Decrease in Milk Supply

I had a similar thing happen. With my first baby I did not know there was help and it dried up very quickly. My OBGYN gave me some pills to take with my second baby which kept up my milk production.

Go to Kellymom.com it is a breastfeeding site, that has all kinds of info. I go there any time I have questions or issues.
Good luck
M.

Offer him the opportunity to nurse every hour to 1 1/2 hours instead of letting him get hungry. This should help keep him from getting frustrated. It should only take a couple of days to build up your supply. Also, was this the first time he'd taken more than one bottle in a row? He could have a bit of nipple confusion. It may be tough, but I'd recommend not offering the bottle at all until you get your supply back up.

Our babies are only 3 days apart, and I became engorged when Rowan went into the hospital with RSV in February. She wasn't interested in nursing very much or very often. After becoming engorged and then my supply depleting, I've noticed that I don't feel as full even though I can sometimes pump 6 oz. from one breast. (I work outside the home and pump at work.) I thought I just wasn't producing as much, when in fact I was producing plenty but not feeling as full. In relation to the nipple confusion, for the first few days after I started back to work, Rowan would get frustrated when trying to nurse after having bottles during the day, and my nipples got sore because of it. After the first week, however, she seemed to get the idea that she has to nurse a bit differently from Mommy than she does the bottle.

Also, when I eat oatmeal, I seem to super-produce. Just a thought.

Hi! My name is R.. I have three kids and have breastfed them all. Although I have never been in your exact situation I do know that in order to be successful breastfeeding you have to be hydrated. So drink a lot of water. You might pump and bottle feed him so he gets the good stuff.:) And doesn't get used to formula.

I nursed my 2 girls and with the last one that same thing happend. What really helps is a herbal tea claaed mothers milk by traditional medicinals it is not the greatest tasting but you can brew it with other tea like a flavored herbal also. it promotes healthy lactation. also agging garlic to your foods whenever you can helps the taste of your milk(makes it sweeter) and that is babies favorite. Oatmeal is also a good milk booster so eat a boul of oatmeal in the morn. Just try to get him to nursr as much as possible .

Hi S.,
Milk supply can be built back up, but success is idividual with every mother. Chances are that by the end of the week your supply will be back. Here are some things you can do to help:
1. DONT stress over it - stress has a very negative effect on let-down. (Easier said than done, I know) If you feel your shoulders and neck getting tense, do some relaxation exercises.
2. Allow your son to nurse as often as he wishes and encourage nursing when he is not starving - so he will be more patient...
Co-bathing and nursing in the bath are good options for quiet, stress free comfort nursing. The more stimulation and milk removal, the more milk will be made.
3. Remember, a bottle pours milk, he has to work at the breast... so some babies will get accustomed to a bottle and seem to like it more. This doesn;t mean they do. Have you ever tasted formula? But, It is much easier for him to pull off the breast than it is to get away from a bottle.
When offering a bottle hold it parralel to the floor, so he has to work at getting the milk out, and it doesn't just drip into his mouth.
4. Give him a small amount in a bottle to ease the hunger pains before offering the breast, this can sometimes help allieviate frustration.
Let me know if you have any more questions....
L. G
IBCLC

believe it or not, but my son's Dr told me to have a beer. He said that there was something in a beer that helped increase the milk supply. You might check with your Dr to see what he/she says.

Don't worry about it. Your milk supply did decrease because you were away from baby but it can be back to normal within a day or two. Just put the baby to breast as much as possible. Every time you think the baby milk drink offer the breast. Don't use bottles, that will futher decrease your milk supply and pumping alone won't maintain your supply like nursing. Just take the bottles away completely and keep nursing even if the baby wants to nurse all day. Just because he fusses doesn't mean he isn't getting enough to eat (breastmilk has more digestable nutrients than 1/2 the same amount of formula) he is just having "nipple confusion". Keep up the nursing and everything will be back to normal soon. I second the eating oatmeal! It really works!

I had spurts of the same problem when I as nursing my kids. It may help to pump in between feedings. If he's nursing off both sides during his feeding you've already depleted whats there, pumping right after won't help that much. Pumping between tells your body that it needs to make more. It may take a few days for you body to adjust but it will work. I did this trying to get a good back-up supply for just-in-case situations. As long as you are not feeding him a bottle he should get used to nursing off you again. And the better your milk supply becomes the easier it will be for him. That's why he likes the bottle, it's easy. It's more natural for him to latch on to you than a bottle. Give him and you some time and I'm sure it will all work out. Good Luck

I had about the same problem not too long ago. My milk started picking back up eventually and I am still nursing. Try drinking lots of water and see if that helps too.

I had the same problem with my milk decreasing. Your doctor can prescribe Reglan which works best, or you can take Blessed Thistle which is an herb that works well too. Good luck.

Try contacting your local le leche league leader...she will give great advice for free. I had this problem too and took Fenugreek - you have to take enough - my lactation consulatant said that I'd know when I had taken enough because I'd start to smell like maple syrup! Stick with it! Relax and drink plenty of water. My son & I got through it (and a few months later got to the point that he wouldn't even take a bottle! LOL).

I completely understand! I had this happen when my daughter was 5.5 months old and i had to go out of town for a couple of days. It is hard but if you continue to breastfeed and then try to pump after breast feeding then it will stimulate the production of more milk. it is hard but keep it up it did not take long and my milk was back at normal production. Just as a note, i did not take any herbs or medicine to assist in the production.

hopefully you have found a solution already but if not i took fenugreek too (you have to take A LOT...more than the bottle says) for it to work on milk production (call la leche league and they can tell you how much is safe to take) also make sure you drink LOTS AND LOTS of water and eat good... if you need anymore help call la leche.. thats what they are there for :)

From what I understand if you keep trying to nurse frequently, even every hour to hour and a half it should build back up. You may just have to be locked in your house for a few days but I think it should increase. Drink lots of water! Also, try (I know that is easier said then done) not to be to stressed about it. That can decrease your supply as well. Good luck!!

You may want to try a supplementary nursing system until your milk comes back, this way your baby won't get too used to the bottle, but will still get what he needs. It's tubes that attach to your breast and give formula as the baby nurses. Google "Medela Supplementary Nursing System." Also, after you nurse him, use your pump for an additional 10-15 minutes to stimulate your breasts to make more milk. If all else fails, and you feel that you can't stand the stress of it anymore, don't feel guilty and know that you gave your baby a really good start. Mine stopped at 3 months and I tried and tried to get her back on, but it got to be either my sanity or breastfeeding. Sometimes it comes to that. Trust your instincts.

see ur doctor and see what he/she tells u cuz taking herbs could be harmfull to you and the baby not all side effects are known about herbs or see a herbalist to make sure its safe.

S.,

I also had a milk production problem & was told to take fenugreek, blessed thistle & brewer's yeast. All this did was give me severe diarrhea & did not help my supply at all. What did help was dry pumping for 7-10 mins 4-5 times/day and drinking lots of water. I would drink 8-10 oz. of water every time I pumped & would try to not be anywhere without a bottle of water as well. The milk production is a pure supply & demand issue. If you increase your demand for the milk, the supply will come back. It takes patience and persistance. I was able to get my milk supply back to normal after a week or so. It was a stressful situation which doesn't help & a little uncomfortable since I had to dry pump but it did work. My child is now 6 1/2 months & I am still able to breast feed her as her primary source of nutrition.

don't stop, that is one of the greatest gift you can give your
baby for health. can you got the bed with your baby, keep him skin to skin. nurse as much as possible, eat and drink well.
yes the fenuegreek will help. usually I take it 3 pill 4 times a day. or until you smell like maple syrup that is a maximun dose. nurse your baby on both side and do compression
on breast to help them give more milk. see www.drjacknewman.com for how to do breast compression if you don't know how. that is a breastfeeding site.
before you give any fomula.
happy birthing, ____@____.com

I would try nursing him as much as he allows and then pump right after. It takes more time but I think that would cue your body to up the supply.

Hope this helps.