Breastfeeding & Moderna Vaccine - how do I get my milk back

[Terriblecreature]

Hi everyone, writing in a state of panic right now

I got the moderna vaccine on Saturday evening. Come Monday my LO was screaming the entire day. I assumed it was his reflux symptoms bothering him and managed to get the doctor to change his medication. I have since realised that my milk is drying up and I cannot fathom why this has happened. The only thing I can think of is the vaccine.

Since last night I purposefully woke my LO to feed hourly to see if that would help. I have now giving him a bottle of breast milk that I thawed from the freezer and decided to put the pump on. After 20 minutes I got not one drop.

Can anyone advise how I get my milk back?

I am devastated and feel like crying

What age is your baby?
A pump is no indication of milk production

LO is 13 weeks and I have used the pump almost daily since the LO was 7 days old. I usually get around 8oz after a 20 minute session so a bit panicked that I have got nothing this morning

No advice but my supply seemed to drop after the first dose of AZ (I was also dieting though so not sure what to attribute it to). It did come back after a week or so.

This is a growth spurt age so your lo can be more unsettled and want to feed more to increase your supply. Getting stressed will affect you too so try to relax and just keep offering feeds

Don't panic! Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and try oats to help boost supply (my preference is chocolate hobnobs but you could go for porridge, flapjacks etc). Other things to help: plenty of fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds. fenugreek is also meant to help.

Try lots of skin to skin and let baby nurse as often as possible.

I have Pfizer jab and in hindsight I think it may have caused my milk supply to drop (between 2-3 months my baby averaged 2oz a week weight gain and went very sleepy and uninterested in feeding.

I’ve got my milk supply back now by offering feeds a lot more often in the day, latching baby on whilst he was asleep to get him to feed. I’ve also been pumping - a few nights I woke up at 2am to pump as baby was not interested in waking to feed. I’ve also made sure I was eating plenty including lots of oats. This past week baby has gained 11oz

I had this with Pfizer though it didn't dry up completely, I lost a few oz. You'll probably need to keep pumping lots and nurse as well.
So sorry this has happened. Its a nightmare. Do top up with formula only until your milk is back.

I submitted a yellow card report for side effects btw as I think its important they can warn women on this if a pattern emerges.

Try not to worry as that may affect your supply. Good advice from PP. plenty of skin on skin and water.

I would speak with your GP also about your concerns and any relation to the vaccine. X

Oh and take fenugreek. That can really stimulate supply fast.

Thanks all, will try all of the advice.

I have a freezer stash of breast milk and also formula in case. Don't want him going hungry as he is a big boy (weighed 17lbs 3oz at 12 weeks).

Spoken to my health visitor too who is going to raise a yellow card as a side effect.

Will keep wakening LO during the night to feed etc. He has been more sleepy and I wonder if that is because he hasn't been getting as much milk. I feel awful now.

@BlackKittyKat
Will definately try chocolate hobnobs...don't need to ask me twice 🤣

Don't bother with fenugreek, there's no evidence that it will increase supply and is actually just as likely to decrease supply. Have a babymoon, lots of skin to skin, the only way to increase supply is remove milk from breast and keep well hydrated

I'm sorry you are experiencing this anxiety OP. I actually started a thread a few weeks ago asking for breastfeeding mothers' experience of this, as The Breastfeeding Network have made a note on their information page, that some mothers have reported this to their supporters following the vaccine. Most posters answered that they had noticed no changes, but the vast majority of answers came from women feeding older babies or toddlers, so it may not gave been so obvious with a drop in supply. One poster who did notice a change, said that it was only affected for a few days. So my advice would be not to panic, but to keep feeding your baby as often as possible, don't worry about pumping for now.... Just get your baby feeding lots and everything should settle down again.

As other posters have advised, whatever the cause of a drop in supply keep feeding frequently and lots of skin to skin. Make sure you are eating and drinking well, and as relaxed / rested as is possible.
You can always call the breastfeeding network or la leche league especially if you feel you are getting more worried which may be counterproductive.
All the best xxx