Nursing moms - notice supply issue?

vino831 · July 2016

Hi!

My lo will be 10 months on the 15th. I really hope to keep nursing until he's at least a year. As early as 2 weeks after conception my supply dropped. I EBF except for the occasional bottle, but I have always pumped once a night usually getting 9-12 oz.

It's now dropped to maybe 3 oz. I think he's still getting enough for now and I know it's normal for this to happen (Kelly mom said up to 70% of women loose supply) but I'm trying like hell to fight it.

Power pumping, ovaltine, brewers yeast, flax seed, tons of water, the occasional NA beer.

Any success stories? Or anyone else going through this?

I'm so sad of the idea of my lo being impacted in this way due to the pregnancy. I know at the end of the day fed is best and we've made it this far which is awesome.

Scarlett830 · July 2016

I'm experiencing this now as well. I usually feed DS on one side in the morning and the pump the other before work, and then pump both sides during my lunch break. I used to get 5 oz. per side per pump, but have dropped to 3 oz. per pump -- and that's with struggling and fighting and manipulating the whole time!

My goal was to get DS to at least a year as well because I don't want to give him formula, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up the supply. I'm going to start taking my fenugreek supplements again. They've helped in the past to bring my supply back up when it dropped after my periods returned. FX it works! I don't want to prematurely wean him if I can help it!

ETA: I've heard that oatmeal can help increase supply as well.

meq124 · July 2016

We talked about this briefly in the symptoms thread, but I have noticed a big drop and on top of that since finding out my DD went from nursing 4 times a day to 3. I am just powering through, but I will say it's not a 1:1 ratio with what you pump vs what they eat. They are more efficient so he should still be getting enough, plus I would imagine he would let you know if he was still hungry. The one time a day I pump dropped a lot, but she doesn't wake up in the night hungry or get hungry between meals (I am not big on loading her up with snacks throughout the day). I was talking to my Pediatrician about this and since mine will be 1 at the end of the month and she was saying how it's a natural progression anyway since they are eating more, and my 11 month old should get 75% of her diet from food and 25% from BM. I refuse to do formula this late in the game, so I have been pushing water more so she stays hydrated and will slowly start adding in cows milk if it comes to it.

You are so close!! You can do it!!

vino831 · July 2016

I'm so glad you posted!! You want to look into it yourself ofc but I stopped taking the fengreek. It's a uterine supplement you're not supposed to take while pregnant. I just found out that my friend was told to take for a natural way to induce!

https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/herbs/fenugreek/#pregnancy

Keep me posted on how it goes though! Im beside myself already researching formula jic!

vino831 · July 2016

And oatmeal yes! My Breakfast of milk champions everyday. (So sick of it lol)

Scarlett830 · July 2016

Thanks for sharing that link @vino831! Looks like I won't start taking it again after all!

meq124 · July 2016

Oatmeal in the summer is tough! I make oatmeal cookies and say that me gorging myself on them is good for the boobs! Just typing this makes me want to bake some and make ice cream sandwiches with them. I have issues.

Thanks for the info on fenugreek! I haven't been taking any, but I do have some Mother's Milk tea in the pantry!

AverageAsh · July 2016

I really can't tell if my 14mo is comfort nursing more or if my supply has dipped. According to a bfing group I am in, most women don't completely dry up until about 20 weeks, fx for all of us that we can keep the flow going!

Scarlett830 · July 2016

I know my little one is getting enough to eat because he's a Hoover and doesn't turn down a thing! If he was still hungry he would definitely be letting me know!

I have been slowly trying to increase his solid food intake though. He nurses at 6AM and then gets oatmeal and a BM bottle at 9AM for breakfast. Solid food for lunch (and has completely cut out his noontime feed). I give him a snack after his afternoon nap, a little bit of food when I have dinner, a nursing session around 5PM, and then baby yogurt at 7PM. His last feed is at 8PM and he'll generally wake up once at night to feed, but it's more comfort nursing than anything else.

meq124 · July 2016

MK1013 said:

Anyway, she would usually nurse for a good 5 mins on each side before nap and bed and now she's lucky to nurse for 2 mins before she says, "ah-oh, milk all gone??" I'm so incredibly proud of how far we've come on our nursing journey since it never worked out with our first, but I'm hoping this is our way of easing out of it. I'm ready to have a break before starting up again. Ha!

You have done amazing being able to keep it up for 2 years!! Maybe it's the hormones, but the fact that she said that made me a little misty eyed! It's sad to think of weaning, but like you, I would like a little bit of a break before nursing the second, and I couldn't imagine tandem nursing either!

katier29 · July 2016

DS turned a year on June 19th.. I'm so done with breastfeeding it's not even funny.. I am actively working to kinda distract instead of feed.. he will go all day without nursing but nighttime is a struggle.. hoping my supply goes away..

mrsRoy24 · July 2016

My LO turned 1 June 16th and she is so attached to the "boogie" (as we call it). I never thought I would be ready to wean but my boobs have been so sore it's hard to get through a feeding. She screams until she gets her milk and I can't imagine her ever giving them up! I love the bonding time we've had and i'm so proud we made it over a year but I would also love a break before this next one and I can defiantly notice a huge dip in my supply. I've tried introducing cows milk but she's just not budging

AverageAsh · July 2016

I might be the only one here hoping to NOT have a break between babes on the boobs. Our start to bfing was BRUTAL and I would never want to experience anything like it again. I'm hoping to just roll right in with my battered breasts and keep on keeping on.

nursemama-2 · July 2016

My son is 15 months and I don't think he has noticed a drop or he doesn't care. I don't pump and have never pumped with him because I EP with my daughter for a year and I just could not let down this time.

I don't think I will be tandem nursing, so I will be weaning him once I hit 3rd tri if he doesn't wean himself.

kjd291 · July 2016

My DD is 11months on the 16th. I've noticed a drop too

but we're getting through it. It's pushing me to try more solids and to drop some day feeds.

Gators&BoSox · July 2016

My son is 11 months and I've noticed a drop. I've also noticed my let down is taking forever! He gets mad waiting lol.

ihateusernames* · July 2016

My big baby is 17 months and still nursing. He doesn't get more than a table spoon or two per nursing. I'll continue until my nips get too sensitive, which usually is around the halfway point.
Greeb smoothies seem to help my supply and it's not contraindicated during pregnancy

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