What is goin on here? Flap jacks!

[goldenwillow]

Good morning! Have a question.

DS is 13 months and still nursing strong. The past week or so I have noticed my breasts are not as full as they have been since we started nursing (lately, I have been referring to my breasts as flap jacks ).

I still have a supply but I feel like something is happening here. DS is hanging out with DP more in the afternoon and can sometimes go 5 to 6 hours without nursing. Then the next day while DP is at work, all DS wants to do is nurse after eating breakfast and lunch, which is typical but seems to be longer sessions now. We have also had a significant amount of stress in our extended families that is affecting us emotionally, our little family is great though.

Messing with my supply? I am not ready to wean, don't feel that DS is either. What gives? Should I pump in the afternoon to help? I have only pumped a couple times and found DS was much more efficient at draining my breast.

Also, starting a tea that was given to me when DS was born for supply: Nettle, fenugreek, alfalfa, raspberry, peppermint, chamomile, fennel and marshmallow.

I am blessed to never have a problem with supply, latch, etc.... .

Any thoughts?

Thank you!

[goldenwillow]

Not one thought gals?

I will contact my LLL Leader instead.

Thank you anyways.

Andrea

[LCBMAX]

I'm sure you'll get some good lll advice, but I wanted to chime in.

Since you're not experiencing low supply, or rather your baby is not experiencing low supply, it sounds like your little baby is just becoming a big baby - less time one on one with mama means less nursing, but does not mean weaning. Your supply will wax and wane with baby's needs, and if you haven't had a problem til now, it's unlikely that you'll start, even with the stress you described.

As an example, I thought (joyfully) that we were so close to weaning earlier this summer when many days had just a little am and pm nursing. Then we started traveling, stress, unfamiliar situations and now my bras are tight again. He doesn't even say hi mama, he says mamamilk! when he sees me. But even though we were at such low nursing levels for at least a month before this, my supply just kicked right back up into high gear when he started nursing like a baby again.

Get advice from someone who really knows, but I'm sending reassurance. Sounds normal!

[JessicaS]

As your supply regulates you won't feel "full" or engorged as much.

[lunarlady]

When DD1 started eating more regular meals, and we started nursing less, my breasts flattened out a la national geographic style. But I still made plenty of milk for her, and we are still nursing years later.

[goldenwillow]

Thank you so much gals for the information.

I started doing more skin to skin contact and seems to have worked. Felt some guilt that I haven't been doing that enough, falling asleep with my clothes on lately!

I was able to speak to my MW last week, took DS in to check his ears and was able to talk it over. She said no worries, DS just getting bigger. Also said, "roll em up in your bra! (ha, ha)". This week I am "fuller" again. My local LLL leaders had similar ideas too.

Thank you! I appreciate the thoughts! So glad I didn't have to pump!

I am supposed to be on hiatus from MDC this week (pledged in another thread) however, wanted to see if anyone said howdy to this question!

Signing off!