Slow letdown, milk supply drop
I want to share my b/feeding experience with slow let down. When it happens (or rather doesn't happen) it is incredibly stressful and emotional. I really hope this can help someone!
In my case breastfeeding slowed to a stop over about 2 weeks. My letdown, which at one point was taking almost 7-10mins to happen, and my eventual drop in milk supply was due to Postpartum Thyroiditis, a condition that apparently affects 5-10% of women. A thyroid imbalance can have a direct and significant impact on the milk delivery system and the bodies ability to produce milk. For those diagnosed it can reoccur in subsequent pregnancies is often left undiagnosed. When my let down came to a screeching halt with my 4 month daughter, I was devastated and panicked but determined to find a way to continue breastfeeding her (this had happened with my 6mth old son too but a lack of information ended with me weaning him onto the bottle at 8mths). I tried several councillors at the ABA, my family doctor (who's only suggestion was to try her on mashed pumpkin?!), several lactation consultants and a naturopath. If one more person told me to try deep breathing exercises, uses a warm compress, think about how beautiful my daughter was etc I was going to scream :wall:. None of these things helped at all and I felt like a failure and guilt ridden for putting my daughter through this stress. Fenugreek and expressing after every feed, plus increasing feeds back to 3 hourly (especially night feeds), made enough of a difference that I could produce enough milk to get her through. I was strongly advised not to supplement as this works towards a low supply.
A single line in an internet article mentioned links to the thyroid. A little alarm went of in my mind so I insisted that my doctor test me for this. In the meantime I found an alternative doctor, a wonderful female GP who was also a lactation consultant. She prescribed me Motilium and told me to keep up the Fenugreek and expressing. It worked thankfully. Since then after a series of blood tests and a visit to an endocronologist my diagnosis was confirmed. Two months later and I continue to have to take the Motilium and pump, usually twice a day. I still have the occasional low supply day but I now have the confidence and experience to know that 24-48 hours of increased feeding and expressing and I have milk aplenty. My daughter is now 6 months and I will keep going at this until she is at least one. I am proud that I have fought and won this battle to give my daughter the best start in life and that I can be the one (or her) to decide when its time to stop. I wish you all the best and please don't give up!