Getting the Circadian Rythm If Supply and Demand to Match Up

I drank a huge class of hot tea or water and hum rock a bye baby or some other tune. Sometimes only allow one breast so you have the other full later.

Hi B.,
My advice is to drink LOTS of water during the day and up your calorie intake. You'll burn it off by breastfeeding. I believe you aren't producing enough for the is feeding because you aren't consuming enough calories to make it.
For the trip, it's not a bad idea to put the pump and bottles in a bag just in case. It's best not to be left with no options. Hopefully, the bag can stay in the trunk!
Best wishes!

AS a mom of two and pregnant with our last one, I completely hear you in regards to this totally commom dilema around nursing. Had same issue around early evening/dinner time etc which just seemed to frusterate my son even more than his normal pre-bedtime crankiness.

Did the am pumping as well and suplimented at that early pm time.
At the end of the day our bodies are just naturally tired (I don't know about you, but I was (working at home or outside of home, all the same). Night is just a time that our bodies are repairing itself and therefore relenishing all that milk. (and not just for the 3-4 am feedings.

Every book you read will tell you how commom this is for most moms and in no way does it mean you don't have enough milk.
First I will tell you to call our local LaLeche group as there is one in just about every district. I am in West Seattle and there is one around CA/Genesee. They have tricks of the trade that surpass all doctors and books.

So, what I tried as the leader and other mothers suggested(and it may work or not) was fitting another feeding somewhere mid morning/latemorning or around 6-8 hours Before your desired feeding. It may take several days before your body responds to this extra feeding but in the science of breastfeeding it usually does. (supply and demand). It's the timing of the additional feeding that you can play with that matters. Maybe you might need to add two small feedings as well. Increasing your milk by pumping in the am when you seem to have more milk and time/or nursing, whether you get any milk out is not the point. Just try it for 5 minutes or so.

As well, I did seem to have less milk with baby #2 than my first (I was 21 at the time of the first, so it makes sense).
I did try fenugreek and it seemed to work a bit. Not completely, but I would try the extra feedings earlier in the day before anything else. Remember, doesn't matter if your baby gets lots of milk from these feedings, it's just to stimulate your body to produce more in general.

Hope something works for you.
Good Luck.

pumping and giving formula are keeping you in the schedule you're in. If you pump every morning, then your body feels like it needs to store up a ton of milk for the morning. If you're supplementing at night, then your body thinks it doesn't need much then. It's all about letting your little one's sucking habits dictate your production. Try to stop pumping in the morning and letting him suck longer at night. I also have a 2 month old, this is my second. Mine likes to nurse FOREVER at night before bed. He nurses till both sides are sore, then we get up and walk around a little, burping and such. After a little break, we go at it again and after a couple of minutes, a full supply of milk comes back in and he gets fill for a good night's sleep. good luck.

B.,

It may be just an old wives tale, but try having a beer with dinner to help increase your milk supply at bedtime. Also make sure you're well hydrated at this time of day, and that you've had some time to relax in the evening to give your body some time to make milk.

Hope this helps,

DianeT

I tried the fenugreek when I was nursing but wasn't good at remembering to take it so I didn't see a real difference. What worked for me was just keeping up nursing and to make sure to drink LOTS of water and milk. LOTS!!! Your body works on an as needed basis. If you keep nursing every time the baby is hungry instead of giving in to a bottle, eventually your body should get the message and start producing more milk. If you are so full during the early morning hours that you are uncomfortable, go ahead and pump and freeze it for now, but maybe not too much. That will let your body know that it is making too much that time of day if you don't pump until you're "empty". As for the night, nurse and then soothe him to sleep by rocking, or singing to him. You may need to add a midnight feeding sooner since he's not getting much, but hopefully, eventually your body will adjust to the new "schedule". Nursing is harder that they let you know ahead of time! I understand how you feel. Good luck!

I think speaking with a LC is a good idea, but I did want to let you know about another way to supplement. It's called a Supplemental Nursing System. Medela makes one and there's one called the LactAid. (Google it and you can see a pic.) Ask your LC where you can buy one locally.
I would avoid giving bottles... and I don't say that flipantly at all. I had a breast reduction and have struggled to keep as much milk as possible. We've been using a SNS for 4 months now and it's enabled me to give my dd as much breast milk as possible. When I get 'lazy' and give her a bottle to supplement though, I can really tell the difference.

Hi B.,

I hate to say it but the only thing that worked for me was getting up and pumping once in the middle of the night. My daughter slept through the night almost from the beginning and went up to over 10 hours quick. I just had to get up in the middle of the night and pump once so I would have enough in the evening for my daughter. She would sleep so good I had plenty in the morning but she wanted to nurse 6 times or more during her waking hours and my body just couldn't regulate. Once I started pumping in the middle of the night I didn't have the low supply problem at night. In the beginning I had to still give her a bottle of breast milk in the evening but after a couple of weeks of middle of the night pumping I didn't have to any more. I pumped in the middle of the night until she was just over 9 months old and on 3 feedings of baby food a day. Hope this helps. I would also recommend just being prepared for your trip and if he can take a bottle bring one and some formula. You don't want to be stuck and not have it. I was there once and it isn't fun. So just go prepared. Hope this helps.

You contradict yourself in the about me section. DON"T travel without your pump. You are asking for a breast infection if you do. Unless the baby comes with you. Try really concentrating on the baby when feeding. Feel and explore how much you love them. I gushed milk at the right time after doing this. Picture it happening in your mind - don't focus on the fact that it might not be. What you put your attention on increases.

Your body reacts to and makes how much milk it needs. Once it is used to that supply, your breasts (for the most part) won't feel as full if you are feeding or pumping on a regular basis. Have you tried to pump in the evening when you feel you aren't getting enough milk just to see how much you are actually producing? I had to do that with my daughter just to make sure she was getting enough.

I know you don't want to pump, but you might either try to pump or have your baby latch on more often in the afternoon to re-boost your milk supply. It might take a couple weeks, but your supply will grow if you are pumping or feeding more often. You could also feed him in the afternoon and pump after just to tell your body it needs more milk.

Drink lots of water and make sure you are getting enough calories as well.

LeLeache League is also a good resource. They have a website that you can hop on to see what other ideas they might have.

Good Luck!

One reason you are over producing in the morning is because you are pumping the extra milk out. That tells your body that the baby needs more in the morning. You are probably less full in the evening because he is nursing more often and your supply is just a little behind. Because you give up and feed him a bottle, that tells your body he doesn't need as much in the evening.

My suggestions are one, to drink lots of water all day long. Two, do not pump that morning milk unless you have to, and then only pump enough to not be in pain. Don't fill the whole bottle. Lastly, in the evening nurse twice as often, and if he is still hungry, give him a bottle only right before he goes down for the night, and you have nursed. This cluster nursing in the evening will tell your body that baby needs more milk then. It will probably take about a week to get back on schedule, but you have to stick with it for it to work. Your baby will not starve.

Good luck! Nursing is not as easy as it looks, and I commend you for working so hard at it.

you've got to let your breasts get on your son's schedule. pumping only encourages your breasts to make more milk at a time in the day when you don't need it. if you keep pumping, they will keep on making milk. i know it's really uncomfortable but you've just got to quit pumping. if you can touch your breasts without triggering letdown, you can relieve some of the pressure manually with a little squeezing but watch out! if you have an easy letdown, you'll only fill your breasts further. good luck and kudos for keeping it up!

Hi B.,

First of all, congratulations on being so committed to breastfeeding! The best choice you could make! Breastmilk is known as "liquid gold". :-)

I breastfed both of my daughters, now ages 3 and 5. I remember how frustrating it was when my supply was low and the stress came on, for both me and my babies.

I also remember what helped me: relaxing!
Deep breathing. Relaxing truly helps the milk flow. Another VERY IMPORTANT thing: WATER! Glasses and glasses and more glasses of water, throughout the day, but especially right before nursing (and during) really helps the milk flow. Also, eating a healthy diet, rich in protein, grains and vegetables. Organic is best, but a healthy, rounded-out diet is important: did you know you actually need *more* calories while breastfeeding than while pregnant? Have healthy snacks with you that you can munch on. (Even simple ones like carrots and peanut butter or a bagel and cream cheese, are quick & easy to have on hand.)

Another tool that helped me was visualization: that is, when you sit down to nurse, take several deep breaths, drink a big glass of filtered water, and picture something like a waterfall flowing, or a river, or mountain stream...something relaxing that is *flowing*, and before I knew it, the milk was flowing, too.

Lastly, have you looked into your local La Leche group? (La Leche is Spanish for "milk".) La Leche is an amazing group of supportive moms that all breastfeed and have great tips on all kinds of nursing issues. They meet once a month, and there is a help line that you can call, and an experienced La Leche leader will speak to you, at no charge. They are very supportive and understanding. Just "google" La Leche for your city, and you should get their website.

Hope all this helps!

Warmly,
A.
Mother of 2 girls, ages 3 and 5
Oregon City, OR

Hi B.,

Congratulations on the birth of you baby. Kudos to you for staying with breast-feeding though you got off to a rocky start. Good for you. I haven't much advice only to say that as I am sure you now, the more you demand the more you will supply. You might start off by pumping milk at the specific time that you seem in short supply on one side and feed on the other. If this doesn't help, please be sure to contact your local lactation consultant or LeLeche League.

Best of luck to you B.!

Kind regards,
T. CD, CLD

B.,

I agree with Christy H.'s posting. Pumping in the morning is causing your breasts to be fuller in the morning and supplementing with the bottles at night is causing your breasts to be less full at night. If you let your son just suck away at night on your breasts, even if it means dealing with some frustration for a day or two, it will stimulate your breasts to make more milk in the evenings for your son. Also, hydrating properly is VERY important I realized. If my son is feeding and I am not getting as quick a let-down as I usually get I will drink a bunch of water and like a miracle, the milk flows! I try to drink 64oz of water a day. Hope this helps and don't give up! The fact that you are breastfeeding your son and giving him the best possible food is awesome!

How well do you eat throughout the day? I am very physically active and still breastfeeding my 1-year-old and it seems like my milk will dwindle in the evening if I don't eat a lot around noon to three. Then I tend to eat a big dinner and my milk is abundant at night! So maybe take a look at your nutrition, activity and stress levels and adjust.

Do you breastfeed between 10:00 a.m. and bedtime? If not, you should either feed your baby or pump your milk in order to stimulate your breasts more.

If you do, then after each time you feed (especially after the times your breasts feel full), perhaps you could pump out any remaining milk in your breasts.

I'm no expert, so you might consider seeing a lactation consultant.

You need a consult with a lactation specialist. They have the best suggestions. I had a c section and my milk was slow and my first born had jaundice too. I fought hard to get my milk in like you did, don't give up! At least call a lactation nurse or leleche league in your area. Because you are supplementing with other foods and formula, you are telling your breasts when to make milk. Good luck!

Hi B., I exclusively nursed for the first 4 months with my son also. I also did take Fenugreek and I felt it did work for me for awhile and then I was able to keep up with my sons demands. A few questions, as it might help to make better suggestions. Other than the morning, do you pump any other times during the day? Are you a stay at home mom? Do you notice that your son eats more during the late afternoon then other periods of the day? I had a similar situation (in fact, still do) where at bed time I feel like I am not able to provide enough milk for my son. Some things that I had done early on were to nurse longer and offer to nurse on both sides during a feeding. Maybe he isn't getting enough during the day and is trying to make up for it in the evening. As painful as it might feel, try not pumping in the morning. I surveyed mom's from my mom's group once about this also and we all noticed that around 4-6 months our breast did not feel as full as they were...but yet, our children were still growing and gaining weight. It could be that your body is use producing milk at this point. I don't know if this helps or makes sense at all but hopefully it gives you some ideas.

Hi B.,

I have a four month old and I had similar problems early on with breastfeeding, so I just said to heck with it, brought him into my bed with me, and fed him at night when I had the milk. I also had him try an latch on during the day even when there was nothing there. Now, oddly enough, this seemed to get my milk supply going during the day, and after about 3 weeks of this, I had a good supply-on-demand. I just did what my body wanted (I'm a night owl anyway, so that may have had something to do with it). The other thing I did, was drink LOTS of water. I noticed that when I didn't drink as much water, I would have less milk, and when I drank a 16 oz glass of water, I would typically have full breasts about 20 minutes later, regardless of when I drank it! I know everyone's different, but that's what worked with me. In the last four months now, whenever my milk supply seems to wane at "that time of the month" (I'm one of those unlucky ones that got my period back asap... even though I'm breastfeeding on demand!), I just drink a lot more water.

Hope that helps!

having him suck and suck in the late evening is causing the oversupply in the middle of the night.Our bodies respond within a few hours of the increased demand. You should be having him feed in the morning to increase supply during the day and supplementing the evening feeding. You could try giving him a sall bottle first, then breast feeding until full and tired. This lack of milk in the eveing could also be caused by dehydration, so be sure to drink plenty of water. Of course, when your body is in a habit of something it will take a few weeks to change the cycle, but hang in there!