Advice please: suddenly producing less breast milk?

[Bexy99]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone can offer any advice or reassurance. At the weekend my baby son turned 12 weeks old however in the last few days it seems that I'm producing much less breast milk. I used to have a problem with over supply/fast let down. However, now I think I'm not producing enough milk. My breasts feel really soft/empty. On the occasions I have tried pumping I only manage to get around 100ml by interchanging the pump between both breasts over a period of time. Previously I could fill a bottle with one breast very easily! Also, my son seems to be fussing at the boob as if he's not getting enough and I have to keep swapping him from one side to the other repeatedly. He is feeding very frequently so I feel he is constantly on the breast. In the last week he also seems to have taken a dislike to going in the pushchair and the car/seat - he starts crying as if he's hungry. Also, he's not really napping during the day as he wants to feed so often - and then falls asleep at the breast. When I transfer him to the cot to sleep, he wakes up a few minutes later crying. Any advice would be most welcome! Could this be due to a growth spurt? I'm worried I'm producing less milk at a time when my son needs more. I had a bereavement recently - could stress cause my milk supply to drop off?

Many thanks in advance,

Bex.

Hi- the breast and bottle feeding section might be useful for you, but I didn't want to read and run. In my experience, once supply settles down, your breasts are still producing he right amount of milk for your baby, they just feel less big. I'm still feeding my youngest and mine feel empty all the time. They aren't though.

I'm so sorry you are going through a bereavement- are you eating and drinking plenty? You need to keep up your calorie intake when you are feeding.

It does sound like your baby is going through a growth spurt too- my advice is to feed feed feed to maintain supply. Take the opportunity to put your feet up if you can.

I found www.kellymom.com to be brilliant when I needed a bit of breastfeeding reassurance.

I hope this helps. Trust your body and your baby- your milk supply will be fine

Have you started taking any medication?

Vinnyinny - thanks for the response/advice. I probably don't eat/drink water as regularly as I should so I am working on this. Have also re-posted in the breastfeeding section.

RB - I haven't started taking any medication recently. Thanks.

Hi Bex,

I posted a very similar thread a few months ago when my DD was about 10-12 weeks (she's just turned one now) as I thought my milk supply was slowing down. I wish I could find it so I could link it but I can't for some reason.

Anyway, someone linked me to this which I found really useful kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/breast-fullness/

So it's basically more like up until now you've been producing too much and now you're producing the right amount which is why they feel empty in comparison.

But if your baby is fussing and getting frustrated at the breast that sounds also like a growth spurt to me.

Make sure you drink plenty too. There was one occasion when my DD was about 4 months and I hadn't been drinking enough and my breast milk did dry right up! I had a couple of days of drinking loads of water and it did go back to normal again but it is important that you drink plenty when breastfeeding.

If you are still worried that you're not producing enough, fenugreek (not sure if I've spelt it right) is a herbal supplement that is meant to help boost supply.

Hope this helps

Hi CCW, thanks for that link - that was very reassuring to read. Hopefully then it is just a combination of a growth spurt and breast settling down to normal levels.

Thanks very much :-)