Do periods reduce breast milk? Help me increase supply

[FlourishingMrs]

Please help, I think I have lost my breast milk making ability. DS is 15 weeks. He lost a lot of weight in the first 14 days and the started gaining well, but at 12 weeks of exclusive breast feeding my period came, it seems since then the supply is low. No more leaks, no more breast pads and slowed in gaining weight.

So I intoduced one formula feed in the evening and the weight in the last 2 weeks has been great. But I fear he is no longer full on breast feeds so I have started alternation breast and bottle in the day and breast only at night until 11 in the morning.

How do I continue breast feeding within him losing more weight? He was born just over 6 pounds. 3.018 kg and is Now 5.1 kilos. Took him to the health visitor not worried about his weight as he is an extremely active and strong baby.would like to continue breast feeding but need advice to up my milk supply.

That's fantastic!

It depends on the age of the baby when you go back to work and how many hours a day you work.
If baby is younger/you work longer hours, you would probably have to express in work.
For an older baby, depending on the hours you work, some women can get away with not expressing and just feed baby before,after work and on their days off. If your baby is older your supply will be well established so it's not something you would normally have to worry about. Expressing would be more for comfort or if you wanted to give baby expressed milk.

Thank you Little, planning to go back 6 hours twice a week once baby is 4 months. It's our own business so cannot afford to let it slide.

Could baby visit for a feed? It would be much nicer than pumping, and more efficient and fill the baby up. Four months is still quite young to start solids properly. I think I would be meeting baby in at the half way time, or else you will need to set aside some time midway to pump, otherwise you will start to feel full and you increase your risk of mastitis.
Unless you get yourself into a mixed feeding routine when you go back, so baby has bottles during the six hours you are away, a feed as soon as you get back, you just pump off the excess during the day and feed as soon as you get home? Then on your days at home, just breastfeed as normal and give them a bit of food to start weaning, like yogurt or some veggie soup or something?

I've always felt my periods affect my supply / change taste of my milk.

Bf Dd doesn't seem too bothered by them (touchwood as my period arrived this morning 😩) but ds would fuss and fret at that time.

If baby can visit for a feed at work that would be ideal. If not, I would say you would have to express at that age as 6 hours (plus travel?) is quite a long time to go without.

Have a look on some American sites as a lot of mums go back to work early and pumping is more common there so you will probably get some good advice.

I would not look to start solids at 4 months-expressed milk followed by formula would be best for your baby while you are at work.

You will still be able to breastfeed as normal before and after work and on your days off.

Thank you ladies, it's so hard being a mum, every decision has a cost.