Help! BF/Supply questions

I have always had a great supply, but the last few days Ollie has been really fussy, and yesterday I realised I just don't seem to have much milk at the moment. Particularly on the right side. I suspect this has been caused by a couple of days of poor feeding and myself feeling a bit under the weather.

When I got up this morning, I could tell that there was hardly any milk in my boobs... even yesterday I felt there was significantly more. There seems to be better amount in the left, but both seem low to me.

Normally Ollie would feed for 5 - 7 minutes per side but this morning he could only go 2 minutes on the right before it ran out and he became so upset. He's not the type of bubbie to happily sit sucking on an empty breast.

I want to increase the supply but unsure of a couple of things, so hoping people can help:

1) If I pump, how long do I keep pumping a breast that is not giving up ANY milk? Is there a set time you should go for?

2) Do I keep starting Ollie on the right side to increase supply, or do I continue the normal "offer the side he finished on"? I don't want to cause a supply problem in the left whilst I work on the right!

I am freaking out a bit because I haven't ever felt such a rapid drop off in milk. I know supply settles, but I felt it settle recently and this really does seem like a sharp reduction. I am taking some fenugreek, and drinking lots of water too. Brewers yeast seems to give Ollie an upset tummy.

Any help with the questions above would be great!

This website comes recommended by Weegee our BFing guru.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/index.html

Unfortunately I think the advice on here came too late for my friend and she stopped BFing as she thought she didn't have enough milk, turns out that she most probably did, she just didn't have the support.

I constantly worried about supply at the start... please try not too (easier said than done I know) agree supply cannot drop off in a day or two it takes longer than that for it to decrease.

Express for 5 mins or so only don't worry if nothing comes out its just for the extra stimulation.

Don't forget to drink heaps of water in the heat, I always sit down to BF with a great big glass of water.

Rest... porridge... protein all good for BF I got my mum to make the lactation cookies and took blessed thistle also.


As he's getting older he may be becoming an even more efficient and quicker feeder and babies fuss for so many reasons may not be that he's still hungry.

With my two I used to write down the number of feeds, quality of feeds and wet nappies etc in retrospect that was probably a bit over the top as I think I used to over analyse it a bit.... I kept that up until they were 6 months!

ETA good luck


Edited by jules1980

Keep in mind it might not be a supply issue as such but could be a letdown problem. This discussion on Facebook might be handy for you if that's the case.

When pumping to increase supply, pump until no milk is coming out, then another 2-5 minutes on top of that (depending on how much punishment your poor nipples can take) - there aren't any hard and fast rules, every mum's different.

Yup if the right's the one that's dropping off I'd put him on it as much as possible

Ha ha Nic - that's funny!

I have pumped a bit today and put him on the right as much as possible. Rachael, you might be right about the let down issue, as I seem to be having trouble with that too.

It's been a distressing day! But Ollie seems relatively non-concerned, he hasn't seemed to want to eat much at all. His nappies have been drier than normal, so it does concern me. Perhaps he is unwell.

I never faced any supply issues with Jackson (real or perceived) but it really does feel like a noticable drop from a few days ago. I can see why mums panic and go to bottle feeding!

Trademe is a good place to start if you want one but dont have the $ to buy brand new... I bought an avent isis manual pump with DD and it was awesome! Left it just a little too late, and my supply slowly went away (she'd stopped feeding from the breast at all by then) but i will defintely be getting another one this time a LOT sooner. Another highly recommended one is medela swing (electronic). Check with your midwife, or the hospital/unit you had bubs at, they may have access to, or be able to point you in the direction of pumps for hire.

Re pumping and not getting much.. I found that if I was watching the pump i wouldnt get much... stress does affect letdown! If i read a magazine or book, or watched some mindless drivel on tv while pumping, then the milk came out much easier as I wasnt paying attention to the amount, therefore not stressing about the milk NOT coming out... its a vicious circle!

Trade me for breast pumps if you don't want to buy brand new BUT you have to apparently take it to a hospital to be properly sterilised (can't remember where I read that though)
Otherwise any baby store, Farmers... Kmart...