[Plummeting]

I really need either some advice or some reassurance as soon as possible. DD is almost 8 months old and I had serious oversupply for the first few months, so I don't really know what "normal" breastfeeding breasts feel like because I was constantly engorged for so long. About 3 months ago my supply really seemed to normalize and I thought everything was fine. Then a few weeks ago I started noticing that my breasts never, ever seemed to feel full anymore. The last few weeks she's been nursing normally and peeing and pooping like normal. She's eating very, very little solids - less than a teaspoon a day. Probably 1/2 a teaspoon. Then today I really just got worried that perhaps I'm not making enough milk because she's always punching my breasts and pulling on them while nursing lately. So, I tried to pump. After 2 times of pumping each breast for about 10 minutes, I got less than 1 ounce total! My DD won't even take a bottle, so I haven't pumped in ages and I don't know what's normal. When I had so much milk a few months ago I could pump 8 ounces in 20 minutes (4 from each side), so this seems like it isn't enough at all. Also, I've noticed today that I really am not feeling letdown like I used to even a few weeks ago, although I still feel it a little bit. I bought some Mother's Milk and I've pretty much been crying for a couple hours.

I just need to know, are these normal changes? Is it normal to feel "empty" all the time and to be able to pump so little? Is it normal for an 8 month old to punch and kick and pull while nursing? (I kind of assume that's normal, at least - I hope.) Is it normal to stop feeling letdown this late in the game? I had thought if these changes were normal, they would have happened a long time ago. Thanks so much for any help!

 

[velcromom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richelle I just need to know, are these normal changes? Is it normal to feel "empty" all the time and to be able to pump so little? Is it normal for an 8 month old to punch and kick and pull while nursing? (I kind of assume that's normal, at least - I hope.) Is it normal to stop feeling letdown this late in the game? I had thought if these changes were normal, they would have happened a long time ago. Thanks so much for any help!

Yes, yes and yes!! Feeling empty has nothing to do with how much you may be producing, and pumping isn't a good indicator of how much you're making. Don't worry that you can't pump much, I never could get more than half an ounce unless I kept at it and practised every day til I got better at it. Just go by the fact that what goes in must come out, so as long as the diaper output is normal, all is well.

Feeling letdown is a very individual thing, some women never really feel much and some nearly always do. I just recently noticed that I sometimes don't feel letdown anymore, and my ds just turned 2.

Oh the punching, kicking, squeezing, pinching, poking and prodding... yes, for us they really got going about that age...
sounds like everything is ok, I know how it is though when you don't have obvious signs of plentiful milk you can really start to doubt yourself.. but really I don't see anything alarming in your post.

 

[Plummeting]

Thank you for your reply! I know I probably sound silly - especially to be crying about it, but I'm a little stressed out right now. My husband just left on deployment and will be gone for a long time, so I think once I started worrying about it, it just got out of control. It was the straw that broke the camel's back. I feel much, much better after reading your post. Thanks so much!