maintaining milk supply when pregnant??

[I'mAMama!]

I'm 6.5 weeks along...could I already be losing my milk supply? I have a 13 month old and work outside the home. I pump twice a day...typically 8oz....but the past few days its been a struggle to get 6 (and today I may only get 5). My daughter generally nurses 4 times a day...in the morning, when I get home, before bed, and then once (or twice) in the night (although its often not a complete nursing). Should I be pumping more frequently at work? At home? I just ordered mother's milk two (the one for pregnant mamas) from Motherlove. Is there anything else I can do to maintain my supply through this pregnancy (or for as long as possible)?

[chellebee]

It's absolutely possible. I think by about 6/7 weeks I was dwindling down to nothing, and by 10 weeks there was totally nothing there. That said, I have heard of moms who keep some level of supply all the way through. It seems like it just depends what your body does with the hormones of pregnancy.

What you are doing to maintain what supply you have sounds fine. Maintaining the best environment possible for creating milk makes sense, because whatever you are making, you will be making at your current peak. I personally wouldn't nurse/pump more, but that's me. It's a personal decision. From the reading I have done it does seem that it is majorly hormonally driven and there isn't a lot (if anything) you can do about it.

It's hard to watch the milk dwindle.

[porcelina]

I started to feel supply go down pretty early. Now I'm 16 weeks, and the last two days DS has been frustrated and has told me there is no milk. He does say there is some water, and every once in a while, I hear a swallow, but I think I'm mostly dried up. He's still dry nursing, though is getting frustrated. Such a hard thing!

[apmama07]

I'm in a similar boat and having a really hard time with it. Only 5 weeks and it seems my supply is already tanked even though DD still nurses around the clock.

There's a good thread on here somewhere from not too long ago with lots of replies on exactly this topic - do a search and you should find it. Also kellymom has some good info. The normal rules of supply & demand no longer apply once the hormones of pg have taken over, so pumping or nursing more won't help. Not sure the tea can do much either, but it can't hurt!

Wish I had some better answers but am really struggling with what to do myself so can only offer

[apmama07]

Here's that thread:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...regnant+supply

[jdejong]

Yeah, sadly there might not be much you can do. I'm 14 weeks along, and my 2 1/2 year old tells me at bedtime that there's no more milk now. I read "Adventures in Pregnancy and Beyond" recently, and you might find it helpful in many different ways, but everyone is right - the hormones are taking over and things that can increase milk supply when not pregnant just don't apply when pregnant.

That said, your 13 month old might be okay with a decrease in pumped milk too, if it comes to that, or you just get too frustrated. I work part-time, and stopped pumping around that age with my son. He still nursed when I wasn't at work, and it was enough to maintain my supply (non-pregnant).

Good luck!

[etsdtm99]

i am 17 weeks and my supply is pretty well gone.. IF i drink a bazillion tons of water i have a lilttle bit of milk, otherwise its just gone and it has really started to hurt to nurse my supply tends to start dropping (nursed through 2 pregnancies now.. ) around 6 weeks and completely drops off around 13 weeks .. like others have said, there is really not much you can do, it just depends on your body..

[I'mAMama!]

I knew my supply would drop off but I didn't think it would happen this soon. I also didn't realize how difficult it would be for me. I am incredibly sad and have been a bit of a basketcase the past few days. I've shed a lot of tears and hope that as the hormones level off a bit I might gain some sanity. Our daughter definitely eats a ton of solids, but she loves boobie and it really is a special time for her and I, especially because I work while my husband stays home with her.

We struggled about timing for this new pregnancy, and would have waited a bit longer if we were younger (I'll be 37 this year, my husband will be 39). I'm not regreting the fact that she'll get to be a big sister, but so sad at the nursing, that I'll have less time for her, that the new baby will never have us to themselves. Is that normal? I feel way more emotional about everything this time around, but my husband says that I was like this with our daughter's pregnancy too.

Sigh. And sniff. And CRY!

[LindsayK]

Originally Posted by I'mAMama!

We struggled about timing for this new pregnancy, and would have waited a bit longer if we were younger (I'll be 37 this year, my husband will be 39). I'm not regreting the fact that she'll get to be a big sister, but so sad at the nursing, that I'll have less time for her, that the new baby will never have us to themselves. Is that normal? I feel way more emotional about everything this time around, but my husband says that I was like this with our daughter's pregnancy too.

Sigh. And sniff. And CRY!

I can't speak to nursing during pregnancy, as DD weaned herself before I got pregnant, but I was VERY sad when she stopped. I had thought we'd just keep going until.... well... I don't know when, but I thought we'd have a lot longer of a nursing relationship, and I was so depressed when she stopped. It took a long while for me to get over it. So, combine all those feelings with your pregnancy hormones, and I'd say its a pretty normal reaction!

mama! changes can be really hard. Hopefully, though, your milk is just moderating to a lower level, and will just stay there, and you can keep on nursing through pregnancy!