Nursing Mommas - milk supply crashing - thoughts?

[BirthFree]

I have tried more water, herbs, more calories and pumping mid-night. My littlest one (14m almost) is very unhappy about the supply change (and I don't blame him!) - I'm not ready to wean and neither is he... any thoughts for me?

(This has happened 2 other times with my other boys when I got pg as well... my milk supply just always does this - it happens with AF too for me).
~Julie

[mama_tigress]

we have the same due date
which is actually very interesting to me, because I was wondering about my supply today, and I thought it was too early to notice a drop
I only got AF once since DS was born, so I don't know if it would have happened with AF

Anyway, DS has been eating more solids the past 2 days, and he keeps asking to nurse more after he's just nursed. But I still feel like I have a lot of milk. He happens to be getting molars, so it could just be that. I sure hope it isn't my milk supply. DS still gets most of his nutrition from me (he's 14 months). If I do have to lose my milk, I hope it happens gradually so he can adapt. (I know at least one woman who does NOT lose her supply while pregnant.)

[queenbean]

Not in your DDC, but I wanted to chime in. If your supply is dipping, there's really not much you can do. You can try all the traditional methods of boosting supply (except for fenugreek, it hasnt' been proven safe during pregnancy), but chances are you're just going to have to suffer through for a while. It's a hormonal issue, and you can't really combat that. I got pregnant when my daughter was 10 months old, and when she was 12 months my supply was pretty much nil -- since she was old enough to not need formula, we just started giving her soy milk to supplement, and she still comfort nursed. Now my colostrum is in, and she and I are much happier.

Good luck! I hope your supply returns soon.

[*Karen*]

Alfalfa has helped me a lot.

[paphia]

Oatmeal has helped me keep my supply up - I can totally tell the difference on the days I have not had a bowl of oatmeal. I usually have about 1/2 cup (dried) in the mornings and then make sure to stay hydrated and get lots of calories, and in combination that has worked pretty well for me. DD is 15 months. After I hit the 12 week mark I also started drinking RRL tea since I have read that can help, too. I have Mother's milk tea and will consider that when I am a bit further and if my milk supply continues to drop.

Also, my dd just started getting some molars in, so while I was really worried she wasn't getting enough and was getting fussy at the breast, it may have just been some painful teething. Good luck!

[BirthFree]

Originally Posted by queenbean

Not in your DDC, but I wanted to chime in. If your supply is dipping, there's really not much you can do. You can try all the traditional methods of boosting supply (except for fenugreek, it hasnt' been proven safe during pregnancy), but chances are you're just going to have to suffer through for a while.

Thanks for your thoughts! Someone else just told me the same thing (a homebirth MW). That sort of stinks... he's not much of a comfort nurser so I'm worried he won't keep nursing, but I'll give it a shot with the things I know and then just take what comes.

Thanks!

[lab80]

I am also going to suggest oatmeal. When DS was a few months old my milk was gone (kinda scary at the time). Oatmeal helped me.

[mama_tigress]

thanks for the oatmeal reminder! I had a big bowl this morning. I noticed when DS was younger that oatmeal did increase my supply slightly. I always had an over-supply, so I avoided oatmeal

[lmonter]

It sounds like you've tried about everything...
Oatmeal? Beer's out of the running at this point...
Not sure about alfalfa, but I know I masked the taste of alfalfa juice with grape juice last pregnancy (it was to help my iron levels I think).

[mama_tigress]

My milk is going away.

I'm really upset about this. I was hoping to be one of those women who don't lose their supply the entire time, but I wasn't counting on being one of the ones who loses it almost immediately!!
I'm so sad for my baby. He gets most of his nutrition from my milk. He's going to have to learn to eat more, quickly. He's a really chubby guy, so no worries or anything, but it's so sad. He doesn't seem to upset so far.

I feel guilty about it. Like it's already hard for me to accept that I won't be able to pay exclusive attention to him anymore, and now I've already taken away his biggest source of comfort. Okay, not really, because he is still nursing plenty and it's still comforting, but not the same, you know? I don't think I've felt a let-down all day long.

I'm going to drink a ton of water and pray that at least some milk sticks around

[momma2be]

I'm in the same camp here: DD is just coming up on 9 months though, so it's really stressing me out...which isn't helping I'm sure.

I've heard that alfalfa wasn't good to take during pregnancy - anyone else? I'll have to try and figure out where I got that from.

It sounds to me like you're doing everything you can - just try to stay positive!

[kltroy]

Yeah I'm not sure if it's a supply dip or a phase that DS (17 months) is going through, but he's been a 2x/day nurser for about 3 months now. And just in the last week he keeps trying to lift up my shirt at other random times. I know it's partly because he thinks my belly button is funny (it's his fault it's weird!) but he keeps asking for more I am planning on weaning him at some point during this pregnancy (although I wasn't planning on it until the spring) so I don't really want to start up with a bunch of extra comfort nursing (esp. b/c my boobs are getting sore), but it makes me feel like a bad mom to refuse him. I've been trying to spend some extra snuggle time with him to make up for it...

[Ooey]

Originally Posted by kltroy

Yeah I'm not sure if it's a supply dip or a phase that DS (17 months) is going through, but he's been a 2x/day nurser for about 3 months now. And just in the last week he keeps trying to lift up my shirt at other random times. I know it's partly because he thinks my belly button is funny (it's his fault it's weird!) but he keeps asking for more I am planning on weaning him at some point during this pregnancy (although I wasn't planning on it until the spring) so I don't really want to start up with a bunch of extra comfort nursing (esp. b/c my boobs are getting sore), but it makes me feel like a bad mom to refuse him. I've been trying to spend some extra snuggle time with him to make up for it...

How far along are you mamas? I just found out I'm pregnant (about 4-5 weeks) and my biggest sign that something was up with my body was the HUGE increase in my milk supply. DD is 16 months old and still nurses quite frequently durring the day, and all throughouth the night, but in the past month has slowed down a little bit. But over the past week and a half I've started producing milk like I'm nursing a newborn, I feel like my breasts are always full, and I even had to pump a couple times for some relief when DD wasn't around.

Did this happen to all of you at first? I'm just wondering if this normal before a supply crash, which wouldn't be horrible, but I was kind of looking forward to tandem nursing so I don't want her to wean yet, especially if she's not ready.

[Jlse]

Mine seems to dip without going away completely. I was able to nurse ds up until the month before dd was born. I think he would have continued if I offered more but he was 2 1/2 and though I thought I wanted to tandem nurse I didn't push it as he didn't seem as interested. I second the oatmeal and alfalfa - there are tablets at least my midwife gave me those and they aren't so bad. They also offer all kinds of other benefits so it's worth a shot. I don't feel let downs anymore - but I know she is getting plenty - haven't felt a let down since she was under a year I think. After the first trimester and the hormonal surge it seemed to get better. Another way to get oatmeal is to buy the steel cut and grind it (I just use the grinder on the blender) and use it in place of flour. I do this for pancakes, breads, etc.

Oh and even if you don't get to tandem nurse I did a lot of pumping and giving in a cup to my ds after dd was born. He wasn't interested in nursing but was happy to get the milk!

[BirthFree]

I'm about 4.5w but it happens to me every time so enjoy your increase, that may just be how each of our bodies do things.

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by Ooey

How far along are you mamas? I just found out I'm pregnant (about 4-5 weeks) and my biggest sign that something was up with my body was the HUGE increase in my milk supply.

Well color me jealous. Honestly, I'd love to be producing lots extra so I could attempt to pump and build up a freezer stash for the inevitable colds we're all going to get this winter.

My supply seemed to go down a little, but it was the tingly/stingy feeling that made me wonder before I finally had the balls to dig up a pregnancy test (you know, if I didn't pee on it, I wasn't pregnant - denial at it's finest). I think I'm around 7 weeks or so, I haven't a clue right now.

[balancedmama]

I'm in the same boat. DD is 13 months and as like most of you with younger babies, she was getting most of her nutrition from breastmilk. My supply always dips a bit w/ AF but it went down earlier and lower so that was my first sign as early as 5DPO. Now it seems to be coasting along at the new lower amount but we also both have colds and she is having a hard time nursing so I'm pumping to keep up. It is pretty devastating. I have been trying to eat/drink plenty, eat oatmeal, and I'm taking a tincture for pregnant/nursing moms. I also agree though that there is only so much you can do.

[newlywaaz]

I think my supply is dropping, but more because DS only nurses once or twice a day as opposed to my still young pregnancy (I'm only about 4 weeks). I'm fine with weaning as long as it's ok with DS (15m), so I have a feeling we'll be done long before June one way or another.

another big nod to the powers of oatmeal, it works wonders for me!

[mama_tigress]

My supply seems to be back up today. I think DS was being a nursing fiend yesterday and the night before last, which really emptied me out. I'm sure it's dipped a bit, but I definitely still have good milk in there. Which is a huge relief. I'm also eating a lot and drinking a lot (not easy, I'm having strong food aversions, but I'm forcing myself). DS has a bit of a cold (his second ever) and I seem to be coming down with it, too

[kltroy]

I'm almost 6 weeks (will be tomorrow). I think DS would be nursing a lot more but I work during the day so he only gets me mornings and evenings (he started sleeping through the night at 12 months).