Baby Parenting Guide

Can your body stop producing breast milk even when you are still breast feeding?

I have been breast feeding now for two weeks and it seems like I'm not producing enough. I can only fill about half a bottle at a time. I was filling about two bottles at a time. I don't know what to do.

Public Response to Can your body stop producing breast milk even when you are still breast feeding?

1. What if you're not quite sure about baby's current weight gain (perhaps baby hasn't had a weight check lately)? If baby is having an adequate number of wet and dirty diapers then the following things do NOT mean that you have a low milk supply: * Your baby nurses frequently. Breastmilk is digested quickly (usually in 1.5-2 hours), so breastfed babies need to eat more often than formula-fed babies. Many babies have a strong need to suck. Also, babies often need continuous contact with mom in order to feel secure. All these things are normal, and you cannot spoil your baby by meeting these needs. * Your baby suddenly increases the frequency and/or length of nursings. This is often a growth spurt. The baby nurses more (this usually lasts a few days to a week), which increases your milk supply. Don't offer baby supplements when this happens: supplementing will inform your body that the baby doesn't need the extra milk, and your supply will drop. * Your baby nurses more often and is fussy in the evening. * Your baby doesn't nurse as long as she did previously. As babies get older and better at nursing, they become more efficient at extracting milk. * Your baby is fussy. Many babies have a fussy time of day - often in the evening. Some babies are fussy much of the time. This can have many reasons, and sometimes the fussiness goes away before you find the reason. * Your baby guzzles down a bottle of formula or expressed milk after nursing. Many babies will willingly take a bottle even after they have a full feeding at the breast. Read more here from board-certified lactation consultant Kathy Kuhn about why baby may do this and how this can affect milk supply. Of course, if you regularly supplement baby after nursing, your milk supply will drop (see below). * Your breasts don't leak milk, or only leak a little, or stop leaking. Leaking has nothing to do with your milk supply. It often stops after your milk supply has adjusted to your baby's needs. * Your breasts suddenly seem softer. Again, this normally happens after your milk supply has adjusted to your baby's needs. * You never feel a let-down sensation, or it doesn't seem as strong as before. Some women never feel a let-down. This has nothing to do with milk supply. * You get very little or no milk when you pump. The amount of milk that you can pump is not an accurate measure of your milk supply. A baby with a healthy suck milks your breast much more efficiently than any pump. Also, pumping is an acquired skill (different than nursing), and can be very dependent on the type of pump. Some women who have abundant milk supplies are unable to get any milk when they pump. In addition, it is very common and normal for pumping output to decrease over time. See also Is my baby getting enough milk? Who to contact if you suspect low milk supply If you're concerned about your milk supply, it will be very helpful to get in touch with a La Leche League Leader or a board certified lactation consultant. If your baby is not gaining weight or is losing weight, you need to keep in close contact with her doctor, since it's possible that a medical condition can cause this. Supplementing may be medically necessary for babies who are losing weight until your milk supply increases. If supplementing is medically necessary, the best thing to supplement your baby with is your own pumped milk. Potential causes of low milk supply These things can cause or contribute to a low milk supply: * Supplementing. Nursing is a supply & demand process. Milk is produced as your baby nurses, and the amount that she nurses lets your body know how much milk is required. Every bottle (of formula, juice or water) that your baby gets means that your body gets the signal to produce that much less milk. * Nipple confusion. A bottle requires a different type of sucking than nursing, and it is easier for your baby to extract milk from a bottle. As a result, giving a bottle can either cause your baby to have problems sucking properly at the breast, or can result in baby preferring the constant faster flow of the bottle. * Pacifiers. Pacifiers can cause nipple confusion. They can also significantly reduce the amount of time your baby spends at the breast, which may cause your milk supply to drop. * Nipple shields can lead to nipple confusion. They can also reduce the stimulation to your nipple or interfere with milk transfer, which can interfere with the supply-demand cycle. * Scheduled feedings interfere with the supply & demand cycle of milk production and can lead to a reduced supply, sometimes several months later rather than immediately. Nurse your baby whenever she is hungry. * Sleepy baby. For the first few weeks, some babies are very sleepy and only demand to nurse infrequently and for short periods. Until baby wakes up and begins to demand regular nursing, nurse baby at least every two hours during the da
2. No. Are you nursing directly from the breast? That would be best. Your body is still adjusting. Don't worry about how much you can pump just continue nursing.
3. You won't get the same amount of milk by pumping as you would if you were nursing. Babies are much more efficient than pumps. Put your baby to breast as much as possible. When I went back to work and had to rely on pumping, my milk supply significantly decreased. Good news is that you can bring it up again by drinking lots of water, nursing every 2 hours, pumping between nursings, and (if necessary) getting some nursing tea or supplements (look for Earth Mama Angel Baby nursing tea). I don't get much by pumping either but I know my baby is fine (even though he'd nurse all day if I let him :)