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Breastfeeding
thetheisens
member
Lower supply with AF?
thetheisens
member
I have just got my second visit from AF since ds was born in oct. I ebf and th first AF I didn't experience any drop in supply. Yesterday at work I pumped 5 or 6 oz less than I usually do and when I got home I felt very empty all night. I am usually very full in the morning (ds sttn), but this morning I did not feel full and I usually feed ds only one side at a time and I had to feed him both sides. After the feeding I then noticed AF. I still feel very empty on both sides now after the morning feeding. I have heard women say they experienced a drop in supply during AF. How long did it last? Will it go back to normal? I'm afraid I won't have enough to satisfy baby. I have a frozen stash, but if supplement won't that also ruin my supply? I am very worried, bf was going so well for us and I planned on doing it for a year. I'm already taking fenugreek and eating oatmeal. TIA!
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Re: Lower supply with AF?
I only pump at work and when I got home last night I still felt empty. I bf him at home and he was very fussy after that, like he was still hungry so I gave him a bottle of previously pumped milk and he drank 4 oz. I pumped to make up the feeding and only got 3 oz and earlier that day I didn't pump as much as he drank at daycare. I'm just wondering when my supply will go back to normal. I have never had this problem before, I usually have enough pumped from work to be able to freeze an extra 4 or 5 oz. Do you think pumping an extra session will help bring my supply up?
Hi, thetheisens! I remember talking to you a couple of months ago about how proud we were of our stashes.
I'm sorry for the arrival of AF for you and for your reduced production! When you pump, I've been told to keep pumping for an extra 2-5 minutes after the last drop of milk comes out to signal your body to produce more.
Also, a couple of times recently, I found that my pump was malfunctioning, not my body. I tried hand-expressing and was surprised at how much came out. So you may want to give that a shot, just to make sure it's not a pump thing (and of course it could be both - a perfect storm of crappiness).
I would think the best thing to do would be to add a session, recognizing that it may take a little while for it to be really valuable (i.e., you may only get 1-2 oz or less at first).
I've also read that feelings of emptiness in your breasts aren't a good indication of what's going on in there, so try not to be too hung up on that. Not to mention that, of course, stressing out about your supply can make it go down.
Take a few deep breaths. You're right when you say that supplementing from your freezer stash isn't so great because it doesn't tell your body to make more, but the good news is that, while you figure out the best way to get your body that make-more message, DS can still get BM.
Good luck!
My BFP Chart
Becoming a better role model for my daughter, one day at a time
Thank you for the advice! I will try adding in some pumping sessions to up my supply. I'm trying not to stress too much.
I am in the same boat. I got my first pp period at 9 weeks and had big supply issues for most of the 2 weeks between ovulation and my period. I called my MW and she called in a script for Reglan which helped a lot. I got my 3rd period yesterday and once again my supply has tanked. I am taking Fenugreek 3x a day as well as Blessed Thistle, eating my weight in oatmeal and even made lacation cookies and am hoping that helps but will admit that I feel really down about the whole thing today. I also planned to EBF for a year and for that to be threatened at only 4 mos is sad.
I hope everything works out for you! I almost had a break down when I realized that ds had taken more bm at daycare then I was able to pump. DH kept telling me not to freak out, but I couldn't help crying. BFing is so important to me. I started out with such a big oversupply that I never would have thought my supply would be an issue. Good luck to you, I hope something helps you (and me too!).
I cried about it this morning too. I was like will she even know that I'm her mommy anymore if we start using formula because anyone can give her a bottle, but I'm the only one that can nurse her. I am totally kicking myself for not taking advantage of my supply in the beginning and starting a better stash but I didn't ever think I would have an issue. It's hard because the "breast is best" thing is so drilled into us and when it doesn't work it feels like a failure. I'm totally pissed at my body for failing me. I hope things turn around for you as well.