Out of milk once a day?

[E m i c h i e e]

Hey!

My son is now one month old and I have been breastfeeding exclusively since his birth via emergency c-section. 

At first it seemed I had an abundance of milk, I was pumping off bottles of colostrum because I had just too much.

But lately I have been having this dry spell once a day. Usually just before it is bedtime he starts cluster feeding which results into me running out of milk.

My body will reproduce, but he will be hungry and fussing for about an hour :(, also sometimes it is still not enough and I run out again and we have to try and calm him until more milk is produced.

During the day he nurses every 2-3 hrs for about 1-3hrs.

I have started taking fenugreek, which does increase my milk supply but during the day, not before bedtime, hence I still run out.

Also his poo got really lose and greenish because of the fenugreek.

Despite me being low he is at least gaining well though. But can anyone tell me why I am running low? Could it have to do with having had a c-section? And is there anything else I can do aside from fenugreek and pumping? (I only have a hand pump and its not working well for me)

[IsaFrench]

pumps have never been so great for me,

I would say ... first trying to leave your son at your breast as much as possible since a baby's succion on the breast is what sends signal to your brain to activate milk production.

+ no machine is as good as a baby's mouth to do that

... although I read a while ago about a new mom who, after her baby had fallen asleep for the night, actually spent the whole time her husband watched a rugby match, sitting on the sofa watching TV too, whilst being hocked up on an electric pump, alternating breasts every now and then, barely producing more than a few drops during the whole TV vewing session .... but that was enough stimulation on the breast apparently to "fool" the body into producing much more milk on the following days ... and then it's just supply and demand ...  he will take in more SO your breast will be more stimulated and therefore produce more ...

+ if at all possible, can you arrange for someone to watch your son late afternoon for 30 minutes and have a nap yourself ? that could also help milk production for the evening ....

[AnkaJones]

Hi,

It's not uncommon to have lower production a bit later in the day; nor is it uncommon to have a fussy baby later in the day.  My guess is, given your description of the green frothy poops, you're giving yourself a bit of an oversupply with the fenugreek.  That can actually make it more difficult for your baby to get satiety at the breast because he's missing the more calorie dense milk later in the feeding.

So, my advice would be to get off the fenugreek (which sounds like it is causing oversupply in you), and continue to allow your baby access to your breast.  Having less milk later in the day is normal.  Your breast, though, never really runs empty.  Even when you can't pump any milk, baby is still getting some.  Baby is signaling to you that he wants to keep going back to the breast by being fussy -- let him.  Over time your milk supply will likely even out and match his needs over the course of the day.

Best wishes,

Anka

p.s.  Everything I wrote is assuming that the baby is growing, etc.

[Megan73]

If your baby is gaining weight steadily (kellymom.com has a great growth calculator) then I'd chalk it up to absolutely normal newborn evening fussiness and cluster feeding. We called it the hour of power with our babes - invariably they'd fuss and nurse nonstop starting the MINUTE I tried to sit down and eat my own dinner. Hang in there. It will pass!

[E m i c h i e e]

Thanks for the replies everyone! He has been gaining one pound a week since the hospital so he is getting enough :)

but I was thinking if my milk would flow stronger during that time he would be happier, and with fenugreek we have been able to avoid extreme fussiness at night and hours of cluster feeding. His poo changed again the past days weirdly, now he does not poop much and only small yellow blobs.

I read it might be a growth spurt.

I am off the fenugreek now, but am still a bit engorged. So I must really have too much.

Sometimes its hard to keep him at the breast when I am low because he hates it and will fight me, He loves a fast flow and will chug it like a champ.

But I will try to take naps during the evening, his dad can hold him :)

[cameragirl]

I also had less milk as the day went on, but it usually just due to normal hormonal levels fluctuating. Cluster feeding can be a little crazy, but it all works out in the end.

[cat13]

My DS also does the fussy cluster feeding at night. I don't think you have anything to worry about, since your LO is gaining well. My friends who formula feed say that their LOs act the same way in the evenings, so I don't think you would change anything if you had more milk to give. 

[nald1]

this is my question as well!!  SO, im not alone - or imagining things!!!  I wondered if it was due to being tired and stressed out- dinner time is NOT pleasant in our house!!!!

[voca]

My little girl was like this in the early months. The solution for us was to go with it. I would come home from work and pretty much immediately get set up on the couch. My husband made dinners that could be eaten one handed, and after dinner he sat with me, we talked, watched some movies together, read books, and generally had couples time while she nursed for what seemed like hours on end. She would sleep for 10-15 min chunks and then I would hand her to Dad and go to the bathroom, etc.

[Mama2ChicknLil]

Google ” fussy evenings kellymom”, I'd post the link but my smart phone is too stupid

My son does this every might! When I was reading this article on kellymom.com I actually cried, I was so happy to read that this is normal and not a sign of low milk supply (considering, of course, normal weight gain, output, development, etc).

Hope it helps you all like it helped me!