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Can someone please explain to me how a women suddenly stats runnig out of milk after a few weeks? I am curious to know why ones milk supply would just start drying up all of a sudden! I dont understand how this can happen but obviously it must and I want to educate myself on why and how this happens.
ITS not me by the way I am going strong as ever, but I hear this reason all the time in people that gave up BF and wnat to know why this happens to them.
I dunno! Would be interested to hear 'reasons' myself.
Thoughts that spring to mind:
Most common is the lack of engorgement at about 6 weeks because the boobs have finally worked out the right amount of milk to make, but people mistake this as milk drying up, when really the boobs have just gotten the hang of it! Coupled with a growth spurt around this time, they think the bub is fussy and feeding more coz of lack of milk.
Possibly supplementing with formula, so less milk production
Implementing stricter routines with feed/sleep which could affect supply
AF returning can affect it temporarily I think. DS got a bit fussy, but it all got back to normal after a few days.
? can't think of anything else?
I am not sure if this is backed up scientifically, but I am sure I have read that smoking can impact supply..not at first, but a few weeks down the track?
Oh thanks ladies, so basically its not that they run out of milk if that is even physically possible, more that they are doing something wrong to make it go so low?
People get AF back so soon?
I'd say growth spurt would be the main reason, coupled with the Should Brigade saying if your milk was good enough your baby will sleep through - I know I re-fill more slowly at night so that would worry me if I were to let it.
I have heard that they dont get a let down so there milk must be running out!
Mmm..i definately thought it was more a case of boobs settling and adjusting so the full feeling isnt as full kwim, not to mention demand increases supply. The minute I hear someone saying..just wanted to top up with formula I think uh oh...because then i think the dwindling supply can start. Our bodies are amazing and I think the more we are educated in just how amazing they are, these misconceptions can be cleared up. Thats not to say though, that stress, diet etc doesnt have an impact on supply.
Jo
How do they know? I don't feel my letdown but can see it if DS gets distracted mid-feed; something a small baby is unlikely to do. Many women don't get a letdown with expressing, if that's how she's telling..
Brillaintly said Jo!!!!:
Our bodies are amazing and I think the more we are educated in just how amazing they are, these misconceptions can be cleared up.
WOW I did not know that everyone does "NOT" get a let down Ryan!!! omg really? I am sooooooooooo uneducated about BF its not funny and yet here I am doing it by instinct and nothing more and we are going strong. I honestly thought every BF women gets a let down, I get one every single feed of both boobs and wholy mamma do I feel it and the poor kid near gulps like a world record that i have to pull him off for a second or two lol.
I learn something new everynight!!!
Everyone gets a letdown, just not everyone gets one while expressing or can feel it.
Poor DS, I nearly drown him too sometimes, but can't feel myself doing it!
I think they do get a letdown - they just don't feel it. I would think if you can't feel it, you would be able to tell by the baby's sucking action - nice long drawn out sucks.
Think I added that to my list before I realised the question was in relation to 'after a few weeks' of feeding. hehe. But I got mine back at 3 months :) I think some people do get it earlier.:
People get AF back so soon?
I feel the letdown alright and I see him take long drawn out sucks to the point he is sucking so fats I have to pull him off as not to get so much wind!
Soul, when I look at a DS who has twisted his head, I'm squirting for England but I just cannot feel it! I get a let-down with expresing and I can squirt (withut pumping) 3oz at a time sometimes! So there's loads of milk, just I can't feel it.
oh I didnt not believe you ryan, I guess I am just strange then, because I feel it lmao, its really boils down to I just didnt know not every women feels it, I am glad I do actually cause then I am warned to grab something to wipe little face lol
I heard a better way of speaking about a "low supply" the other night. It should be looked at as a "Low intake" rather then a "low supply". Often a baby who isn't get enough is related to attachment problems not so much a low supply. BUT because of these attachment issues then yes low supply can happen. But I think it would be good if people could focus on a "low intake" rather then jumping straight to "low supply" KWIM? I think a mother would feel less like she is doing something wrong or that her body isn't providing if only she knew it was more that the baby isn't taking enough milk because of a reason other then her not making enough milk.
Hope that made sence.. its late
Soul, I'm not sure that this is fair or true. A friend of mine was breastfeeding with no problems what so ever, then at around 4 months she noticed that her DD was getting very irritable during feeding and becoming very unhappy and unsettled to the point where she was always crying, trying to feed (constantly on the breast) and not settling. After a week or so she felt that her DD was losing weight so went to the MCHN to weigh her and she had lost 400g in a few weeks! My friend was doing everything right and the same as me but for some reason she was having problems with supply and for her daughters health (as obviously 400g is a huge weight loss) ended up suppementing with formula (she would BF then give her formula and her DD always took the full recommeded amount even though she had just BF) and she is so much happier now, she has put on weight and looks a lot better. My friend wasn't doing anything wrong it was unfortunately one of those things, sometimes the body doesn't always function the way that it is intended to.:
Rachel, sorry but I was asking the questions not making the statements? I ask the question, the other ladies gave me some answers, so its not really fair for you to judge me in my questioning and asking others questions? I only asked what can cause milk to dry up and they gave there answers, so I again asked if they were more or less not looking after there bodies as that what some of the anwers sounded like to me, so i questioned this. I did not say "I" think this is so.
There are very few women out there who can not BF because of a medical/physical reason.
Rachel, I don't know your or your friends situation but the first thing that sprung to mind with your firends story is something hormonal maybe? Often when AF returns or in the lead up (like when you ovulate), also if pg, or taking the pill, the hormones assosiated can interupt the taste, letdown, supply etc of BM. So I wonder is it possible that one of these things may have been a contributing factor in the situation. Also other things lin life such a sstress, medications etc.
So Yes there are reasons why one may have issues with a low supply. Often with the right support & help they can be overcome & mother & baby can continue to BF. Of course this does not mean that they wont need to supplement with Artifical infant milk. It does have its place for sure. But often mothers are just not given the right support & help to get through it. Its not a failure on the mothers part but it is on the medical system as they are the ones who are meant to be supporting new mothers.
Hi,
Some very interesting points and observations.
Milk "drying up' is basically a myth. Breastfeeding is actually a very sturdy system. It's based on a very simple principle of supply and demand. When you feed the baby you make more milk.
Unfortunately we live in a society with a very low level of knowledge about how breastfeeding works. And a society with a very low level of knowledge of normal baby behaviour. Basically, we live in a bottle feeding culture. This leads women to doubt their body's ability to make milk. This is reinforced by friends, family, and health professionals who urge a mother to "top her baby up with formula"
Most women tend to have an abundance of milk in the early day, usually enough for a couple of babies. Over time, her body "down'regulates" so that it very exactly matches the needs of her baby. When the initial fullness and engorgement abates, mothers sometimes feel that they don't have enough milk.
Baby's behaviour changes. Often, especially when babies are born with the use of drugs and instruments babies are very sleepy in the first couple of weeks. The family support network often percieve this as "good" behaviour (it's probably more abnormal behaviour) When the baby "wakes up" and becomes quite demanding after a couple of weeks, often the mother's milk supply is called in to question. Actually, it is the demanding baby who is the "good" baby - it will be ensuring it gets enough to eat.
Breastfed babies grow more quickly in the first 3 months, but then their weightgain plateus out at about 3 months. Our current infant growth charts do not acurately reflect this, so this is also a time when mothers may feel their milk supply is not keeping up.
Often mothers will "test" themselves by pumping to see how much milk they have. This will tell you very little in fact. It sets up a stressful situation. Think about the last time you went to the doctor and they handed you a specimen jar and asked for a urine sample. Anyone have "Let down" problems? Luckily, the dr did not reach the conclusion that you didn't make enough urine - just that you were stressed. Some women find it difficult to let down for a pump, and stress will often inhibit milk letdown.
When baby is really not getting enough (as ascertained by low weight gain after ruling out any medical possiblities) I find that very often strict routines and sleep settling scenarios are implicated. Babies need to fee a lot - 8-12 times in 24 hrs is normal. Babies who are fed according to their needs fare much better.
As a baby becomes more aware of their world (often about 4 mnths) they will tend to "stickybeak" rather than feed. It can take calm and patience to get through a feed. This is a common time for breast refusal. I won't even pretend that I know what 4 mnth old babies are thinking when they refuse to feed, but I do know it's temporary, they won't starve themselves and it will pass!
Some babies sleep through the night unusually early (sleeping through before 6mnths is pretty uncommon) and they they start to wake up again. Many parents feel this must be hunger (maybe, maybe not! - if they are sleeping away from you, they may just want to be with you, and I'm sure every baby knows that if mums nipple is in his mouth, mummy's not going anywhere!)
If you are fully brestfeeding it is somewhat uncommon for your period to return before 6 months. Hormonal changes due to you period and ovulation may result in babies being fussier at the breast, but doesn't really reduce supply. Pregnancy will, though!
There are some medical conditions that may compromise milk production. It's always hard to comment on some-one who says that their milk just dried up. There are so many factors involved - not something you can generally get to the bottom of in a quick conversation at the Health Centre.
Hope some of that helps
Regards
Barb
Barb Glare omg that was such a brillinat piece of information! R u a public speaker for first time mothers? You should be if you are not!
Soul...
I agree, Barb is great! She's on the support panel, so it's good she's the expert here.:
Barb Glare, IBCLC
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Rachael, DS had exactly the same thing at 4 and a bit months, constantly on the breast, crying all night because he was hungry. Took me 2 weeks and my GP to think of supplementing and solids before DS calmed down! It's normal at 4 months, all my friends said it was anyway.
Barb, this is interesting, and I don't want you to feel you have to explain yourself because you don't, I know what you mean, just my insecurities here. When you posted about drugs once again I started beating myself up for DS's early days. But DS, being the bestest and goodest baby in the world (drugs never affected him with sleeping though!) still ended up wanting feeds a lot of the time. I was bullied into artificial supplementation too, which didn't help either of us. Luckily DS dropped the one artificial feed I was willing to give after 2-3 weeks so we were back to being happy again. I think we're almost ready to drop the bottle again now, but as soon as I say that DS wants both breasts and a full bottle at bedtime so I'll wait until he's sleeping more to try to drop the bottle.
Point is that I guess we're all touchy about something and it's no-one's fault if we are, just it's good to clear up misconceptions people have about a subject.
I actually got that, but not all of them do public speaking!
Hi,
Thanks for the support, Soul. I do do some public speaking at ABA conferences and the like. I live a long way from Melbourne (Warrnambool) but am prepared to travel sometimes!
Ryn, please don't beat yourself up. I often joke that I didn't get the guilt gene. I think it's something worth building immunity to - guilt. You can do no more than you can do. Like you, I was pressured into giving my first baby formula comps. He never slept! I was exhausted. I regret not knowing more about babies and milk supply, but I didn't. I did the best I could with what I knew. I am somewhat angry with the support I got from professionals and still angry at the misinformation mothers get today.
In the early days babies are designed to feed frequently. After the placenta leaves your body, your prolactin levels increase. This is one of the main hormones that makes milk. The first milk you make is colostrum. Between day 2-4 your milk "comes in" But like most things, it is not all one thing or another. It gradually transitions from colostrum to mature milk. Often womens milk has that yellowy colostrumy look for 2 weeks or so. In response to your baby sucking your body lays down prolactin receptors. The more that the baby feeds, the more prolactin receptors are laid down. . The prolactin receptors are like a "lock" into which the prolactin "key" fits. After some time your prolactin level plateaus at a fairly low level. But you still make milk fine, because of the prolactin receptors that are laid down early. Drugs in labor interfere with this process - baby may be unnaturally sleepy, or may be unco-ordinated when feeding. In our society, babies who sleep are feted, wheras demanding babies are thought to be "naughty" But the demanding ones are the ones who will by and large ensure their mum has a good milk supply.
I hope my e-mails are newver interpreted as making mothers feel guilty. You can't change the past. And I would be the last one to point the finger. I work with breastfeeding mothers every day, and see first hand the challenges they face. And I'm still a breastfeeding mum myself. I still have the same insecurities (well, not so many abotu breastfeeding - but I have a teenager now!) I think it's important that we get as much knowledge out into the community as possible and that the information is held by women.
Warm Regards
Barb
Barb, I always find your posts informative, clearly explained and very caring. I am so glad there are well informed people like yourself making the effort to inform others and I wish there was more of it. I just can't believe how little even some medical professionals know about bfing!