Why did my milk just change color.. and do I have low supply?

[anjsmama]

 I am so confused. After an epic fail breastfeeding experience with my DS, it was a huge relief when DD got off to nursing at birth without a hitch. Other than a little bit of oversupply & mastitis early on (more troublesome to me than her), she hasn't had any problems and is an adorable chunky little thing .

Sadly I had to return to work after 12 weeks (she was actually 12 w 3 days). She will be 15 weeks tomorrow and I'm working 3 days a week so I guess I've been gone about 8 work days. At first it seemed like I was having oversupply problems (pumping 2x a day at work and once on days off to keep up with what she eats while I'm gone).. I was so full when I got home from work and woke up in the morning it was like initial engorgement all over again. But now I've noticed this "oversupply" only exists on work days and then the day after I seem to have low supply (i.e. my body can't seem to keep up with how much she wants/needs to nurse). She gets very frustrated about how long it takes to make the milk letdown (we're talking 30 seconds here? Is this nipple confusion/frustration because it comes immediately from a bottle?). She is nursing every hour and I feel empty, drained, dehydrated. I have been dry pumping to try to increase. I am also trying switch-nursing (we have been one-breast feeders to control oversupply). She is getting "enough" but still nursing every hour (for 3 weeks - not a growth spurt?) and having one serious crying spell at-the-breast each day. Is this low supply? Are these just nipple confusion problems? I have to work through June 3 & then I am officially a SAHM . But I am concerned about the long term effects here because I am hoping for BLW with her. 

I know she has adjusted my milk supply recently because when I returned to work I was never able to pump more than 2 oz per breast (4 total) at a time and now I easily get 5 oz (10 total). Anyway I noticed in the last 2 days that my milk is suddenly yellow. Not tinged yellow, and not for a day - TOTALLY YELLOW. It reminds me of transition milk when my milk first came in .. maybe even more yellow than that. I have not done anything different with my diet... she is pooping normal (color) although she also seems to have gone back to a poop with every feed like when she was a newborn. 

Hmm.. that turned out to be a lot. Any ideas here?!?!

Edited by anjsmama - 5/12/11 at 6:03pm

[sunnygir1]

How recently did the amount you are able to pump increase?  That should/could result in a surplus of expressed milk, so maybe if she has nursed and nursed and seems frustrated you could give her a small bottle of breastmilk to help her get filled up?  Are you drinking enough water?  You should drink a glass of water every time you pump or breastfeed, and probably more than that in between.  Also make sure you are eating well and frequently to keep your supply up.  It sounds like you are adjusting -- she is probably still getting milk even if you don't feel like your breasts are filling up in between.  The kind of full breasts you get after a long stretch of sleep or being away from your baby will rarely happen when you are with your baby all day -- at least in my experience.

As far as the frustration with "slow" letdown, if she is continuing to nurse successfully, I wouldn't worry about it, it will probably pass.  If it is really driving you crazy, and especially if it tends to happen at a certain time of day, you could pump for a couple minutes to get the milk going and then offer her the breast.

My milk was yellow when dd was young and then became lighter and lighter as time went on.  I didn't pump enough with ds to really notice if it happened the same way with him.  I don't know what would make it yellower, especially if you haven't changed how you are eating.  I wouldn't worry about it, myself, unless there are other symptoms of a problem.

[anjsmama]

Increased pumping quantities just happened this week, but I am a little bit ahead in storage now (where as 2 weeks ago I literally ran out & had to leave work to go nurse!). Yesterday when she was screaming I had a twinging thought about giving her a bottle with some EBM, however I was afraid she would accept the idea of a bottle from Mom, and further nursing defiance/confusion. She IS getting milk, she just seems really mad about how long it takes. Today I started squeezing/massaging at the beginning of a feeding to help her with letdown and her frustration is only lasting about 15 seconds now. Of course, I'm sure things will get better & better today and then I have to go to work tomorrow... ,

I know I won't really 'fill up' when I'm not away from her, cause we were in a really good groove before I had to go back to work. However I just KNOW I am empty, because she can only get one let down. This is why I started switch nursing, because then she can get two. I don't even know if that terminology makes sense, but usually drinking at one breast she goes through two full let downs (which from pumping seems to be 2 oz per let down, so about 4 oz per feeding). But she cannot get a second let down, and when she starts to cry at the breast I squeeze and get nothing. So I switch her, she gets a letdown cycle from the other breast and then is happy. Maybe she's just reached an age/I've reached a supply where we should/can move to nursing from both sides?

Also I thought about it and I am probably not drinking enough. I use to have a bottle of water pretty much permanently attached to my hand, but I have been on the go and outside and at work a lot lately so that could definitely be part of it. 

I'm trying not to worry much about the color change, it's just kind of shocking. My milk had gotten really white and then all of a sudden, 3 days ago, turned totally yellow. Weird. 

[sunnygir1]

I get what you're saying about the let down.  I did start giving my kids the second breast at some point when I was sure they were emptying the first.  So, if it's empty and you're not getting another letdown feeling, I don't see any reason not to offer the other breast.

You can't actually determine how much she's getting from how much you're pumping.  From what I understand, the baby is much more effective and efficient than the pump.  For example, I would pump for 20 minutes and then nurse my dd and I could hear her swallowing milk, even though more pumping wouldn't have been effective.

Keep following your instincts and try to relax and see what happens.  It sounds like you have a healthy, well fed baby, and only a month to go before you can be breastfeeding full time.  Hang in there!

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by anjsmama 

I'm trying not to worry much about the color change, it's just kind of shocking. My milk had gotten really white and then all of a sudden, 3 days ago, turned totally yellow. Weird. 

are you taking a new vitamin? some vitamins can make it yellow or even green. I bet the same goes for certain foods too.

[anjsmama]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener 

are you taking a new vitamin? some vitamins can make it yellow or even green. I bet the same goes for certain foods too.

 You're right. Just switched prenatal brands!

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by anjsmama 

 You're right. Just switched prenatal brands!

ah ha! mystery solved and one less thing to worry about

ps. congrats on your chunky little one!