Worried my 4 month baby isn't getting enough breast milk.

[Mama98]

Hello! So I have a 3 month old baby boy, he'll be 4 months in just over a week, I'm a first time mother and exclusively breast feeding... I'm just really concerned about my supply, I never feel full anymore and my breasts hardly leak, where before I could always feel full and leak often and feel a distinctive strong feeling when letting down during a feed. I can't pump hardly anything into my hand pump after a feed as I'm trying to build my supply back up and when I squeeze my boob not much comes out I wouldn't think an amount that is efficient enough to feed my baby anyway 😓 he's gained weight perfectly since birth but I don't see my hv now until 9-12 months so no more weighs. My supply is better at night and he wakes for feeds so is it possible he makes up on a night mostly? Is there anything I can do to make my breast feel full of milk again, pumping isn't doing the trick.

Just to add he's used a dummy since 6 weeks and could this be intervening?

It's completely normal. Your boobs have learned to provide just what your baby needs so the full feeling goes, as does the leaking. You keep producing milk when your baby feeds, there isn't an 'empty' as such.

Pumping isn't the same as feeding - some people can't pump a single drop but successfully feed a baby.

You're doing great and your supply is perfectly feeding baby's demand - enjoy the feeling while it lasts - he'll decided to have a 'growth spurt' soon, and things will be out of sync for a few days until it settles again.

The mega fullness/leaking you get in the early days and weeks naturally abates at around this age as your supply gets more in sync with your baby's needs, so as long as he's happy and alert, not still obviously hungry at the end of a feed and is producing plenty of wet nappies, I don't think you need to worry too much. Fennel tea and oats are both good for boosting supply though.

As your supply regulates you lose the full feeling, letdown feeling and sometimes the leaking.

It might come back as baby starts to drop feeds or if they sleep through the night.

Also no pump is as good as your baby at getting milk out. I breastfed 2 kids but could barely pump an oz or so.

If baby is gaining weight and doing lots of wet nappies all is good.

You can always ask your HV to get weighed again. My milk supply was never enough to feed my baby (despite having leaking etc in the early days) but it was obvious (with hindsight) and not at all what you're describing - at 6 weeks my baby was falling asleep on the boob after 20 mins, waking 10 mins later crying and hungry. That happened 24hrs a day for weeks and he was upset all the time, following 9th centile for weight but going up centiles for height (settled at 91st), prolonged jaundice, anemic... he was miserable. It doesn't sound like that's what's happening for you.

It sounds normal but you can only be sure by weighing him. You can call your health visitor and schedule a weighing. I do it every couple of months as my first had serious weight issues. You'll find the number on the first page of your red book.

Echoing other PPs that this is all normal and not indicative of low supply assuming your baby is gaining weight well. Call your HV and ask for them to weigh your baby for reassurance. DS is 4 months old and my supply is the same as what you describe now - they very rarely leak or feel very full (only if I go a loooong time overnight without feeding when my DH does a bottle feed to give me a break), I don't feel let down anymore, I can barely pump a few drops (unless it's in the morning after not feeding for like 12hrs overnight then I might get 60-100ml but otherwise I'm lucky to get 10ml hah). DS drains the breast very quickly these days, usually in about 5 mins tbh and he's growing well, he wears 6-9 m clothes and is tracking the 75th centile for height and weight, has plenty of wet nappies, sleeps decently overnight and has dirty nappies often enough (usually every other day these days, sometimes slightly more or less).

From what you describe It’s very very unlikely that your baby isn’t getting enough milk.

Around this time your supply will have established itself and begun to regulate. None of the things you are concerned about are indications of a low supply.
With my first baby I could pump 10 ounces in 10 minutes from one breast. With twins I couldn’t get an ounce from both sides in an hour yet clearly I would produce more milk for two babies.
I feel a strong letdown from my left breast but nothing from my right. My right breast leaks, my left doesn’t.
There are so many variables but the one thing that has been a reliable indicator with all my babies is that they have grown well.

You can buy baby scales to use at home which may put your mind at ease. You wouldn’t be able to plot the charts yourself but you would have something to go off.

Also look for signs of hydration like tears, wet nappies, moist mouth and eyes.

Well done on getting into the third month. It’s a big milestone!

As others have said, your supply regulates around this age hence why you feel different. However, it is important to remember under supply is a real thing as well so go by what your baby is telling you. If he seems happy and content, is gaining weight and has lots of wet nappies it is likely he is fine and getting what he needs. Maybe arrange regular weight checks (every 1-2 weeks) for a month or so, to help reassure you?

Soft boobs are happy boobs. Your supply has regulated to exactly what baby needs at this point and will change again when baby starts cluster feeding at 4 month development leap. You're doing great! Change nothing! No need for weigh ins. If he is happy and doesn't cry at the boob every feed, has wet and dirty nappies, needs 3-6 months clothes soon then no need to even weigh him.

kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/breast-fullness/#:~:text=It%20is%20normal%20for%20a,soft%E2%80%9D%20or%20%E2%80%9Cempty%E2%80%9D.

That link should reassure you.

Yes agree with the others - it has just settled.

If your baby is 'thriving' which is a term health professionals use, then they will be getting what they need. Read up on what a thriving four month old should be like, and of you have concerns then speak to a gp.

There is a reason the weighing drops off - it is to make you look at the whole baby developmentally, not just weight. This is a period of rapid development, things like clapping and smiling and general happiness/alertness are all clues that your baby is well.

I understand the worry, but if a baby is well it is well. If you have genuine concerns ever do see a GP of course.

I have EBF two babies and this happened to me both times. I was told your supply regulates at 6 weeks and again at 3 months. I couldn’t pump more than 1oz at a time with my first after 3months and stopped needing breast pads. Both my boys held their weight no issues.

You can ask for your baby to be weighed at any time of you're worried. You're also only 2 months away from weaning which will mean baby doesn't need to rely on just you for calories.
My DD was a terrible feeder and dropped down the centiles. We saw a lactation consultant at 4 months who said that the hormone that produces milk is really important at night so make sure that baby gets a night feed from both breasts overnight. My DD had a bad latch so I'd only feed her from one side overnight.

1. Totally normal for your milk to adjust to your baby’s needs
2. If you’re worried contact your HV. I see mine once a month for a weigh and a chat.

@WTF475878237NC

Soft boobs are happy boobs. Your supply has regulated to exactly what baby needs at this point and will change again when baby starts cluster feeding at 4 month development leap. You're doing great! Change nothing! No need for weigh ins. If he is happy and doesn't cry at the boob every feed, has wet and dirty nappies, needs 3-6 months clothes soon then no need to even weigh him.

All of this 100%

Sounds totally normal and you are doing really well! If you were "feeling full" a lot by this stage that would actually mean you weren't emptying uniformly but it sounds like everything is perfect.

You can also just quickly weigh your baby by standing on bathroom scales holding him (then not holding him and subtract your own weight). We used to do this just for fun really often.

I'm a bit biased against HVs because they're so naggy and unhelpful, it would only take one to mention formula to you (unnecessarily/ideologically) and you'd be all anxious again. So I wouldn't bother them for extra weighings