Milk drying up?? Help!!

[Mrsstuart01]

I'm really starting to worry that my milk is drying up. Fin has never emptied both breasts before at each feed but for the past 3 weeks or so he has been. And he is still looking for more!
He feeds every 2.5 to 3 hours and used to get up once or twice during the night for a feed. These days on a good night he gets up twice, more often 3 times and on a bad night 6 or 7 times!!
He used to feed for 10 minutes each side, now it's more like 5 and he doesn't seem to put much effort in so I can't understand why he finishes so quickly.
I feel like I need to express to see how much milk I get but don't feel I have enough to do that between feeds because he generally won't take a bottle so if I express it will likely go to waste.
All I can think of to explain the quick feeds, very short sleeps (I'm lucky if I get 3 hours at a time) is that I don't have much milk. We've been trying to top up with formula but he will only have a tiny bit from a cup (generally about 30ml).
Can anyone suggest anything or has this happened to anyone? Really need help!! Xx

 

[Kayelle]

This has happened to me sooo many times, he has like a growth spurt week where he will want to feed allll the time and be n the night feeding every .5-1 hour!
Try not to stress as it won't help the milk, but I know it can be so frustrating!
All I can say is stick with it, it will end ! My hv gave me a tip to up supply, for only 24 hours, at each feed swap baby between boobs every 5 mins. But only the one day.
Hope it gets better for you! X

 

[Kayelle]

Oh and also my boobs always feel / look empty unless he hasn't fed for about 4-5 hours, but he still feeds and is happy. I tried expressing to eee how much he was getting like you said and got absolutely nothing, was so upset but he then fed and fed for 15 mins and was happy lol go figure!

 

[TORino]

Expressing probably won't tell you much hun.

How long has he been doing it for? If its only a few days then it might be a growth spurt.

Babies do get more efficient at getting the milk out so the time for a feed drops eventually.

Are you sure he is hungry? He might be crying for another reason?

Xx

 

[Mrsstuart01]

Expressing probably won't tell you much hun.

How long has he been doing it for? If its only a few days then it might be a growth spurt.

Babies do get more efficient at getting the milk out so the time for a feed drops eventually.

Are you sure he is hungry? He might be crying for another reason?

Xx

He's been doing it for about 3 weeks.
That's the weird thing he is really happy and not grumpy but he just won't sleep for longer than 2-3 hours at a time at night, and he has a full feed each time he gets up. I assume that's because he isn't getting enough during the day? Xx

 

[Kayelle]

Milk is better at night, Brian will feed more at night and a lot less in the day sometimes. Tbh he sounds just like b, he is happy baby and after allthese night feeds he's right back to sleep, just wakes a lot. To me it sounds normal, b has 2-4 weeks when he's like this with a week's break where he only feeds twice at night

 

[TORino]

He will wake more in the night if he isn't getting his calories in the day yes.

Is he falling asleep? Could you try to wake him up/get him more interested?

How about keep offering him the breast in the day time? Even if he isn't crying? Just to see if he will take something if he's only getting little bits at his usual feed time?

Chin up hun, this bf really tests our nerve at time, we are constantly doubting ourselves but you are doing a great job x

 

[Mrsstuart01]

He will wake more in the night if he isn't getting his calories in the day yes.

Is he falling asleep? Could you try to wake him up/get him more interested?

How about keep offering him the breast in the day time? Even if he isn't crying? Just to see if he will take something if he's only getting little bits at his usual feed time?

Chin up hun, this bf really tests our nerve at time, we are constantly doubting ourselves but you are doing a great job x

He is falling asleep but only after he's emptied the breast! So there's nothing else there to offer!
I feed him every 2.5-3 hours and like I say he keeps emptying it but I still don't think he's getting enough.
I'll try the 5 minute change- wonder why it's only for a day?? Xx

 

[TORino]

Even if they feel empty, offering the breast will stimulate them to make more.

I always offer the breast on a morning after I have expressed from it and she always has 5 minutes on it.

Are you sure he needs feeding in the night when he wakes? T will always take a feed in the night but I know she doesn't need it and I can resettle with a dummy.

How old is LO? If I remember rightly he is a few months old isn't he? I think babies should be capable in metabolic terms to go 4-6 hours at least at a stretch at night without needing to be fed at that age. Though in reality it is different for many.

 

[Kayelle]

My hv said its only for a day as it sorta kick starts the supply , but if you did it every day they would only make small amounts, I think :-s

Tor Brian has only just got to a stage where one of the night wakings he will settle without boob, the rest of the time he has really wanted to feed, maybe we are just odd lol. I'm ok with it now, but I go to work in Nov!

 

[Sarah13]

K has always fed a lot and I often worried I didn't have enough milk as well but its normal for bf babies to feed a lot day and night. Kynon was always every 2 hours for months, til he started solids properly so now he wakes about 3 times on average and has a feed.

I would avoid any formula top ups as you could end up reducing your milk supply. Do you take fenugreek and drink loads? Babies also get very efficient at feeding and expressing wouldn't show the true amount he gets. Have you checked your breast is actually empty? The thicker hind milk takes a while to come through and they need to work hard to get it. Try to remember its also a supply and demand thing but your body takes a good 3 days to catch up so baby will feed more to give signals for your body to produce extra milk around growth spurts, once your body has caught up your baby normally settles a bit again.

 

[l_maclean]

Your breasts will never actually be empty, they start producing more
As soon as he starts drinking. X


On my iPhone - so cant see tickers

 

[Froslass]

Are u drinking enough? That will have an effect on your supply x

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[Mrsstuart01]

Thanks ladies.
I tend to drink quite a lot on a normal day so would be surprised if its that. I must drink at least 8 pints of water a day.
I'm fairly sure the breast is empty as I'm bad for hand expressing to check (and if not we and the furniture tend to get sprayed!)
I've tried to resettle him without feeding him with no joy. I know he can go longer as even 3 weeks ago I got the odd 7 or 8 hour stretch so I don't know what's changed! I was putting it down to sleep regression then started thinking it was because he's hungry.
He's 19 weeks xx

 

[Sarah13]

Might be worth a read about how our breasts work for milk production x
http://kellymom.com/pregnancy/bf-prep/milkproduction/