Milk Drying Up? - Nashville,TN

If your baby is exclusively nursing what makes you think you are drying up? Once the nursing and hormones etc evened out with me it didn't seem I was making anything as I no longer felt the 'fullness' yet she was eating well, full, and was passing BM's and urine so I knew she was getting enough food. Also her weight was a good sign as it was going up. You may already be doing this but things to remember - drink A TON of water - even if you don't feel thirsty, down a glass of water. I think I drank two gallons a day (at least it seemed) as I was so thirsty plus I knew it would help with production. There are other things like eating oatmeal, ensuring you're eating a balanced diet, etc. Other people may suggest some vitamins/supplements but I never tried them so I won't offer that suggestion since I don't have experience with it.

Some people overproduce milk in the beginning. Over time, your body figures out *exactly* how much the baby needs based on how much she nurses, and then your body doesn't waste any more energy producing extra. It may be that your body is now "regulated" to her needs, so you feel like you don't have enough, but actually your production is just perfect, and your breasts never feel as full as they used to. The best way to keep up your supply is to keep hydrated and eating well yourself, and don't introduce formula. Once you introduce formula, your body starts making less because the baby is getting satisfied elsewhere. There are also herbal teas and supplements that are might help boost production, but you may not need to go that route yet. Good luck!

Why do you think so? If your supply has been fine up to now and nothing has changed it shouldn't just dry up. Have you started birth control pills or allergy meds or anything? Do you just not feel as full or is she producing fewer diapers? It is normal for your supply to stabilize and you won't feel as full as you did in the early months, that is fine. Is your baby still nursing frequently and efficiently? Are you drinking enough in the hot weather? If you are dehydrated that can limit supply. Is she just demanding more all of a sudden and acting hungry? If so, that may be a growth spurt and if you just keep nursing your supply should improve. If nothing has changed with the nursing, etc and you feel you aren't making enough you should call a La Leche League leader to see what may be going on. There is plenty you can do.

LOTS OF WATER! Seriously a lady at work thought she was drying up and I told her I drank about 9-12 16.9 fl oz bottles a day and I could have feed every baby in the world...lol. Also after you are done nursing even if you have nothing left pump for about 5-10 mins as your body will think the baby needs more and in a about a week you will start producing more!

Hope this helps! :)

Why would you think it's drying up? With your infant exclusively nursing... that is a very low risk at this time. She may be cluster feeding (feeding all the time, acting not satisfied) due to a growth spurt and this is how she will stimulate your body to produce more to the level in which her new development path needs.

Eat a good diet, keep hydrated, lessen sodas and surgery drinks, try eating oatmeal and if you really really think you are diminishing your supply... then look into getting fenugreek with blessed thistle supplements - they help build supply.

If your child is having enough wet diapers as before , I think you are making enough. Maybe your child is going through a growth spurt. Rest and drink lots of water. Always worked for M..
If this doesn't seem to work, you can try to pump. I used to pump every 3-4 hrs for 5 extra mins after the milk stopped. This kinda gives your body a message to produce more, so within a day or two you will start making more. You can pump for 5 mins immediately after breastfeeding , so that your child gets enough from you in case you don't give bottle yet.

Hi W., definitly pay attention if you feel is drying up. I have had 2 babies and nursed them exclusivly the first few months. My daughter did not like to latch and one point I felt I didn't produce enough and she would cry a lot. When she was 5 months she refused to nurse and I had to pump, after a month of pumping my milk dried up completly. With my second one the same at the time I felt my milk was drying up my son stopped wanting to nurse at 5 months and I wasn't able to get more.

I did take supplements, fennel tea, mother something drops, lots of liquids., etc call the nurse advisor and see if they can give you tips, also check out la leche league, they have discussion and lots of great tips exactly about this. Good luck!

If it is drying up, there are supplements (tea, malt, fenugeek) to try. Get to a lactaction consultant. You can also nurse, then pump immediately after to try to increase supply.

I made BARELY any milk, ever, even with all this, and dried up at 4 months. It is possible to not make milk, despite what everyone says. It is hard and frustrating. I wish you all the best! Hopefully you can go a bit longer, til babe starts solids.

The best website IMO is kellymom.com. Go there and look it up because they have lots of natural ways to remedy ALL nursing issues! Hope it helps you as much as it did me. My daughter is now 2 yrs old and we are still nursing (though notably less :-)

Eat! I know my girlfriend started eating less in the summer after her baby and she started drying up. Drink lot of water as Melissa says below, and for me I did use the fenugreek supplements and it helped. Also, there is a mothers milk tea that I drank that helped me get more water in and seemed to help with an increase in production. Also, nurse nurse nurse, if there is a long time that lapses between nursings, your production will start to slow as well.

Mother's Milk Tea....by Traditional Medicinals. Its what I've been drinking twice a day to help. Also, its summertime, so drink waaaay more water than you think you should. Any type of dehydration will lessen your milk supply. Every time you drink something caffeinated, you have to drink 2 more glasses of water to make up for the diuretic effect. The tea I mentioned has done wonders & if you mix it with green tea, I think it tastes better (plus very little caffeine).

You can find this tea in the organic section of the grocery store or at this link at Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Medicinals-Organic-Moth...

If you sign up for free Amazon mom prime membership, then you get free 2-day shipping.

I hope that helps. Also, when you are feeding, try massaging your "ladies" gently until they "tingle" (meaning a let down). That will help stimulate & get the milk going.

Also, don't stress out about drying up or worry about feeding, that will itself cause you to dry up. Cortisol blocks the production of both Oxycontin & prolactin, two hormones required to make milk. So, if you find yourself tensing up, find a way to relax & take your worries away.

I hope this helps!