Can your milk just dry up?

[Aritziades]

I’m 6 weeks into breastfeeding. Baby usually very happy, feeds 10-20 mins on one side and will sometimes go for another 5-10 mins on the other side each feed. Pretty regular every 2 or 3 hours. Haven’t had a cluster feed in the last few weeks. This week I’ve had a cold, not a very bad one. Baby also congested. And suddenly he’s popping off the breast after 10 minutes absolutely livid, clearly hungry, and will latch again for 10 seconds before popping off again and screaming. I’ve tried hand expressing at this point and it just seems like nothing is coming out. He’s so upset I just have to stop and try to soothe him. I wondered if it’s just the cold (as an AI summary Google told me being sick can affect supply) but I am worried I’ve done something else and messed up my milk production and it’s all dried up 😭

Hello, just from the brief summary, this sounds like classic cluster feeding behaviour to me. Baby going through a growth spurt and is trying to increase your supply fussing at the breast. I had this at around 6 weeks with my first DS. It would actually go on sometimes for a couple of hours at a time, latching on, brief feed, coming off and crying inconsolably. It was slightly torturous for me as a parent because there was very little I could do to console him. Make sure you are drinking lots and eating enough, but it seems unlikely you've just dried up at 6 weeks if baby has been feeding consistently throughout.

Sorry you're feeling so crappy. Don't worry, your milk has not just dried up - for one you would know about it as you'd be very engorged and uncomfortable if you just suddenly stopped! More likely baby is congested from the cold, can't breathe through his nose so is struggling to feed and getting annoyed about it. I also barely got anything out hand expressing, it's not always an indication of how much milk you actually have. How experienced are you in hand expressing? Try some YouTube videos, you need to have you hand in a c shape 2 or 3 centimetres back from your nipple (where the milk ducts are) and draw your hand forward with a gentle squeeze. Sorry if you know this already but if you're not squeezing in the right place you won't get anything out.

Have you tried him on a bottle with any expressed milk from using a breast pump? Breast pumps can be more efficient at getting milk out of your breast (but no match for a baby) and feeding from a bottle is easier for a little one to take in. Look up paced feeding though as to not upset the breast feeding too much. The Beside You breastfeeding website is really helpful (it's from Kent NHS but doesn't matter where you live!)

Keep trying with the feeding though (as I'm sure you are) as the antibodies you're giving him from your milk are exactly tuned to help fight his little infection and it's the best way to get him well again. Your milk will adjust to what he needs, it is magic stuff. Really hope you both feel better soon. Please don't worry - nothing is as efficient as your baby at getting milk out, some people have no luck with expressing at all but still manage to successfully feed their babies xxx

Definitely do not get breastfeeding advice from an AI. That is just going to regurgitate all the rubbish that is all over the internet.

It sounds to me like your LO is uncomfortable with their cold and keeps popping off the breast because they like to breathe through their noses while feeding, so if their nose is all stuffed up, they can't breathe and feed at the same time and they are so little they don't realise/understand why, so they just get frustrated. All of my children have done it. The best tip actually is to squirt your own milk directly from your breast up their nose, it helps loosen the snot and unblock it and then they can breathe a bit easier and stop getting cross while feeding. If you have no luck with this you can buy little saline drops/spray at any chemist for babies, which does exactly the same thing.

Your supply is most likely 100% fine. Once you've got through the first 4-6 weeks it's very robust, and it is unlikely to suddenly go anywhere.

Do be aware taking decongestants like lemsip can reduce your supply - but the effect should be temporary so if you've done this accidentally, don't panic, just keep feeding, drink plenty of water and it should come back. Just to say to avoid them if you weren't already aware.

Best thing for a baby with any kind of minor illness is breastmilk and lots of cuddles - they can digest it so quickly that it helps keep them hydrated. IME you are in for a disturbed night but it should pass in a couple of days. If you have family around to take care of you and take the baby at any point so you can sleep that would be helpful. Don't panic, it will be fine!

Oh and PS I could never express anything more than about half an ounce. I breastfed in total for over 10 years when you count up all three children. So I completely agree that being able to express or not tells you nothing about your supply. These videos are really helpful:

Thanks so much for replying 🥹 I’m not sure it’s cluster feeding as we’ve had that a couple of times when he’s been relentlessly boob seeking whereas this feels more like he just can’t finish a feed, if that makes sense?

Presuming your baby has gained weight well then you don’t have a supply issue - your supply is now established and flexible but your body also less likely to leak and get engorged. Your calibration has improved! The feeding issues are probably related to the bunged up nose or sore throat etc and should resolve quickly. Nappies will tell you if there are any real problems :)

Thanks, that is really helpful. I’ve hand expressed a fair bit to collect colostrum so I’m pretty happy with the technique. If I’ve gone an hour or two between feeds I can hand express easily but after he’s fed for a few minutes I’m hand expressing to check the flow and that’s when nothing is coming out. It’s like there’s just an initial supply of foremilk and then it’s just empty?

I haven’t tried a pump yet as baby had been so happy just feeding at the breast and I didn’t want to mess with the supply. He happily takes a bottle as he was on top up formula feeds in hospital and still takes one pre-bedtime formula feed with his dad. I do have a pump I might try tomorrow just to see if I can pump a bit to get the supply up.

Thanks for the video! The congestion definitely contributing to the fussiness. I’ve got a saline spray that’s helped to dislodge a couple massive blobs of snot, but good to know the breast milk hack too 😅

Thanks! That is a good point, his nappy output is still pretty consistent right now but I’ll keep an eye on it

So many firsts with babies - nappies can be a nice objective thing to check:)

What @BertieBotts said ❤️

It sounds like a combination of blocked nose making it hard to feed, plus 6 weeks growth spurt leading to cluster feeding. Perfect storm, in other words.

It doesn't sound at all like your supply is an issue, more that he is trying to build up your supply at the same time as struggling to stay latched due to the congestion.

If you can help with the blocked nose the feeding should get easier but don't be disheartened if he starts very very frequent feeding once the cold eases off. He will just be building your supply up!

Also babies can feed more quickly and efficiently as they grow. What took 20 minutes can become 10 minutes so it could well be he is wanting more and your body will catch up and start producing extra.

Sounds like the six week growth spurt with an added cold. The only thing that would have decreased your supply is if you’ve taken cold & flu tablets.

Also how much you can express has no reflection on how much milk you’re producing. I can remember hardly being able to express a drop with DC1 but looking at photos of him, he was a lovely chunky weight.

Thanks ❤️ I do feel quite reassured we’re probably just growth spurting with a cold now!

I didn’t know this!

With bottle feeding you have to move up to different teat flow rates as well as milk volume. Our bodies are amazing!