Has my breast milk production dropped?

Question

Hi all,

Could my milk supply be slowing down? My baby just turned 5 weeks old. I have been feeding on demand and feeding times have been somewhat erratic - sometimes as little as two hours between, sometimes as much as five hours between.
I had a 'fast letdown' and was pumping about an ounce of milk off before starting to feed her to avoid 'flooding' her. Also, last weekend I started pumping for a bottle. My husband now gives her a bottle once a day.
I've noticed my breasts feel less full in the past couple days and I can't get as much when I pump. I'm worried I've messed up my supply by not feeding at exact times and/or by pumping and skipping that feeding each day when she eats off the bottle instead?

Answer 1

Its natural for your body to slow down its supply once it establishes how much your baby needs. This is why you seem to get an abundance in the beginning. Keep feeding your baby and express that one feed a day if you feel you have to. You aren't drying up, your body is just only producing exactly what you need to have.

I would maybe stop the pumping for a few days and only breastfeed (get hubby to bathe her as bonding time instead) and see what happens to your supply. It is normal to not feel so full after the first month or so. I bet your happy your not leaking everywhere every 10 secs too though!!

Keep it up and keep demand feeding. This is the best way to make sure your supply is plentiful and healthy for baby.

best of luck

Answer 2

"there was a whole day I went without nursing and pumping, because I lazy and just let my husband be the one to feed him all day. Is that maybe why my milk production went down?" Actually, yes, it may be. With a baby this young it's vital to get a good nursing relationship established before you skip/miss feeds or pumping sessions. He's also probably getting frustrated because it's easier to get milk from a bottle rather than your breast. With nursing he actually has to work at it. That's why for some babies it's important not to introduce bottles or pacifiers until after 6 weeks. For a lot it doesn't matter but there are babies that will refuse the breast if given another alternative. You need to spend a few days just nursing your son. No bottles, no skipping out on it. He's going to stimulate your breasts to make more milk better than any pump is. It may benefit you to get in contact with a lactation consultant as well. The good thing about him being so young is that it should be fairly easy to get things straightened out if you work at it.

Answer 3

5-6 weeks is a big growth spurt. It's likely that she's demanding more from you, but that doesn't mean your supply has dropped.

The best way to tell if she's getting enough, does she have plenty of wet diapers? The old saying goes "if baby is wetting, baby is getting."

It's OK for your breasts to feel a little less full as your supply might be regulating to meet her demand. Don't worry about times, pumping, etc, If you nurse your baby when SHE wants, you'll make the exact right amount for her. Nursing on demand is the best thing to do. Her schedule is going to be all over the map for at least another couple weeks. Then she'll go through a growth spurt (again) and it will start all over again!
Everything you're telling me seems OK. If it's not totally necessary for your to pump, you might want to consider hanging up the horns for a couple weeks to allow you both to relax, and for your supply to be firmly established.

Answer 4

It's just your body getting use to the amount that your baby needs. When your baby feeds she will get much more out than when you pump. When she has a growth spurt she will be feeding more, this will in turn make more milk to what her new needs are. Good luck. I know it's so easy to worry when it comes to our baby's.