Help! Dip in supply at 9 weeks

[265IceCream]

EBF, funny until now I had an oversupply and milk going everywhere. Baby started sleeping 11pm-5am since 8 weeks. Great. Except my breasts feel empty, even in the morning, and they're properly empty in the evening and we're stuck cluster feeding and he's getting really frustrated. I don't know what to do? I thought feeding by demand is meant to regulate my supply, why would it dip?

That full to bursting feeling of the first few weeks does sort itself out, your breast will start to feel more normal.
Your baby is probably just going through a growth spurt and feeding more.

Have you tried a breast milk baby bank?
My friend donates to one she uses on Facebook.
Loads all over the UK.. offering and requesting breast milk in their area.
The more you feed the more you will make.
Have you tried putting your breasts over a very hot bowl of water and gentle massaging them to produce?.

As PP says, that feeling of being very full does go as the supply regulates. Cluster feeding in the evening can still be normal. Is he happy the rest of the time? As he's doing a long stretch of sleep after that fussy period I would think he's just making sure he's full x

Also please don't put your breasts over hot water and massage them, that's just going to cause irritation and inflammation!

No it doesn't.. the warm steam helps to stimulate the milk.
I used to help with the Le Leche groups.
Google warm steam/ warm cloths/ breast milk

See image.

I like this woman for advice

https://www.instagram.com/olivia_lactation_consultant?igsh=MXdqMHczOGhtZ3VldQ==

But really no one on Mumsnet can tell you, can you afford a lactation consultant if you're worried?

@Moier the way you described it in the first post is not what I imagine from your follow up AI generated description. Warm flannel is not very hot water. And the fact is heat can cause worsening of inflammation and the breast tissue is tender.

Well l didn't say put them in the hot water🤷‍♀️. Hot water makes steam?

@Moier I know I'm not an idiot but very hot water gives me the imagine of boiling water and therefore a lot of very hot steam. My comment still stands and it's a recipe for irritated breast tissue! I don't think it sounds like an under supply issue at all and more production will just cause other issues

Breast feed as much as you can, every opportunity. Keep it up at least a day, preferably longer. Your supply will go up, for sure.

As long as your baby is making plenty of wet nappies, and gaining weight on their usual centile, then your supply is fine! In the first three months, I felt like my baby was on a continuous growth spurt, the cluster feeding never seemed to end! The fact that your baby is sleeping for a long block suggests that they (and you!) are doing a great job of getting the calories in during the day, which in turn helps them sleep without waking hungry.

Have confidence - no one ever knows how much milk an EBF baby is getting, but they keep growing so it must be working!

It sounds like you’re navigating a tricky phase, especially after having an oversupply! As your baby sleeps longer at night, your body may be adjusting and producing less milk during those times. Cluster feeding can be frustrating, but it’s a way for your baby to stimulate more milk production.

To help boost your supply, consider trying Healthy nursing tea. It’s a natural option that was very helpful for me when I was in the same boat. You can also try to pump or hand express a little after feedings to signal your body to produce more. Remember, this phase can pass, and your body is likely just adjusting to your baby's new routine!