Why has my milk supply dropped?

10 replies

lulupop · 02/08/2004 13:00

Help! I've been expressing every morning so that DH can give DD (3 months) her 10pm feed and I can go to bed early. I've been getting 4oz without too much bother, but suddenly I'm struggling to even get 2oz. DD needs more like 5oz at the last feed and so now I'm trying to decide whether I should stay up and BF myself, or give her formula at the last feed. Don't really want to introduce formula yet, but equally, not sure I can get by on less sleep than I'm getting already. I don't understand why my milk supply has suddenly reduced as DD's feeding pattern hasn't really changed. Any ideas?

OP posts:

tiktok · 02/08/2004 13:06

I don't know why, either, lulupop....but expressing experiences do vary from time to time. Just express (or feed) once or twice more in the day, and the supply should revert to what it was.

bicbic · 02/08/2004 14:45

try drinking some fennel tea (buy it from the health food store) it doesent taste to bad and it helps with milk production.it works for me!

bicbic · 02/08/2004 14:47

and make sure you are drinking LOTS of other things too

GeorginaA · 02/08/2004 16:41

lulupop same has happened to me and ds is same age (12 weeks). I had three days of expressing only 3oz when I used to be able to get 5-6oz. Last night I managed to get 4.5oz again, so I'm assuming it's a growth spurt and he was taking more from me so there was less "spare" to express.

mears · 02/08/2004 23:36

lulupop - why don't you breastfeed for a couple of nights, that in itself may increase your milk supply. The more you feed, the more milk you make. Having given your baby breastmilk until 3 months, I would be loathe to introduce formula when a few nights of feeding will remedy the situation. The other thing to do is express 5 oz throughout the day in small amounts that can be put together. The extra stimulation of expressing will boost your supply. HTH.

ChicPea · 04/08/2004 23:49

I would think your milk supply has fallen due to your lack of nourishment/rest. I don't know if this is your first or if you have another to look after which obviously is tiring/demanding. I agree other posts, expressing with stimulate more milk production. My SIL used to drink a light beer - yes - and 20-30 mins later her breasts would engorge and off she would go! I don't know where she read it and if this is common knowledge but it worked.

hercules · 05/08/2004 10:21

Err Chicpea, you'd have to be bordering on seriously malnutrition for your diet to affect your supply. WOmen in 3rd world countries feed their babies. A beer would not have ANY affect on your ability to produce milk either way.

Garfield · 05/08/2004 19:42

Bicbic - how much fennel tea do you need do drink to have an effect? Is it a cup a day scenario or many cups? Sounds like it's worth a try

prettycandles · 06/08/2004 13:57

Fennel tea? Are you sure? I've never heard that it improves milk supply, only that it is excellent for wind in both mother and baby. Perhaps you mean Fenugreek? I drank a lot of fennel tea for my windy ds, and it had no effect on my milk supply despite my trying very hard to increase it; whereas with dd I took fenugreek and it had a dramatic effect on my milk supply.

TracyK · 06/08/2004 16:40

I used to stress myself up re the expressing lark too. I would express at 9pm for the milk to be used the following night's last feed - also so my husband could do it. I eventually relaxed by topping up whatever I had with formula. I think my ds was 4 months by then and I thought that if he was getting 80% breast and 20% formula - then it was still better than all formula, also better than me stressing out!
I still find that sometimes I can express 3 oz and other times I can get 8 oz - weird. But I think if you express after each feed it stimulates the production too - even if you are only getting a little dribble out - it makes sure you are completely empty too.

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