Milk drying up - can supply be recovered?

[WhoSleptInMyPorridgeAndBrokeIt]

A mate of mine is having problems with milk supply. Her DD is 9 weeks old. She said her supply was fine to start with - she was forever running out of breast pads - but she's going through a rough patch at mo and the stress must have taken its toll. Her milk's drying up and she's been supplementing with formula for a few weeks now. Also, her DD goes for 5-6 hours without a feed at night (which I'm not sure is ok at this age?).
I told her she must express every time she gives her baby a bottle but she's got so much going on and seems too overwhelmed to do it regularly. She said she only got 40 ml yesterday.
Does anyone have any tips on recovering milk supply? She's a single mother with a tight budget so not having to waste money on formula would be really helpful.. as well as b/f being good for her daughter!

Many thanks

I'd say it is the formula that is the problem. DD1 was sleeping 8 hrs at this age & had no effect on my supply but the drop in demand caused by introducing formula will have had an impact. You don't go into why she needed to introduce formula but this is what she really needs to look at & if possible reduce. There are many many threads in the archive about recovering to fully BF from giving topups. Main advice is to feed as often as possible.

Just to add IME expressed amount is not a good indicator of what milk is available, a baby is much more efficient.

This started happing to me about 2 weeks ago, first one boob was low (right), so started each feed on this side and also expressed right side when ever she had finished a feed.
Then noticed last week DD was fussing on the left boob, but there was lots going on during the day and she is very nosey so just put it down to that.
When we got home she was very fussy on both boobs so tried her with formula and she took 9oz straight down and she nromally refuses formula straight off (try her every now and then to prepare for when I go back to work)so I knew she was hungry.
So I took 3 Fenugreek tablets around 4pm and then 3 before bed and by the 6am feed I was full. I am now taking 6 capsules a day (2 x 3 times a day) right boob is still lower but I always start on this boob and she is happier for longer.

Also highly recommend the NCT breastfeeding helpline, they advised feeding whenever possible, pumping after a feed to encourage let down and also the fenugreek.

Warning though - Fenugreek makes your wee smell of curry lol

Porridge, the reason for your friend's milk supply becoming low is crystal clear - the formula she has been having for weeks, you say. The long time at night won't help, but it's the formula she needs to work on getting rid of, otherwise her milk will disappear...she needs a plan, and a start would be to phone one of the bf helplines.

She needs to do this asap - this is urgent if she wants to save her milk.