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Empty breasts?

klirwin82klirwin82 member
in Breastfeeding
If I BF my 5 week old less than 2 hours of when I last BF him, he's content for a few minutes with nice long draws and then will start to wiggle, kick, pull at the nipple and whine/cry while still latched. I'll unlatch and hand express to see if any drops of milk come out and if not then I repeat for the 2nd breast. Obviously the problem comes when we're "out" of milk on the 2nd one. Then he cries and I get upset and frustrated. I try to go back to boob 1 but he still tugs at it and cries like it's empty.

However, I think my supply is pretty good, when I pump I can get 3.5-6 oz every 3-4 hours and I know a pump is less efficient than a baby. And if we go 3 hours between feedings the letdown is intense, he chokes and coughs and there's milk everywhere. So I really don't think I have a low supply.

How should I deal with this? I don't want to hinder a supply increase by giving a bottle of pumped milk when instead his sucking could trigger more production eg for a growth spurt but...it's so frustrating I feel like crying.

Any advice or commiseration?
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Re: Empty breasts?

  • oceanchildoceanchild member
    I've gone thru phases of this same experience with my all nurslings around this age and 8-9 weeks too. No real advice, just commiserating. I definitely felt like crying. We just kept plugging along and eventually got thru it to be next stage. But I always had to remind myself “empty breasts make more milk” … you're doing a great job mama <3 {{hugs}}

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  • cosplaymomcosplaymom member
    If he is super hungry and upset and your boobs are empty and you are in pain, just supplement a little. Once a day at the end of a feeding shouldn't hurt. Your boobs will catch up eventually and baby will be happier.

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  • BirthinroxBirthinrox member
    Keep nursing and your supply will increase! Switching sides it doing breast massage may help him to be more content during a feed. Adding a supplemental bottle won't send the signal for your body to make more milk. Your breasts are never empty, they are always making milk. It sounds like he maybe going through a growth spurt or getting more efficient at nursing so he's removing your milk sooner. 6 weeks is prime growth spurt time and when your body switches from hormone driven to demand driven supply. Your breasts will often feel less engorged but they still have milk!
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  • harmonicbabe26harmonicbabe26 member
    Based on your baby's age this sounds like a classic growth spurt. Just nurse as often as baby wants. It's ok to supplement a little if you are at your wits end and completely exhausted, but really, there should be no need for that.
    Give it about a week and it should get better. Just wait it out.
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