Help! I Need somebody....to Tell Me If I'm Losing My Milk Supply!

Anyone who reminds me of the Beatles is a friend of mine!
Do not worry.
Your body and your baby are partners.
Your body will make enough milk for baby.
Remember to drink lots of water.
For the best advice and reassurance about breast-feeding,
please call (or look on the web for) your local La Leche League chapter.

I like the Beatles reference. :) Don't worry about it. Your body will make what your baby needs. Around 6-8 weeks post partum your body will regulate your milk to what your baby has been taking. The leaking eases up and things even out all around.

You are FINE!! Don't sweat it good Mommy! It just means your body in now in sync with baby - it makes what she demands. And most babies only nurse one side at a time when they get to her age (and they nurse faster because they have gotten a lot better at it).

She will have days where she nurses all the times and days she nurses less. All is completely normal - they key is to NOT supplement with formula (this WOULD reduce your milk) and just nurse her whenever she wants and for as long as she wants. If you follow those 2 simple steps: Whenever and as Long as she wants) you will have plenty if milk until she weans!!!

You are falling into the trap that so many new nursing moms fall into: the belief that you don't make enough. I always tell moms this bit of history: that Wet Nurses (lay women who nursed the weathy's children) could nurse 7 babies at once - SEVEN! I know moms with twins and triplets who nurse exclusively. I know moms who nurse infants and toddlers at once. I even know moms who only have one breast and nurse exclusively on that one breast and have chunky-monkey babies! So toss the formula and the clock and let your little one dictate the feeding.

Cheers!

PS - 2 drinks at the wedding is fine :)

There really is nothing to worry about. Your breasts are designed to give as much as baby needs - and pumping and leaking do not show signs of supply. Your baby will go thru many phases of cluster feeding - which is like priming the engine before you start it. The cluster feeding tells your body to make more and once it does it's back to normal until the next growth spurt. Unless it is a personal preference, you should not be supplementing with formula, because your body makes what your baby needs.

As babies get a handle on what to do, their suckling becomes very efficient. What once took them 30 minutes to get 10 ounces now takes 5-10 minutes. It isn't a sign that YOU are making enough milk, but that the baby is able to get what it needs faster.

Relax! A few drinks here and there are nothing to worry about either., just don't get so buzzed you become drunk.

Your milk supply is regulated by demand. If baby demands more, your body will make more. If you suppliment you are essentially telling your body to make less. By introducing formula you will be more likely to dry up. It sounds to me you want to continue to breastfeed her, so just DO IT! (First Beatles, now Nike - sorry!) Make sure you drink enough liquids. I found some Mother's Milk tea at the health food store that supports nursing mother's milk. (Try this: http://bit.ly/bBH0dh or this: http://bit.ly/czbQUw) Also, raspberry (or any) juice, plenty of fluids, and oatmeal are all supposed to help build supply. I was told by my doc that it is okay to have a drink even though I was still nursing. Blessings to you and your little angel!

Don't fret Mom! You and baby are fine and are just syncing up. I'd suggest drinking lots and lots of water. I found that to make dramatic improvements in my milk supply. I even drank water though the night, although that meant a couple of trips to the bathroom, but I noticed a difference in the early waking hours. And make sure to get your calories.

Above all, continue to breastfeed to keep up your milk supply. Don't supplement if you don't have to.

You're doing fine! Your body is just regulating to what your baby needs. You'll go through a lot of cylces like this. When baby has a growth spurt and nurses more, you'll notice that you feel fuller and might even have leaky breasts again. When the growth spurt is over and the nursings slow down, your bod will adjust again. Our bodies are truly remarkable things and are really made to breastfeed. There is really no need to supplement. You're doing great! :D

Healthy nursing tea helped me when I had low supply issues. This organic herbal supplement is great for more breast milk and all natural.

You may be getting your period back. My period returned straight after with my first, and a few days before each period my milk supply would drop for a day or 2, but once I got my period it would return to regular. Keep the baby on both breasts even if it doesn't produce milk straight away because it needs the stimulation, and will eventually start up again. Almonds are meant to help.

You are fine. Your body is just regulating. Eating every 3-4 hours is normal. It is good for her to finish one one side before going to the other because the fuller fat milk is at the end - lesser fat milk at the beginning to quench the thirst. If she is satisfied and happy and having wet diapers, you are fine. Do not supplement with formula - that will cause her to drink less of your milk and that is what determines your supply. When she goes through a growth spurt (baby books tell you when that often happens), she may nurse more frequently. Don't worry - she is fine - your body responds to her more frequent nursing by producing more milk. You two work in beauty harmony and you can give her everything she needs. Enjoy.

My guess is that there's nothing wrong at all. After several weeks, maybe a month, maybe 2 (different for different moms), your breasts will stop leaking a lot, sometimes they don't leak at all.

If you think your supply needs a boost, take a Fenugreek tablet or two (or fenugreek tincture tea) or two with each meal and at bedtime for a few days and the dripping will start again! Wiold Harvest makes one that's organic and gluten free and contains enough per capsule that you only have to take 2 tablets at each dose, whereas with other brands you have to take 3 or for at each dose.

I HIGHLY recommend this book:
The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers: The Most Comprehensive Problem-Solving Guide to Breastfeeding from the Foremost Expert in North America, Revised & Updated Edition by Jack Newman and Teresa Pitman (Paperback - Nov 28, 2006)

Take care,
N.

Nurse her on each side during each feeding. 5 minutes on one side then 5 minutes on the other, and keep rotating if she wants to keep eating. Both breasts need the stimulation. Make sure you are eating enough calories during the day, drink lots of milk yourself.

your proly fine! try to nurse her on both sides at every feeding and pump after her feedings to pick it up a little. you could also take fenugreek and blessed thistle. buy em at the health food store, 3 pills of each, 3 times per day and your supply will increase! 2 different lactation consultants told me that and its worked very well for me! the pills can be a little hard to get down but I found if i take it with something warm, like my morning coffee it goes much better! as far as adding formula I wouldnt worry about it but if you want to then do it! just make sure you pump during that feeding or you will lose some supply. As long as baby is gaining weight you will be fine! She should be nursing every 3 to 4 hrs, around the clock, for a good 15 to 20 min on each side!

Dear Mommy, Although it has been years sinced I nursed a baby, I am sure there is nothing wrong. It just may be that your body is getting used to your baby's feeding schedule. I am sure the other, younger moms will also reassure you. Try not to be nervous, this does affect your baby......... Grandma Mary

So you know - the let down pain and some of the leaking does to go away. It just means that your breast are getting use to working so much. The only time I feel the let down or leak is when I miss a feeding or he goes over 4-5 hours with out nursing.

Babies do go through cycles - growing & not growing spurts. They will nurse more when they are going through a growing spurt. My youngest is about 11 weeks now - almost 4 mo. He sometimes wants nothing to do with the 2nd side. I had to start wearing a braclet on my wrist to tell me which side he was last on, cause I couldn't tell & was forgetting with everything going on. But most of the time - he wants both side.

As to knowing if she is getting enough... does she seem full and give up the breast on her own? Does she go atleast 2-4 hours between feedings? Does she have 6-8 wet diapers a day? If so, she is getting enough. If you are still worried about it, you can call the doc & see if you can bring her in for a few weight checks... that way you can watch her weight gain & get individual suggestions.

Also, if you think your supply isn't enough - you can let her suckle a little more or pump after she is done feeding. Even if it's just a few minutes on each side. When my little guy was just about 2 weeks old - I had to spend 5 days in the hospital. My supply did go down & his need went up when were apart. It did take a few weeks, but we did get to where we could just do his feedings from breast again. But I was lucky cause I could use the milk I pumped at the hospital when I returned home & during the supply rebuilding time.

I have also notice that oatmeal helps with milk production - not sure why, but it does. When my guy is going through a growing spurt I try to eat it for breakfast, late night snack & I even eat oatmeal cookies for a mid-day snack. I just use instand - eventhough somepeople say it doesn't work. But it did for me... and this is the second one I've done it with.

Personnaly - I don't drink when nursing, but I don't think once will hurt her. That is also something you can ask the doc about... I know I had one drink w/ my 5 yr old - that is before I knew he was on the way. And I was told one wouldn't hurt in anyway. But it never hurts to ask.

Good luck with nursing... and congratz on the little one :)

Don't worry!! These things happen. She will eat more and then less some days. If she is not crying then she is fine. If you feel like she is leaving the breast frustrated or hungry, then you may have something. She probably doesn't need any formula. What did mothers do 100 years ago? They breastfed and waited for baby to get hungry.

On a side note, I had some issues like this with my youngest son. Check his tounge and the insides of his cheeks for W. patches or a W. coating. My little one had thrush twice and it impeded his ability to nurse, so it wasn't so much that he was wanting formula as it was the thrush getting in the way. Just a thought. If your baby has thrush, call your Ped and get on some Diflucan or Nystatin.

Sounds like your milk supply is starting to regulate itself. Many people either start out with too much milk or too little and it takes a few weeks for your body to adjust to your baby's needs. Do not supplement if you want to keep your supply--once you start to supplement with formula your supply is more likely to decrease and not be enough.

Wet diapers are one way to tell if your baby is getting enough, but also look at her and see if she seems satisfied when she's done feeding. Watch for dehydration signs if you're really worried--but it sounds like everything is good :D

Occasionally, the baby may be put off by the flavor of the day ;) and nurse less, but normally it will not be a problem and they will still nurse enough (if your baby is not nursing for a whole day, get your breast checked for infection)

Keep your diet full of healthy foods including fats (good ones) and relax. Let your baby tell you what she needs.

Ok first take a deep breath and relax. The best way to tell if your baby is getting enough to eat is wet and soiled nappies. But second to that is if she is happy and content after feeding. You can also have a well baby check and have them weigh baby then feed her for 20 mins and then weigh her again on the same scale.
Next...do not feed her formula. If she is not fussy after eating she is fine.
Many people d not leak or have leakage on the other side while feeding.
Your body will supply what the baby needs. She might have a growth spurt and feed a lot. Then plateau for a while.
Alcohol can be a little dehydrating drink lots of water and non caffeinated tea.
You are not being psycho just having normal concerns. What you are experiencing is totally normal.