[MonisMomma]

Alas ladies it seems likely. I have started all of the things to build my supply back up but I am getting very discouraged. I just don't know how such a thing happens. AF has not returned yet, and while she seemed like she was making an appearance, she never did. My sweet dd is starting to lose her patience with the little bit she is getting during the day that she reluctantly took a bottle twice today. I am not feeling any letdown during the day. What happened?!!

I am not about to give up since I had a major oversupply a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully this is just a blip in the road. Does anyone know where I can get that tincture from?

 

[stafl]

that baby takes a bottle means nothing at all. that you are not feeling letdown means nothing at all. what makes you think you are losing your supply? Have you been to see a board certified (IBCLC) lactation consultant? If not, do.

 

[MonisMomma]

I spoke with my LC yesterday and she thinks its just a blip in the road since I was practically pumping 60 ounces a day and still had more than enough for my dd's needs. I don't mind at all that she is taking a bottle - I think its great she is because I couldn't pay her to do it before. Now I might actually feel more comfortable in a couple of months leaving her with my mom for a date with my dh.

But here is the info:

Her diapers have had less urine in them. I am pumping significantly less than I was - but it is starting to come back up.

I was sick or something over the weekend. So hopefully my supply will return full strength by the end of the week.

 

[DaryLLL]

Monimom--

I am not sure what is going on. You were pumping 60 oz/day a few days ago. Now you are afraid your supply is going away? Bodies just don't work like that.

Is your baby bfing at all? You said you had a mouth/nipple fit problem.

Your baby is 7 weeks. She should be bfing or taking bottles of EBM anywhere from 8-14 times a day. Some babies will only take a couple oz at this age per feed. Some will take a bit more.

 

[MonisMomma]

Oh no my dd is 21 weeks old, over 4 months. She is breastfeeding several times a day. She was only bfing until she finally took that bottle for me. I don't really know what happened, but it seems my supply is starting to come back up with the pumping and feeding that I started doing today.

 

[DaryLLL]

Oh. I was looking at some of your older posts. But not all of them obviously.

Some moms exp a temporary dip in supply just before a period. Or, if no period happens, but there is a hormonal fluctuation.

When you say your dd is bfing several times a day, what do you mean exactly? 4, 6, 8, 10?

Are you eating and drinking well? Have you gotten dehydrated b/c of a cold? Or is baby stuffy nosed?

ETA, I just read your otehr thread, Am I Drying Up?
You did say you have a cold. You also said you had oversupply and now you can't pump extra. This is normal. Even moms who have oversupply gradually adjust to making just enough for the baby.

 

[moondiapers]

If you were sick, did you take any decongestants? Those'll dry up milk sinuses too, not just the ones in your head.

 

[MonisMomma]

I only took Motrin while I was sick. But I must have experienced some sort of hormonal fluctuation in the last week. I noticed the drying up this time last week but I still had more than enough milk that my dd had 6 soaking diapers a day and I was still able to pump 12 oz over. Yesterday I struggled to pump 28 ounces. DD is nursing before I pump but I am also giving her a bottle of EBM until I am able to get my supply back up. She balks at the bottle some still but her diapers are rebounding some.

What else can I do? I am pumping every 2 to 3 hours. Drinking tons of Mothers Milk and Fenugreek teas. And, taking the fenugreek capsules. Any suggestsions?

BTW I really do appreciate everyone here on the boards, without all of your support, caring, and helpful responses I might not have made it this far. DD and I would like to go much farther than 4 months too!

 

[DaryLLL]

Why are you pumping so much? 28 oz is a ton. Figuratvely speaking. Are you going back to work? Do you have a deep freeze, b/c frankly, where are you putting all that milk?

 

[stafl]

ditto what DaryLLL said. Why in the world are you pumping so much, so often? Once my baby was able to nurse, I stopped pumping altogether. Even when I was exclusively pumping, I couldn't get that much in a day! Why are you killing yourself pumping so often?

At four months, your supply does change from hormonally-driven to supply-and-demand. Pumping does not stimulate supply as well as nursing. Your body is making more than enough milk for your baby if you are pumping 28 ounces more than she needs in any given day! If the big difference is in pump output, perhaps you need to replace the valves on your pump parts. If you are using Medela pump, replace the yellow valves and white membranes. Sometimes you can't see any wear, but the least bit of a tear or nick will drastically affect the amount of milk you get.

I would not give her the bottles unless you absolutely have to. If she is healthy and alert and not losing weight, she does not need supplements at all. Nursing more often will help your supply more than any amount of pumping possibly could.

 

[MonisMomma]

She is nursing but she isn't/doesn't seem to be getting enough nursing alone. Yesterday was not 28 ounces above her needs because I gave 18 of those oz. to her in a bottle since she wasn't nursing well. I think with the oversupply and overactive letdown she got spoiled and now she is having to work more for it. Her suck wasn't weak before and it isn't now, but she has to work more instead of opening her mouth and swallowing like she could before. Her diapers were nearly dry on Sunday, but now they are wetter like a week ago and she is pooping more often.

Believe me, I do not want to return to the severe oversupply that I had because it was painful - especially in the middle of the night when I could get more than half of that 28 ounces in one session. My dd is learning to really milk the breast better and my supply started to suffer. She used to be able to latch on and a letdown would occur almost immediately and rush lots of milk to her. When I was pumping the initial letdown was about four ounces a few weeks ago. But now the letdown might net me about a little under an ounce. Since I started pumping less often my body has been getting used to what she was actually sucking out - but she didn't really have to suck much out. So my supply really tanked.

I really am having a problem with my supply that I am working on rebuilding. I do apologize if the posts are confusing. I had a very rough start initially, got to a very easy and smooth place with nursing and BAM - then this happens. I feel like I am starting from square one all over again but this time with a frustrated *professional* nursing baby and not a newborn. We just want our milkies back!!!!

 

[DaryLLL]

read this:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

Esp this!

Quote:

Sometimes babies of moms with oversupply or fast let-down get very used to the fast flow and object when it normally slows somewhere between 3 weeks to 3 months. Even though your let-down may not be truly slow, it can still seem that way to baby. See Let-down Reflex: Too Slow? for tips.

 

[MonisMomma]

Thanks DaryLLL for the link. I did TONS of research, in addition to BFing my dd. My supply is coming back up a little faster than my LC thought it would but my dd is still stuffy so she is not sucking as strong as before so I am still pumping and compressing. She fusses a lot when I nurse her, so I have been offering her a bottle the times it seems like it will help. But she usually will only drink enough from the bottle to take care of the pressing hunger and then wants to nurse some more. Neither of us is ready to end our nursing relationship.