Low milk supply

[waitingfordark]

I had a baby 7 weeks ago, and have been expressing several times per day and night (baby has tongue tie so we are awaiting an appointment for that - also use nipple shields).
My milk has got better and better of the weeks where I am producing enough for a couple of feeds each time I express.

However, over the last few days it's reduced significantly. There isn't much coming out at all.
Do you know why this could be and how I can increase it?

I've looked at a few ways online but wondered if you all have any ideas?

I also have retained products (placenta) which the hospital discovered a few weeks ago but haven't removed it, and have seen online that this can be a cause of low milk supply. Has anyone had this before?

I don't know much about expressing, I was never very good at it but I did have some luck with an Ameda Lactaline. What pump are you using? Have you got a Hospital grade one?

Have you spoken to a BFC on one of the Helplines about your reduced output or your local LLL Leader? They might have some suggestions.

I did read recently that expressing Mums can get a higher output if they put a babies sock over the bottle as they express. They're not sure why it works but they suspect that seeing your output can trigger stress hormones which can reduce the flow.

@PritiPatelsMaker
It's a Medela pump. It's been really great over the last few weeks. The supply has been building up and usually when I express I get about 250ml of milk. But now, I'm lucky if I get 100ml so we're having to top up with formula at the moment as 100ml isn't a full feed.

I haven't yet spoken to the breastfeeding helpline but I can do as they message me each week to check if I need any breast feeding support etc.

I've read online it could be due to low iron if there's blood loss. As I have regained placenta I've been bleeding every day since the baby has been born including some very heavy bleeds. So that could be a reason possibly.

Low iron could be a reason yea but o think that you really need some RL support.

Is there a BFing Support Group that you can get to?

@PritiPatelsMaker
Yes there is one near my. I can call them tomorrow and see what they say. It's literally just happened overnight. No matter how much Im expressing, there's less coming out each time. I'll ring them tomorrow. Thank you.

Hope that you got on alright today

@PritiPatelsMaker
I have spoken with the health visitor and said I will go and see the breast feeding support team.
However, what I have also done is taken some iron tablets (one each day they were prescribed to me during pregnancy) and my milk supply has returned to almost how it was. I am going to speak to the hospital about it as it's likely the blood loss may be causing an iron deficiency that could be impacting my milk supply.