Why is breastfeeding getting so difficult!

kaybee10

My almost 6 month old is getting so fussy at the breast during the day. I had all intentions of breastfeeding for a year but it seems like my body is letting me down and my milk is decreasing. She has been trying to nurse for the past hr fussing and crying bc milk isnt rushing out so I stopped let her regroup I drank a whole bottle of apple juice and water also nursing tea last night then tried again and my breasts won't let down?! It's making me and her more frustrated. It's as if my body is so used to breastfeeding that my nipples aren't as easily stimulated anymore why is this? I feel like my body is trying to tell me it's time to wean, I understand she could be going through a growth spurt but this has been going on for a while. If its not coming out like a bottle she gets frustrated even though we only have bottles a few times a week if that. I can tell that my pumping output is decreasing as well. She is also small for her age. She's been in 3m clothes for so long it seems. Is there a way to increase supply without pumping all the time? I'm a sahm and don't pump if I don't need a bottle. I used to pump a lot in the beginning and had a large supply so I stopped and now tht she sttn and takes longer naps it seems to be affecting my supply.

kaybee10

I do try to pump once a day most days either first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. But on thanksgiving when I brought bottles and pumped when I got home I should have been able to get a lot more since she hadn't nursed in hrs. I'm worried every time I bottle feed my supply will drop! She's been sttn for a while, I wonder when my period will show up:

kaybee10

Ok its been over an hr I fed her some sweet potatoes I ate lunch and drank more water and I'm trying to nurse again for her nap and I'm feeling no let down and she's fussing what gives? We're both more relaxed but I still don't feel like I've got a lot of milk? She finally calmed down so I think I had a tiny let down and she's goin to sleep. Should I pump while she naps? What's up with my let down I feel there is some milk there but it's not rushing out like she wants it.

kaybee10

Thank you for your support! Hopefully I can get it back up! I hate big events now where I can't breastfeed, even shopping yesterday may have affected it as well. I hate feeling tied down but I don't want to lose my supply! Wow just finally felt a letdown! So weird that it took this long. Have you ever had let down issues?

kaybee10

Thanks! I do feel like I'm making a strong effort to relax every time but maybe I'm too focused or too worried about it.

The only reason thanksgiving was an issue was because we traveled most of the day, had dinner at two different places and I bring bottles bc she usually always wants to eat right around dinner time. If it works out right I can breastfeed before dinner but it was easier to be prepared with bottles for feeding during dinner. Thanksgiving wasnt too bad I was able to breastfeed some and give a bottle when needed but days where I have a bunch of errands to run, shopping etc and my mom watches lo how do I keep my supply up those days?

kaybee10

Thanks I try to never go more than 4 hrs without nursing. I know better than to skip too many feelings consistently. In a stay at home mom so most days I never skip feedings. Thanksgiving and black Friday put together may have hurt my supply, but it seems like she can be fussy at the breast even when we haven't gone anywhere. Do you ladies not feed bottles at all? I'm just too shy to nip. Also now that lo is 6m it seems like everyone is wondering when I will quit so I tend to bring a bottle more often do we don't have to talk about it. Seems crazy how many ppl are for breastfeeding a newborn but an older baby seems taboo, so dumb!

moriaspencer

We had lots of company over Thanksgiving and shopped several hours yesterday. We didn't miss a single feeding. DD is a very distracted eater. So with people over we went in her room to nurse and while shopping went to the car to nurse. Before she became so distracted, we would have just nursed where ever needed. It's much easier to just nurse than pump, feed bottle and wash pump parts and bottles. I have never had anybody coment on saying I should be weaning soon and DD is 9 1/2 months. In fact, I had quite the opposite yesterday. When I asked the saleswoman where the nursing shirts were, she asked me how old my baby was (DH was walking around with her in another area.) When I told her her age she said, "Wow! Good for you!" 

lauracoro

kaybee10:

Thanks I try to never go more than 4 hrs without nursing. I know better than to skip too many feelings consistently. In a stay at home mom so most days I never skip feedings. Thanksgiving and black Friday put together may have hurt my supply, but it seems like she can be fussy at the breast even when we haven't gone anywhere. Do you ladies not feed bottles at all? I'm just too shy to nip. Also now that lo is 6m it seems like everyone is wondering when I will quit so I tend to bring a bottle more often do we don't have to talk about it. Seems crazy how many ppl are for breastfeeding a newborn but an older baby seems taboo, so dumb!

I'm shy to nip too. And at thanksgiving I went to another room to nurse. Im not that shy infront of family but infrint of BIL and family friends i am.
Im no expert but I don't think one day off schedule could mess you up that bad. I'm sure you can get back on track.

jlsimon56

The 6mo growth spurt was the worst of them, IMO.  Combine that with the schedule you described over the holiday and it all makes sense.  Just work to get your supply back up and you'll be ok.  Make nursing/pumping a priority!

They know that BM takes away their hungry feeling, but they don't know (yet) that food does the same.  So make sure to give BM when they are hungry, save the foods for fun and experimenting.

My LO only got bottles when I wasn't around.  If I was there, I always nursed.  I work, so I had to pump, and I hated it.  I made it a point to always nurse my LO if I wasn't at work.