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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Supply problems after me having a tummy bug! Baby is 7 months

25 replies

aaarrrggghhh · 01/01/2008 17:57

I have never had any problem with supply until now but after a horrible weekend with a tummy bug, I feel my supply has gone down considerably and my lo's nappies are considerably drier. She hasn't complained much so far (I have a feeling she isn't 100% either as her appetite is less than normal)but the nappies worry me and poos are darker etc (tmi!).

Anyway, has anyone got any tips to get back to normal? I have barely eaten/drunk anything all weekend so I guess that's a big factor. Should I cut back her solids to encourage her to stimulate my supply back?

OP posts:

tiktok · 01/01/2008 18:01

Blip, nothing more....gastro bugs sometimes reduce milk supply very briefly (but usually don't). Your baby can feed more often and this will restore things just fine!

Her nappies may be drier because she is urinating less often (normal as a baby gets older) or because she is not feeding so much (because of her appetite, as you say).

If you think she is truly poorly or dehydrated, then obv you will need to seek medical advice.

Your own eating and drinking is not a major factor - but frequency of feeding is.

HTH

BabiesEverywhere · 01/01/2008 21:00

I was first admitted to hospital for 7 days when my DD was 4 months old and still kept my milk supply. I nursed my daughter during the day as much as possible and expressed when we were parted at night. I worried about milk supply but despite not eating for 7 days all was well

MumtoBen · 01/01/2008 21:31

I had a nasty stomach bug for 48 hrs when DS2 was about 5 months old. It took me about 4 days extra feeding to get my supply back to normal. Amazingly DS2 didn't get ill, even though I was feeding him when I could when I was ill. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Original poster

aaarrrggghhh · 01/01/2008 21:59

Thanks for the reassurance. My supply has definitely dipped though. I cannot believe the nappies and after giving dd twice as long as normal to bf tonight, she needed a 6oz bottle top-up to get to sleep. Feeling very that this is all over for us. I am expressing now, as I type but getting about a third of what I'd normally get. God, maybe I should just take the hint that it's time to give up!

OP posts:

MumtoBen · 01/01/2008 22:21

I was worried it was all over for me too. Was down to 3 feeds a day instead of normal 6-7. But it soon came back once I was feeling better. Don't give up yet unless you want to for other reasons.

BabiesEverywhere · 01/01/2008 22:31

aaarrrggghhh,

I am sure Tiktok will be back with better advice (she is the online expert )

But for what I have read on here, I understand that many babies will take a topup from a bottle, even when they are not hungry. After all the milk pours into their mouth it is easy to swallow, rather than the effort needed to latch and breastfeed.

Expressing does not give an accurate level of your breastmilk. I have heard of women who can't express a drop but can happily breastfeed.

Lastly, I can't see your LO age on the thread but many of the things you are describing sound like a typical growth spurt. ie. A baby feeds for longer and/or more frequently than normal for several days. Do you think your baby could be having a growth spurt ?

BabiesEverywhere · 01/01/2008 22:32

Derr, as I posted I saw the age of your baby in the title of the thread. Not that it helps me, as I have no idea if babies have growth spurts at 7 months...

Shitemum · 01/01/2008 22:36

Please try fenugreek capsules, they worked for me.

Original poster

aaarrrggghhh · 01/01/2008 22:44

MumtoBen- thank you, I guess I will see how it goes over the next few days. I would rather give up when I ready rather than let a bloody tummy bug wreck things for us!

Definitely not a growth spurt- all the signs are there that I'm not producing much milk-
not v. wet nappies
boobs don't feel v. full
can tell dd isn't getting a large amount when she is feeding
I express quite regularly so know roughly how much to expect

I resort to offering her top-ups every other night or so as she doesn't settle very well! She normally takes between a couple of sucks- 2oz so the 6oz tonight was a bit gutting

OP posts:

MumtoBen · 01/01/2008 22:54

I had to top up with formula as well until my milk was back to normal especially when I was ill as I was so dehydrated. Do you give your DD water as well? You could try giving her a drink if her nappies aren't very wet.

tiktok · 02/01/2008 12:24

aaaarrrrgh, you say these are all signs you are not producing enough:

**Definitely not a growth spurt- all the signs are there that I'm not producing much milk-

Human beings can have appetite/growth spurts at any time, there is no age limit! Your baby may well need more milk at the moment to help him fight whatever infection he may have pending, and may want to feed more to help you build up your supply again after your bout of illness

**not v. wet nappies

This can be normal, as I say.

**boobs don't feel v. full

Normal!

** can tell dd isn't getting a large amount when she is feeding

How??!

**I express quite regularly so know roughly how much to expect

It is normal for expressing yeilds to vary - there are tons of posts about this.

Oh, and what a baby will take in a bottle after a breastfeed is no indication of anything, really!

However, I am not saying that you are mistaken in feeling that you are producing less as a result of your bug (though I do suspect it is not as serious a drop as you think), but I am saying this is a blip, and it is short lived, and your milk supply will bounce back as long as your baby can feed unrestrictedly. Milk supply at 7 mths is pretty robust and will not just disappear

Original poster

aaarrrggghhh · 04/01/2008 12:53

Think I am going to have to call it a day. It's a bit strange really. Basically supply is still way down on pre-bug but even when milk is there, dd doesn't really work at it anymore. Am so confused. She has aslight snuffle but wouldn't have thought that would make much difference. On the feeds where I dont top her up ,she produces near dry nappies and has started needing a large feed again at 3am (obviously not desirable). I am still expressing in the hope that I can get back to at least feeding her once in the day but doubt it. Maybe this is more dd trying to wean rather than just a tummy bug. Any ideas? It would seem pretty sudden if that's the case. I am feeling so sad today

OP posts:

jellies · 04/01/2008 13:05

Try motillium over the counter anti nausea and the fenegreek they worked for me.. make sure you are back to eating and drinking well... good luck!

IorekByrnison · 04/01/2008 13:15

I would keep trying to feed her as often as you can if you can bear it. I also had a big dip in my supply with a tummy bug like this when dd was around the same age. Took a few days to get back to normal but fine after that.

Is it possible for you to have a really lazy day or two with her with lots of cuddles and ready access to your boobs?

Can see the 3am feed is a pain, but would be inclined to go with it for the moment until everything's back to normal again.

tiktok · 04/01/2008 13:18

aaaaarrrrgghhhh....babies rarely wean themselves as young as this.

If you don't want to give up bf, then you don't have to.

I'd be repeating myself if I reiterated stuff about feeding often and the misleading signs of 'low supply'...prob best you speak to someone, maybe one of the helplines, and your concerns will be taken seriously in a real conversation

The large feed at 3 am is something that may be part of her needs at the moment - it will not last forever, and I understand it's hard esp if you have been feeling rough. But it is part of the physiological process of getting bf back to what it was.....

IorekByrnison · 04/01/2008 13:26

Slight digression - on being able to tell how much milk the baby is getting, I always judge by the frequency of swallowing. I think this is quite reliable - tiktok do you agree?

Would also second jellies' advice about eating and drinking well.

tiktok · 04/01/2008 13:33

Sorry, Iorek, don't really agree though not entirely sure what you mean.

The baby has to swallow to have an effective feed, and when the baby is swallowing only intermittently, or flutteringly, then you can be pretty sure he is not taking in much. But a baby can appear to be swallowing, and may do so frequently, and may not be taking in much - it's the 'shape' of the suck and swallow pattern that helps you decide in the feed is effective, and even then you can't tell the amount the baby is taking.

Google on Jack Newman to find out more about the pattern of sucking and swallowing reveals the effectiveness of the feed.

Eating and drinking really does not impact on the effectiveness of breastfeeding, though it can support the well-being of the mother, esp after illness.

IorekByrnison · 04/01/2008 13:44

Tiktok "when the baby is swallowing only intermittently, or flutteringly, then you can be pretty sure he is not taking in much"

That's basically what I meant - that's what I've always looked for if I've suspected dd wasn't getting much. Didn't mean to suggest you can measure it in ounces of course! Just relative to the baby's usual feeds.

tiktok · 04/01/2008 13:51

MumtoBen · 04/01/2008 20:32

Oh no aaarrrggghhh. Feel sad for you. Don't really have any ideas, I'm sorry.

A similar thing happened to me with DS1. I got chicken pox and my milk supply virtually dried up overnight. I couldn't do anything to get it back and ended up in hospital anyway away from DS1 as he wasn't allowed in the hospital. I was gutted that I had to stop (luckily DS1 was 6 months old, so at least we got that far). I think it was a bit hard as the decision to stop wasn't mine.

Hope you are feeling better now.

Original poster

aaarrrggghhh · 04/01/2008 23:41

Iorek- totally agree with you on judging how much lo is taking. I can't stand that fluttering thing dd when she doesn't take much.

Things have been a bit better this afternoon. My supply is improving but dd is really struggling with bf due to her cold I think. I can tell she is taking a bit though and can feel letdowns again so all much more positive. I am crossing my fingers we can keep going for a bit longer.

OP posts:

MumtoBen · 04/01/2008 23:46

Great, that sounds encouraging. Hope it carries on improving.

IorekByrnison · 04/01/2008 23:55

Really good news aaarrrggghhh - sounds like it's all on the mend. Will keep my fingers crossed for you too.

Original poster

aaarrrggghhh · 06/01/2008 10:57

I think we are pretty much back where we were pre-bug now. Dd slept well last night and I woke up feeling 'full'! Was scary how quickly my supply disappeared last week. Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread. Your support really helped. The good thing to come out of this is that I think I'll really appreciate bf'ing now for however long it continues.

OP posts:

MumtoBen · 06/01/2008 19:30

Really great news aaarrrggghhh. Glad things are back to normal.

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