Supply running low?

Hello ladies!
I was wondering if any of you have ever run into the problem of not enough milk. With my first daughter, I completely ran out when she was about 4 months old, after I had pneumonia. (She had been doing wonderfully before that - gaining weight like crazy, etc.) I assumed that my body was just too exhausted after being sick to keep up the milk supply. (I stopped nursing cold turkey one day after trying anf trying to keep going with a frustrated and hungry baby, and I never felt "full" again after that.) But now my second baby is three months old, (and like her sister, gaining weight at an incredible rate (over the 95% in height and weight) and I feel like I'm running out again. I'm trying to keep drinking as much as I can make myself, but is there anything else I can do to help? Does this happen to other people? Is it hormones or fatigue or what?
Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Thanks!

It could be any number of things, but if your DD is still gaining weight and is happy and sleeping well, it may be that there is nothing wrong with your supply but simply that your breasts don't "feel" as full?

I know with my DD and DS that I lost the "full" feeling at around 3.5 months, but that they still had plenty of wet nappies and were still sleeping well and were content.

Fennel tea and Fenugreek tablets can do great things for your supply, have you tried either of those?

Try this (care of my Grandma)

1 cup activite
1 cup skim milk powder
1 litre milk

blend, and drink.

Day 1 drink whole litre over the course of the day.
Day 2 & 3 drink 1/2 litre per day
then 250ml a day as required.

I have about 1 250ml glass a week... more for the energy boost than anything else.

Hi Mama of 2, you must be pretty busy with your 3mo and another child as well. If fatigue caused loss of milk, I don't think any of us would manage to breastfeed successfully! Yes, it's actually quite common for mums to feel as though they might not have enough milk, and around the 3 months mark is a very usual time for it to happen. A lot of babies have a "fussy" period around then, also many learn to suck more strongly/efficiently so they will drink the same amount in less time. Plus your breasts will have adjusted to making milk, so they won't tend to feel as full as in the early days.

The first thing I'd suggest is don't look at your breasts, look at your baby. Check the signs that she's getting enough to drink (she's growing, gaining some weight, looks healthy with nice tone, bright eyes and wet mouth, she is producing plenty of wet nappies, she's fairly contented for a good portion of the day etc). If you are at all concerned about her health, get her checked by your doctor or child health nurse.

Things you can do if your supply is a bit low: breastfeed more often and don't limit her sucking time (easier said than done when you have another child, I know, but remember supply matches demand so the more she sucks the more you make). If she uses a dummy, you could try letting her comfort suck at the breast instead. If she seems hungry and unsettled after a feed, you can offer her a top up feed about 20 minutes later. If you seem to have more milk in the morning and then run low in the evening, you may like to express some in the mornings and use it to top her up later in the day.

You could also phone the Australian Breastfeeding Association helpline - the counsellor will be able to go through your situation in detail with you, or if you'd rather, they can send you info in the mail.

BTW, you don't need to drink ridiculous amounts to keep up your milk supply, just drink as much as you feel comfortable with.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions and encouragement! My little girl is still having plenty of wet/dirty nappies, and seems healthy and well, so I guess I'm not out of milk yet! Expressing some milk in the morning sounds like a great idea - it will help get her used to the bottle too. (And then maybe her papa and I can have a little time away to ourselves. O:) ) I will have to try that "energy drink" recipe, and see if that helps too. Who couldn't use a little more energy anyways, right?
Hopefully everything will keep going well. I enjoy nursing her, and it certainly is easier and cheaper than formula!
Thanks again!