I'd also maybe lay off the "just in case he's not getting enough" formula for a while.

The Kellymom page on low supply linked above is very good.