Low milk supply

[VixFromThe6ix]

Hi mamas

I wanted to reach out and ask for some sure methods that worked for you to increase your milk supply.

I don't know what happened but I feel that my supply is pretty low. I strictly bf my 5mos old. And for the last, say, 2 mos I did not pump. I had no reason to. I feed him every 2-3hrs.

Receny I had an appointment and had to leave my son with my husband for some hours. Which means I had to pump. To my shock I only pumped 100ml combined.

I pumped again the next day and again 100ml combined. The following day it was 90ml combined.

My plan was/is to breastfeed till he's at least a year old but now I'm stressed that he's not eating enough which would maybe explain why he is only in the 25th percentile for weight.

He acts and looks healthy but he's lean and not chubby. Doctors didn't show any concern. He's long and pees regularly.

Anyways, I ordered these fenugreek and blessed thistle supplements and I've been taking 8 tablets daily. I did not notice any change what so ever.

Did anything work for you??

is your son showing signs of being hungry? Is he getting upset? Trying to feel a lot? Failing to provide wet nappies? (You’ve said he is still peeing a lot so that sounds right.)

Your reasons to think your supply is low aren’t reasons.

Pumping is not indicative of supply. What baby gets and what a pump produces will be totally different.

Being on the 25th percentile just means he’s on the smaller side. By the mathematical laws of statistical distributional, some babies will fall on the 25th line and all it means is that they’re smaller than the babies above that line. Because not all babies are the same size.
This is why HV look for babies who move up and down lines. If your baby was once on the 75th and now the 25th… you’ve got a problem potentially. If he’s always been on the 25th then he’s tracking the line and that’s really good evidence you’re producing enough.

This could potentially be a problem with the pumping. Either you’re out of practice and not quite doing it right, or some of the parts have worn and need replacing. (The parts you’d take off to sterilise.)

But to answer your actual question… the more milk your body is told to produce, the more it will produce. So the best thing you can do to increase supply is to increase how often you ask your body to produce milk.

Hope that all makes sense. It sounds like you’re doing amazing.

Your baby will be more efficient at getting milk than when you pump, so try not to worry. As long as he is staying on the 25th percentile and not dropping across lines that's fine, babies come in different sizes.
In terms of boosting your supply, make sure you drink loads of water.
If you want to pump more, try pumping an hour after you feed him, and stick with it - you should see an increase within a couple of days. Try looking at photos of your baby whilst pumping too, that can sometimes help. That being said, some people just don't respond well to pumping, but it doesn't mean your baby isn't getting enough.

So 100ml combined in pumping terms is good. Pumping is never indicative of supply as its just how your body responds to a pump a baby is far more effective at milk removal.
Fenugreek takes a while to build up in the system and doesn't work for all women.

If your stressed about pumping then your body won't release the milk as well in addition so you need to be nice and relaxed as others say look at pictures of babies. I find covering the bottles with socks helps too.

Your baby sounds perfectly healthy babies come in all shapes and sizes.

If you want to increase supply then you can power pump (Google it) make sure your massaging well before and during and keep an eye out for blocked ducts.

Wow thank you for such an elaborate response.

So answer some initial questions... He's showing signs after 2-4hrs which I believe is normal. Wet nappies after every feed. When he feeds though he could feed for as long as an hour on one side. He's not like doing slow swallows but mostly the quick ones which I read can either be him soothing himself or him trying to get more let down. So it always makes me feel like there isn't enough.

The last couple of nights I felt like he didn't get enough from one side (typically I feed from one side and next time the other side) so I fed him both sides and eventually he fell asleep.

My breasts just don't feel full anymore. And maybe this is what they are supposed to feel like after the milk production normalizes but I am first time mom so I don't know if this is normal. Is it?

Also, his growth has followed his 25th percentile curve since birth.

Thank you for responding!!

I remember being able to pump 160-200ml from one side so 100ml combined from both sounds like so little but good to know it's normal. :)

I remember now the times I pumped I had a screaming baby to tend to.... I will try what you suggested and see how it goes with me looking at baby pictures and trying to relax my baby.

Thank you as this makes me feel better that I hope he's getting enough. That's really my main concern.

Hopefully we will start solids by 6mos and that will help keep his tummy fuller too

Hello, I struggled with this for my first baby. Have you got one of those manual suction cups to put on your other Breast when feeding?

I could never express much but used to catch about 2oz from this.
Good luck

He definitely sounds like he is getting enough 🙂 breast compressions towards the end of a feed can help as well just as the milk slows slightly.

Saw about not feeling full this is a common thought and actually it's the opposite as milk production is supply and demand. If you are full and feeling full the body has nowhere for milk to go gets engorged etc so slows down milk production. If your breasts are soft and regular removal then your body will be told to create more milk. How much milk a woman stores is very different some it's small amounts (100ml) for others it's larger amounts but is very individual.

Make sure your drinking plenty of water and oats can help boost supply too but your supply sounds spot on and your producing what your baby needs 😊

Also your baby might not let you pump as will smell milk and think the buffet is open!
Try pumping one side whilst feeding from the other if you don't get suitable gaps such as long nap times.

My breasts just don't feel full anymore.
This constantly makes me panic. It doesn’t even feel like there’s milk in there. But it is what happens when your supply works itself out.

Definitely sounds like your supply is just fine ☺️

@Scottishskifun @ReeseWitherfork

Thank you!

I'm glad I asked. I've been so stressed about this. Feeling like I'm not doing enough for my baby.

So happy that what I'm explaining sounds normal. I'm going to get some oats.

Because of how frequently we feed I really don't find the time to pump because my boobs simply won't be full enough when he's hungry again. I will try doing the pumping on one side while he's on another.that sounds like the least stressful method.

Thanks again :)

Haakaa? I got it but never used it... Do you just suction it over the boob?

Ive just been using my manual or elecric pumps.

Yeah that's the one, just suction it on. It's a nice relaxing way of getting milk out. Worth a shot anyway

Im a midwife. Just on my lunch break so reply may be a bit brief, sorry! Breasts not feeling full anymore is completely normal. Your supply will be well established and you just don't get that fullness anymore. In regards to pumping, 100ml is a reasonable amount to pump. Babies are far more efficient at getting milk from breasts so your little one is likely to he getting more. If he is following his centiles and not dropping them, he will be getting what he needs. At this point, I would be offering both breasts at every feed, baby may or may not take it but I would offer. I've bf 2 babies long term (one very chubby) and can never express more than 100ml. If you hadn't expressed for your appointment the other day, would you have been worried about your supply??

I exclusively breastfed my daughter for 17 months. She was a huge chunker, could hardly express a drop. The Haakaa was the best for me and still only got an oz or two out at a time.

Some women just don't respond to pumps. It's not indication of supply at all. Baby is much better at getting the milk out.

Your boobs will also feel more normal as the milk supply settles.

DD2 was ebf from 6 weeks to 6 months and is still bf now at nearly 3 during that time I’ve pumped the grand total of 2oz. Expressing is completely different to putting a baby on the boob, you often need an emotional response from to get let down reflex (this is why new borns smell amazing) and at 5 months your baby is way more effective.

What centile was he born on? Is he following his curve?