Need help fast

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I just went to bed with my four and a half month old to nurse him to sleep like we normally do, and I seem to have absolutely no milk whatsoever!!!

He is furious (understandably) and I keep switching him back and forth hoping he will at least get a drop or two from one side or the other, and he is getting nothing.

I always have huge amounts of milk, as I donate to a baby and nighttime is when I pump, so I have milk to spare usually, but tonight, it seems to have disappeared.

I have never had this happen, or heard of it happening, my baby is screaming and I have nothing to give him.

Help!!!!!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

anyone out there???

I finally gave him some pumped milk from a cup to calm him down and then he latched on and got about a minute of sucking and swallowing and fell asleep.

I have never had this happen, and it is very distressing. Just last night, I nursed him down and then proceeded to pump 14 ounces throughout the night and the next morning. How can milk dry up in one day? It was really frightening to see him so frustrated and starving and getting absolutely nothing out of my breast.

[MamaBear1976]

Did you have any sage in the last 24 hours? Parsley? Rosemary? Mint? All of these herbs and their essential oils will dry you up.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Nope, no sage, rosemary, mint or parsley, but I have used those in copious amounts in the past and never have had a problem with lack of supply.

It was just so strange to have nursed him earlier in the evening lik eI normally do, and then head to bed like our normal routine and have absolutely nothing. I was even trying to massage and compress them for him while he was nursing, and nothing was helping.

I actually drank three cups of Mother's Milk tea tonight, ironically enough. I am hoping this was a fluke and when he wakes up to nurse in a few hours that I will have milk spilling all over him.

[alegna]

Have you taken any meds today? Could you be restarting your period? Could you be pregnant?

good luck!

-Angela

[DancingOtter]

I know that's alarming, but try to stay calm. Your breasts are not empty. There may be a dip in supply for whatever reason, but my money is on a lack of a let down rather than a lack of milk. Without a powerful drug or a severe medical condition, your milk simply cannot just dry up.

[MamaBear1976]

My next guess is you're going to get your period or you're pregnant. Is there any possibility of either one of these?

[SaharaRose]

Its been so hot where I live. Is there any chance you're a little dehydrated? I always drink extra water when my supply dips.

OP, I love your screen name. Pumpkin Pie is my nickname for my daughter, hehe.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Ok, we made it through the night, and things seem ok this morning. I only pumped 6 ounces last night. grrrrr. I almost wish I didn't have to pump! The little girl I am pumping for really needs the milk, so I know I need to do it, but that was the most frustrating night since I had my little one. I am going to drink more Mother's Milk tea, get some oatmeal, and drink lots of water today.

I have been sick with a cold, but it didn't seem to affect my supply at all so far. I am getting over it pretty much, so am not sure if that had anything to do with it?

I exclusively breastfeed (no solids yet), my babe will be 5 months next Tuesday, and we co-sleep and he nurses all night, so I am not sure about my period starting.

There is no way I could possibly be pregnant, as I have not had sex in over a year (eek, has it been that long??!) and am a single mama, so definitely not that.

I did have a drop in production a few weeks ago and was not able to pump nearly as much, but my supply had been going back up and was working its way back up to my record of 16-17 ounces a night that I usually pumped.

I have no idea what caused the last drop in production either. I don't think it could have been a growth spurt, as I nurse DS exclusively on the left side at night and pump the right, so it wasn't like he was taking more from the side I was pumping. It went down from 16-17 ounces a night to 6-8 ounces a night within a week, but was back up to 12-14 ounces prior to last night.

I am so frustrated...... I just wish my body would regulate! I would think that 5 months out from birth would be long enough for my breasts to figure it out.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions, it was definitely scary to have a screaming baby and nothing to give him. It made me realize how some women turn to formula when things like that happen. (not that I did)

[Sheal]

Was it possible it was your ovulation cycle? I have noticed that during my ovulation my supply dips a touch (not by much, but enough to notice and get babe on the breast more often and longer than he usually does).

Sheal

[lil_miss_understood]

You said you've had a cold. Did you take any cold medicines?

[twinsplus1]

This happened to me right after I had surgery. It was better in a couple of hours though.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I didn't take any cold medicine, I only ate a bunch of garlic cloves with honey, took extra vit c and zinc, and drank as much oj and water as I could along with the mother's milk tea.

I don't think it was ovulation, as I am not getting periods yet, although I guess it could be the start of my first cycle since birth??

No surgeries here, so that isn't the culprit.

I did notice today, that he got frustrated a few times when I seemed to have less supply than normal. I ended up giving him solids for the first time tonight, which I was planning on doing soon anyway (within the next week or two). He ate about a tablespoon or two of avocado mixed with breastmilk, so hopefully that will help him to stay satisfied tonight. He did go down a bit easier tonight. We also took a long leisurely bath tonight with him nursing as much as he wanted from both sides in the tub before bed.

I really never want that to happen again. I called my local LLL leader, and she said that I am doing all the right things, and that it is possibly being caused by stress, as I am moving in a week, am a singla mama, and have been very sick. She said it could cause lack of letdown. Let's hope the next week flys by, and I am safe and relaxed in my new apartment soon with milk flowing like a river!

Thanks so much for all of the support and suggestions.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Originally Posted by SaharaRose

OP, I love your screen name. Pumpkin Pie is my nickname for my daughter, hehe.

Just noticed this... My Pumpkin is my sweet kitty who just got diagnosed with kitty IBS which will most likely lead to lymphoma. :

[lil_miss_understood]

I'm sorry to hear about your kitty and it certainly sounds like you've got a lot on your plate right now.
I hope things calm down and everything's as perfect as real life allows them to be soon.

[calidarling]

I know that a dip in supply can be scary but your ds is way too young to be having solids.

Just nurse nurse nurse. Breasts dont become empty so while he is nursing he is still getting something and it will also increase your supply.

I am glad that you found a temp solution but please dont give anymore solids until your ds is at least 6 months.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by calidarling

I know that a dip in supply can be scary but your ds is way too young to be having solids.

Just nurse nurse nurse. Breasts dont become empty so while he is nursing he is still getting something and it will also increase your supply.

I am glad that you found a temp solution but please dont give anymore solids until your ds is at least 6 months.

:

Solids at this age are a bad idea.

-Angela

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Ok, supply seems to be much better last night and today. No problems at all.

As far as solids, he will be 5 months next Tuesday, and his ped gave the ok for avocado, banana, and sweet potato. I know he is not 6 months yet, but he has been clamoring for whatever I have on my plate for a month now, and did great with the avocado.

I definitley wouldn't give him more than a tablespoon or so each day, so it really is more of a taste thing for now.

His ped put it to me this way: Six months is the average age of babies being ready for solids, but some hit the mark earlier, and some hit it later. He has been about a month or more ahead of schedule for a lot of his milestones so far, so she said that five months was just fine to start him on solids if he wants to eat. He has no tongue thrust anymore, he was lunging for more with each bite, and it totally digested, no traces of avocado poo in his diaper. Just looked like the regular old BM poo.

Anyway, I don't want to turn this into a "when to start solids" thread, but my supply seems to be back up, and I am really hoping that it stays there this time.

Thanks again for all of the suggestions

[CathMac]

From everything you describe it sounds like stress. If you can afford it I would suggest getting some Fenugreek and keeping it on hand just in case.

I'm guessing you co-sleep, but if you don't you may want to consider it as a way to maximize the amount of milk he gets while your Prolactin levels are highest, while minimizing the impact to your sleep.

Oh, and kudos to you for pumping for your friend. I'm a donor mom too.
~Cath

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

Ok, supply seems to be much better last night and today. No problems at all.

As far as solids, he will be 5 months next Tuesday, and his ped gave the ok for avocado, banana, and sweet potato. I know he is not 6 months yet, but he has been clamoring for whatever I have on my plate for a month now, and did great with the avocado.

I definitley wouldn't give him more than a tablespoon or so each day, so it really is more of a taste thing for now.

His ped put it to me this way: Six months is the average age of babies being ready for solids, but some hit the mark earlier, and some hit it later. He has been about a month or more ahead of schedule for a lot of his milestones so far, so she said that five months was just fine to start him on solids if he wants to eat. He has no tongue thrust anymore, he was lunging for more with each bite, and it totally digested, no traces of avocado poo in his diaper. Just looked like the regular old BM poo.

Anyway, I don't want to turn this into a "when to start solids" thread, but my supply seems to be back up, and I am really hoping that it stays there this time.

Thanks again for all of the suggestions

Has he lost the tongue thrust?
Does he sit unassisted?
Can he grab food and put it in his mouth?
Can he handle soft solids that he self feeds?

If the answer to any of those is no, then he's not ready.

If they need purees then they're not ready for solids.

And most peds. are woefully ignorant on the subject.

-Angela