Milk supply reducing, worried have to stop breastfeeding :o(

[lmarszall]

Hi all,

My son will be 5 weeks old tuesday and breastfeeding has been going really well. Despite initial problems and a traumatic labour.

He has been gaining weight well and has gone from 9lb 6oz at birth to 10lb 9oz at 4 weeks! So obviously breastmilk agrees with him.

Anyway i feel like my milk supply is decreasing. When i breastfeed i do it laying down, due to my c-section wound. And i alternate each brest at a time. So i use a different one each feed. He goes about 3 hours in the day and 5 hours at night. He usually gulps loads at first and then slows down and eventually falls asleep when he is full up.

I also express a feed a day and give a bottle a day. So i express one day and give that bottle the next day. Then when i miss a feed to give a bottle i express another one. If that makes sense. That way there is always a bottle in the fridge.

i Used to be able to expree 120-140ml easily and now i seem to struggle to express 80-100. Also my boob that was due a feed used to get hard and painful when a feed was due and almost be spraying when a feed was due. Now they dont seem to get bigger and harder at all. And also he seems to be awake after a feed and stays on for longer and seems stressed when he is feeding as if he isn't gwtting enough.

Can anyone help as i really don't want to have to stop breastfeeding but i am so worried i am not producing as much milk as i was.

Friday i found out i have mastitis and an infected c-section wound and am on anti biotics but this shouldn't affect my milk supply should it??

Laura & Alfie
xxxxxxxx

 

[sam96031]

im sorry hun iv got no advice just wanted to say hope you get it sorted soon and good luck

 

[Hellokitty]

Friday i found out i have mastitis and an infected c-section wound and am on anti biotics but this shouldn't affect my milk supply should it??

No...I had antibiotics for an infected c-section wound and it hasn't affected my milk supply at all.

 

[beanie]

Sounds like you are doing fine hun. The fact your LO is gaining weight steadily shows that you are producing enough milk. Your milk supply is gettin g to the point where it is settling down, hence your boobs not getting full. Also with the expressing, again your supply is settling down, and a pump is not as good as getting milk out as a baby. Don't worry, from all that you have described it sounds like you have this breastfeeding lark down to a tee, and have a good established milk supply.

You should be coming up tp a growth spurt too, so if your LO starts feeding more frequently please don't think this means your milk is going down. It is a very normal stage and will soon settle back down.

 

[Baileysmummy]

Huni, im going through excatly the same at the moment, the feeling my boobs are empty and not full at all.. your lucky to get 80-100 ml's though when i miss a feed and express im lucky to get 40mls, and thats off both sides... im hoping it will gain up again cos when he was in hospital i was easily expressing 120ml's off..

I have had to taken to toping bailey up with formula because hes still stressy after a feed, and thats after feeding from both sides.. only done it the once so far, so touch wood im getting there..

if i can do it so can you, we'll help each other here if thats ok..

 

[Jen79]

Is there a herb called fenugreek thats meant to boost your milk?

 

[Nicky_Jones]

It sounds like your milk supply is just settling down. I had the same thing. Initially your body produces too much milk to make sure your baby or babies get enough. Now you have reached 5 weeks your body knows now much is needed and is basically just produce enough to satisfy your child. You won't feel full again (until your LO drops a feed), and you will generally feel more comfortable. Don't worry this is completely normal.

 

[EllieG]

Being unwell yourself can affect your milk supply, I have an awful cold and chest infection at the moment and have had t top up with formula as Freya i still hungry. Make sure you are drinking plenty and eat porridge! And try to rest

 

[maybebaby]

It sounds like you're doing great. I was under the weather a couple of weeks ago & it coincided with a growth spurt so I was really struggling, I took fenugreek for about 5 days along with eating bars or chocolate between meals (recommended by my HV!) and making sure I was drinking plenty.

You should be proud of yourself, you're doing really well.

 

[Tasha20]

As the other ladies have said its perfectly normal

Everything is settling and your doing brilliantly !

 

[Rosieroo]

Just wanted to say that when I had mastitis with Ella and had to go onto antibiotics my supply dropped dramatically, but it went back up after I finished the course, it just took a while.