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#1
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low milk supply?
Hmm, how would I know if my milk supply went down? I have not been very "full" and last night Meg (who will be 4 months old next week) kept me up nursing abt 8 times -- is this normal? The last feeding a few minutes ago seemed to be a lot of sucking on a floppy tit and not much swallowing. I'm topping off the night with some oatmeal just in case and will drink plenty of water. Any other suggestions? -- Dagny |
#2
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low milk supply?
Hmm, how would I know if my milk supply went down?
Your baby's weight gain would slow or stop and she might get dehydrated. But it's not really very likely to happen, you know. Certainly not just out of the blue. I wouldn't worry about it unless you've been ill, very stressed, or there's some other reason to suspect a possible supply or letdown problem. I have not been very "full" and last night Meg (who will be 4 months old next week) kept me up nursing abt 8 times -- is this normal? The For a 4-month-old? Yeah, very normal. I don't know if it's a growth spurt that ought to be, but isn't, on the schedule you usually see, or if it has to do with neurological development leading to sleep disruptions, but whatever it is, many, many, many 4-month-olds do this. last feeding a few minutes ago seemed to be a lot of sucking on a floppy tit and not much swallowing. I'm topping off the night with some oatmeal just in case and will drink plenty of water. Any other suggestions? -- Dagny The usual for growth spurts -- rest as much as you can, stay hydrated, etc. Plus, develop a consistent bedtime routine if you haven't previously done so, and if the night waking continues for more than a few days, start thinking about whether you want to do any sort of sleep training and if so what type. :-) Holly Mom to Camden, 3yo EDD #2 6/8/04 |
#3
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low milk supply?
"HollyLewis" wrote in message ... Hmm, how would I know if my milk supply went down? Your baby's weight gain would slow or stop and she might get dehydrated. But it's not really very likely to happen, you know. Certainly not just out of the blue. I wouldn't worry about it unless you've been ill, very stressed, or there's some other reason to suspect a possible supply or letdown problem. I have been very stressed, I developed PTSD from the birth a couple of weeks ago and have been dealing with that. That kind of stress? -- Dagny |
#4
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low milk supply?
Dagny wrote:
I have been very stressed, I developed PTSD from the birth a couple of weeks ago and have been dealing with that. That kind of stress? Stress tends to affect letdown, not supply, FWIW. It's hard to say - PTSD is certainly, um, considerable stress (obviously), but every woman varies as to how much or how little stress will have an effect on the milk ejection reflex. Kellymom's got some good suggestions on letdown cues: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/letdown.html#cues One other thing - you're right at the time when milk production has completely shifted from endocrine to autocrine control. A LOT of women think they're drying up at this time because their breasts no longer feel full and they might have a harder time pumping, but it's actually a sign that everything's going perfectly and your body's fully into the nursing groove : ) So you might want to take that into consideration. Last, she could be starting on the teething road (though it'll probably take some time before teeth get close enough to the gum surface to begin erupting) - I suspect this is part of why babies often start being more wakeful at around 4-5 months. -- tristyn www.tristyn.net "i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. i do not think that they will sing to me." |
#5
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low milk supply?
"Dagny" wrote in message nk.net...
Hmm, how would I know if my milk supply went down? I have not been very "full" and last night Meg (who will be 4 months old next week) kept me up nursing abt 8 times -- is this normal? The last feeding a few minutes ago seemed to be a lot of sucking on a floppy tit and not much swallowing. I'm topping off the night with some oatmeal just in case and will drink plenty of water. Any other suggestions? My second baby had a giant 4 month growth spurt. That might be part of it. She might be nursing for some reason other then hunger which can cause a lot of not-nutritive nursing, acting kind of agitated, frequent nursing etc. Things like teething or a impending cold can cause this. Or she could be reacting to stress in you if that is a possibility. When I went through periods of high stress my supply was fine but the baby acted in a way that many people wondered. I think it was baby feeling my stress and reacting with a little stress of his own and trying to get comfort. Lastly....when my period returned I had a monthly dip in supply. It lasted 3-5 days and went away on its own. I never needed to supplement. It felt different. The nursing was irritating, and hurt a little, and it just felt different when they were actively sucking but not getting much milk. Comfort sucking was lots of suckling but not the suction. It is hard to describe. I've never had delayed let down but I imagine that a seriously delayed let down might feel the same way but that wouldn't necessarily result in a baby nursing more frequently...just longer at each session. Watch for signs of dehydration and monitor weight gain if you are still concerned about supply problems. I think that supply problems at 4 months in a non-supplemented baby are very rare. -- Nikki |
#6
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low milk supply?
I have been very stressed, I developed PTSD from the birth a couple of weeks
ago and have been dealing with that. That kind of stress? -- Dagny Stress can interfere with letdown, so although it doesn't affect supply directly, yes, that could be an explanation. Use whatever relaxation or visualization techniques help you before you nurse to encourage better letdown. Also, a mother who's stressed out tends to lead to a baby who's stressed out simply because the baby picks up on the mother's emotional cues. This can lead to increased nursing because the baby is seeking comfort and closeness with the mother. Unfortunately, of course, if the mother reacts to the increased 'need level' in the baby as just another stressor, a vicious circle ensues. As much as possible, try to use cuddling with and nursing your baby as a stress reliever (as your baby does) rather than another source of tension. I don't know enough about PTSD to make any more specific recommendations. But in any event, I hope it's reassuring that a true supply problem is very unlikely. The endocrine switch that Tristyn described is a far more likely explanation for your not feeling "full" and a growth spurt is the most likely explanation of the sudden night waking pattern. Holly Mom to Camden, 3yo EDD #2 6/8/04 |
#7
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low milk supply?
Dagny writes:
: Hmm, how would I know if my milk supply went down? I have not been very : "full" and last night Meg (who will be 4 months old next week) kept me up : nursing abt 8 times -- is this normal? The last feeding a few minutes ago : seemed to be a lot of sucking on a floppy tit and not much swallowing. I'm : topping off the night with some oatmeal just in case and will drink plenty : of water. Any other suggestions? : -- Dagny Hmm. This could be a growth spurt. Hopefully in 1 to 2 days, your supply will catch up with her. Especially with the oatmeal! Good luck, Larry |
#8
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low milk supply?
"iphigenia" wrote in message ... Dagny wrote: I have been very stressed, I developed PTSD from the birth a couple of weeks ago and have been dealing with that. That kind of stress? Stress tends to affect letdown, not supply, FWIW. It's hard to say - PTSD is certainly, um, considerable stress (obviously), but every woman varies as to how much or how little stress will have an effect on the milk ejection reflex. Kellymom's got some good suggestions on letdown cues: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/letdown.html#cues One other thing - you're right at the time when milk production has completely shifted from endocrine to autocrine control. A LOT of women think they're drying up at this time because their breasts no longer feel full and they might have a harder time pumping, but it's actually a sign that everything's going perfectly and your body's fully into the nursing groove : ) So you might want to take that into consideration. Last, she could be starting on the teething road (though it'll probably take some time before teeth get close enough to the gum surface to begin erupting) - I suspect this is part of why babies often start being more wakeful at around 4-5 months. -- tristyn www.tristyn.net "i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. i do not think that they will sing to me." Thanks everyone for helping -- I will look up autocrine. -- Dagny |
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