12 answers

Milk Supply Disappeared!! Help!

Ok. I have had a terrible sinus cold for the past 3 days. Last night I bought Sudafed (the real stuff). Took that and was feeling better this morning. Took 2 more doses today and all of a sudden this evening, my milk supply just vanished! Even when I pump nothing comes out but a few drops. This has never happened to me before when taking any kind of cold medicine and I'm totally freaked out. Worried that it won't come back. I pumped on both sides for a while and drinking tons of water. I'm about to go to bed and worried that by morning the milk will still not be in. What do I do??

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So What Happened?™

Hi Mamas. I really appreciate all the advise and support. This weekend has been a roller coaster of emotions and hard work getting my supply back. Here is what I had to do. I pumped like there was no tomorrow in between letting my baby (2 months old) latch on. I was really worried that she wasn't getting anything or "enough" since my breasts were so small and I could just tell that there wasn't much there. I tried giving her breast milk from a bottle that I had in the freezer. I warmed it and she refused to take a bottle. I tried 3 different styles of nipples/bottles and no luck so eventually, I just had to drip the milk into her mouth. After all day yesterday of not feeling a "let down" reflex, I broke down and had my husband go and buy me a beer which I did choke down and I ate a giant bowl of oatmeal and drank even more water. I fed and fed her until about midnight even though she wanted to just sleep. I finally put her down and went in 2 times during the night, woke her up and fed her. The second time at about 5 am I felt a tiny tingle of the let-down so I was really happy. She woke up at about 9 am and when I heard her cry I had an even stronger let down reflex and she was able to feed a lot. I can still tell that the supply isn't up the way it usually is but I have hope and I don't know what I would have done without all the advise. She's my 5th baby and I have my heart set on nursing her for at least a year like the others so the thought of giving up this early was just not an option. You'd think I'd know everything by now but that just goes to show how we can all make mistakes (taking a OTC drug without checking side effects) and how we are never too experienced or too old to learn. Thank you so much!! (ok, now I can cry).

More Answers

I found this online:
"f you do take pseudoephedrine and notice a drop in milk supply (many moms do not, but research shows that it can decrease milk supply by as much as 24%), simply stop the medication and take measures to increase milk supply - the problem should resolve fairly quickly. "

http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/cold-remedy.html

I hope things will resolve quickly for you too!

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OK, call a lactation consultant in the morning right away! I like to go with LLL consultants. I dont know if the sudafed has anything to do with the lack of milk supply, but being sick can have a bad effect for milk supply. It does not sound like your milk is gone, pumps dont work the same as babies sucking motion. Stay in bed a day, drink water and keep baby right by you and nurse often and eat WELL. Go have your significant other get you some 'mothers milk' tea. Drink it all the time. I put it in a nalgene bottle when I was having problems with my milk supply. I have heard a beer (just one) helps milk production. Also watch how your baby is eating, you may just be not making as much as you are used to right now. take note of these things, and like I said call a lactation consultant immediately in the AM. La Leche League international is who I use. Use herbs next time to get over a cold, (thats all I use) your local heathfood store could help you selecting good things to help your body get over a cold. Good Luck mama!

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My brother died while I was still nursing triplets. My milk vanished over night from the stress. My babies' pediatrician gave me a prescription for something--maybe Reglan? I can't remember, but my milk came back.

good luck!

www.thosecrazybeans.blogspot.com

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Just don't take that stuff again, hydrate, eat lotsof ggood fats, avocados, olvie oil, coconut milk, etc. Fennugreek tea a few times a day can be helpful too (or Mama's Milk tea works too). Good luck I thin k it will come back if you keep trying. And try looking at your baby while pumping & thinking loving thoughts too, it really helps.

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Mine did too after 4 months. It was kinda depressing! I tried and tried to increase the pumping and the breast feeding but it just didnt make a difference. I gave up. I would call that one place that specializes in breast feeding, La Leche League, I think its called. They may be able to help if you want to continue trying to build your supply back up. I know it can be disappointing to stop breast feeding when youre not ready to stop. I hope you can find something that works for you. Good luck!

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When I came home with my son after he was born, I was sick. My son must have been starving because I think I had my milk by the time I left the hospital. I decided that I want GOOD sleep so I took a decongestant, I slept great but... my son didn't eat so well after that. We looked up 'breast feeding & cold medicine' on the internet and found that certain ingredients in cold medicines/throat drops can actually reduce your milk supply. I stopped taking the medicine I had been taking and let my son eat like he was never going to eat again. My milk supply was back (maybe even better than before) with in a day or two.
My suggestions are: 1st to stop taking the medicine, 2nd let your baby eat any and all the time he/she wants to...your baby does a much better job of stimulating milk production and let down than a pump will. (plus, think of all the extra time you will get to spend with your baby.), 3rd stay hydrated and rested like the other mothers suggested (I don't know about the milk supply stimulants but they might be worth a try.)
Hope this helps and that you feel better soon!

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the same thing happened to me, so my girlfriend suggested to take an herbal supplement called fenugreek. it took about 2 days of continual pumping but my milk supply finally came back to it's normal level. The only bad news is that you have to continually take fenugreek for your milk supply to remain.

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sudafed really makes a difference. It clears up all sinuses, and milk ducts are sinuses. I have on occasion taken it while breastfeeding and felt the difference. You can certainly get your supply back, by breastfeeding as much as your child will allow and if you can handle it, not taking anything with sudafed in it.

K.

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