Boobs stopped working...help!

sdtchica13 · October 2013

Ok, so I have been blessed with an oversupply since I started pumping. I say blessed because I EP and have a great freezer stash for when I go back to work. Yesterday, I had a horrifically clogged right boob (like, several ducts) that took several hours of agony and tears, as well as two hot showers and four pump sessions to give me relief. Once I unclogged, I was fine yesterday, but my supply seems to have died overnight. I only got 9-10oz this morning instead of my usual 15, and have barely gotten 4-5oz total on the rest of my pumps today, when I usually get 8-10 per pump. Basically, instead of my usual 40oz, I have gotten a total of 20-25 today, and my right boob, which is usually my huge producer, is giving me even less than my left boob. Could this be related to the issue with my right boob yesterday, or did my supply just drop dead overnight? TIA!

PrimRoseMama · October 2013

How freaky! I hope not! Maybe its just taking time to rebound? Are you drinking the Mother's Milk tea? This happened to me with DD and it was horrifying. I never got my supply back, but I hope that yours is just being lazy and will rebound.

I'd go bake some lactation cookies, drink some mother's milk tea, mainline the water and pray! I'm sorry!

jegoffin · October 2013

I'd hit the water hard tomorrow and see if that helps it bounce back. Most likely just a side effect of the clogged duct.

sdtchica13 · October 2013

PrimRoseMama said:

How freaky! I hope not! Maybe its just taking time to rebound? Are you drinking the Mother's Milk tea? This happened to me with DD and it was horrifying. I never got my supply back, but I hope that yours is just being lazy and will rebound.

I'd go bake some lactation cookies, drink some mother's milk tea, mainline the water and pray! I'm sorry!

I haven't been drinking the tea because I never needed it. The cookies sound like a good idea, but we are away for the weekend baby fre with no kitchen access anywhere, so that will have to wait until Monday. I am going to chug water tomorrow and pray. I thought it might be because my period was coming, but it hasn't yet (I got it back at six weeks pp, started the mini pill and then it never came back again and Gavin is 12 weeks old).

Kitten80 · October 2013

Hopefully it is just a residual issue from the clogged ducts. Is it your first time away from LO? Maybe that is impacting your production? GL!

sdtchica13 · October 2013

Kitten80 said:

Hopefully it is just a residual issue from the clogged ducts. Is it your first time away from LO? Maybe that is impacting your production? GL!

It's a thought, but even first thing this morning I got 5oz less than usual and I was still home with him at that point, lol!. I think my boobs are pissed at me from that clogged duct debacle yesterday!

stephyfaith · October 2013

Good luck! Hope it comes back ASAP!

FancyFrenchie · October 2013

I don't see any reason as to why it should have "died" overnight and I'd just think that since it was clogged the signal was don't produce as much so it could take a day or two to regulate. I'd say lots of water like Pp said.

RainbowHope · October 2013

Similar thing happened to me 2 weeks ago. I had a very stubborn clogged duct (I did EVERYTHING you can think of to unclog it and nothing was working) and finally after 24 hours, it unclogged. I noticed my supply decreased for a few days which got me worried but it's thankfully back to normal now. Hopefully you'll have a similar experience. Good luck!

Muffin379 · October 2013

When u get a chance bake the cookies. They have helped my supply. My dr even mentioned to have a beer because its believed to help supply too.

peanutbutter0807 · October 2013

I have similar problems when my clog hasnt really been fixed. Usually by the next morning I'm engorged from the clog and can find it to fix it.

Laura723 · October 2013

Ugh, I hate you!!! Just kidding. I'm just jealous since I've struggled with supply since LO was born. Hope it comes back! Good luck!!!

sdtchica13 · October 2013

skleigh said:

PrimRoseMama said:

How freaky! I hope not! Maybe its just taking time to rebound? Are you drinking the Mother's Milk tea? This happened to me with DD and it was horrifying. I never got my supply back, but I hope that yours is just being lazy and will rebound.

I'd go bake some lactation cookies, drink some mother's milk tea, mainline the water and pray! I'm sorry!

I haven't been drinking the tea because I never needed it. The cookies sound like a good idea, but we are away for the weekend baby fre with no kitchen access anywhere, so that will have to wait until Monday. I am going to chug water tomorrow and pray. I thought it might be because my period was coming, but it hasn't yet (I got it back at six weeks pp, started the mini pill and then it never came back again and Gavin is 12 weeks old).
Fyi, my OB told me a few days ago not to expect a period on the mini pill. I got my period 5 weeks pp and nothing since...LO is 11 weeks. I hope your supply picks back up! Maybe just the clogged duct? Lots and lots of stimulation ....good luck!

Hmmm, interesting. My doc basically gave me no info on the mini pill except to tel me it wouldn't mess with my supply. I wish she would have given me a freaking heads up about the no period thing!

JellyTwoPointO · October 2013

I wish I could pump as much as your low amount! I would keep pumping lots and lots and do all the tricks for boosting supply... Lots of oatmeal (lactation cookies), brewers yeast, flax seed, mothers milk tea, water, etc

sdtchica13 · October 2013

Sigh, I think my clog wasn't fully gone and I didn't realize. After pumping for literally an hour and ten minutes this morning, I think my right boob is finally empty! It's also killing me and I wish I could cut the damn thing off, lol! Thanks for the advice ladies!

giraffeluvspi · October 2013

I'm not sure why you are EPing, but my lil guy is much better at loosening my clogged ducts than the pump. That had to be rough.

I hope that last pumping session cleared the pipes.

mslmk11 · October 2013

I didn't read any of the other comments, because I had to immediately share that I encountered t EXACT same thing (except without the painful clog, but righty procuding more than lefty) last weekend (weekend before returning to work). I've been blessed with oversupply, freezer full of milk (which we've discovered be suffering from the lipase or misstorage - so it seems sour and sometimes LO won't take it >_<) but then my supply seemed to just...disappear.

Since LO was probably 2-3 weeks old (now she's 11weeks today!) I've pumped about twice a day, sometimes 3 but usually only two. My supply never dwindled during those 8-9 weeks regardless of how often I pumped. But last weekend....it just dropped. I got maybe 6 oz between both boobs, which is how I knew something was up. There was a small clog that we resolved, but supply never spiked back up. Up to this point, I never appreciated the pain and diligence of EBP moms had, because I was down to pumping before each session, just so she would have a meal and I was freaking out that I wouldn't produce enough for that session and I'd have to try the frozen milk, but I didn't want to because I thought it was sour and total stress ball!

So, the pumping for each feeding helped a bit, and supply has slowly started to build back up. I've pumped 4 times each day this week and this morning, with my first pump session (after almost 12 hours in between - I don't MOTN pump) I got me my old supply of nearly 15.

So I'm sure it's just random and you'll get back to normal soon. I researched and found it could be hormonal changes, ie, if your period would start, ovulation, or *gasp* pregnancy! <- that had DH freaking out a little when I shared that tidbit]

All that to say...I've experienced it, so you're not alone and hopefully....it's not abnormal. But mine seems to have resolved itself with a strategy, I'm sure yours will too.

Good luck!

ETA: I agree with other posters, I also made sure to drink more fluids, and I had a couple of bowls of oatmeal, but nothing substantial. My OB also said that the minipill will potentially reduce your supply though not as much as the regular pill. So that could be a situation?

[Deleted User] · October 2013

I second the beer. It definitely works wonders and will probably help you relax a bit.

sdtchica13 · October 2013

@mslmk11, it better not be due to pregnancy or you can just end me now, lol! This mama is two and through, tyvm! I usually pump four times a day, but adding a fifth will likely drain the hell out of me, I actually dropped from five down to four a few weeks ago because it was exhausting me, I really don't want to go back to that. @zoeyjack, I wish I liked beer, lol! @chrissiemeas, I am EPing because I had zero desire to BF. I never did with my dd because she was a preemie and I had to pump for the first six weeks of her life anyway, and I got used to EPing. When Gavin arrived, I decided to just EP again because I didn't want to learn how to BF and then worry about weaning to a bottle when I went back to work.

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