Ladies, I need your help with a breastfeeding question...

I am breastfeeding a 6.5 mth old baby girl and had some supply probs around 3 mths. All sorted and has been fine for the last 3 mths.

2 days ago I didn't have enough milk to feed her one feed, now I don't have any for any feeds. Even the night feeds when I normally have an abundance....I have none.

I know my boobs and my daughter and I know I'm empty. I'm not ill, I've been eating and drinking normally, I'm tired but that's normal.

What could cause me to 'dry up' in 2 days flat?

Please help if you can, I don't want to give her formula but will have to soon if this keeps up.

We have been given Isomil formula on script (just for emergencies) as she is a very allergic baby and comes out in massive hives if she has commercial formula.

(I know I've posted this this morning but I want to catch the other half of the world!)

Thanks in advance.

I would love to do a nursing holiday but with a 3 yr old too I think I'll have to get out the disney dvds!

I know you said you know your boobs and you know your daughter- and I don't mean to second guess you... but can you give more information on why you think you're drying up?

Around 6 months is when I stopped leaking and stopped feeling full in my breasts. It is also a big growth spurt. If she's feeding a lot, it might be because of a growth spurt, not because you're not filling her up.

I'm pretty sure that a healthy mother would not dry up in a matter of 2 days- so I don't think you have a lot to worry about.

Have you had any alcoholic drinks in the last few days? Alcohol may possibly inhibit let-down... which would cause frustration at the breast for your daughter. Are you drinking plenty of water? I do notice that the days that I don't drink enough water, I don't "feel" like I'm making a lot of milk.


If you'd like to increase your supply- get some fenugreek at your local vitamin shop. Take 10-15 tablets a day (when you start smelling like maple syrup, you'll know you're taking the right amount). I know it says on the bottle to take 2-3 tablets a day, but that's as a daily suppliment. When you're using it to increase your supply, you should take more.

Good luck mama. And if you can give us more info on why you think you've dried up- we might be able to give you a few more answers.



Edit: Does she seem fussy at the breast at all? Is she acting normally and nursing normally aside from the noises she makes while nursing?
I know sometimes my boobs feel empty in the morning before I leave for work, but I end up pumping 5-6 oz. out of each of them... so it's possible that your body has just adjusted differently this time as opposed to the time when you nursed your older one?
If you've started fenugreek and blessed thistle, I think you'll notice a big increase in supply- so don't stress too much (that doesn't help with supply issues, either :) )

Sounds like you're doing the best you can at the moment. Keep putting her to the breast at every chance you get- that's your best defense against a dwindling supply.

growth spurt! get into bed with out a top on and with your baby in just a dipe. have someone keep you with plaenty of water to drink and dont get up for a day or tw ountil your supply catches up.

and whatever you do: NO BOTTLES for a few weeks. :)

nothing can make you completely dry in two days. have you started a new med?

eat lots of oatmeal and have a guiness stout or two. google "galactogogue" for herbs that increase supply.

and dont give up! :)

Call one of two places: The hospital and ask for their lactation consultant. If she cannot leave get her to recommend one that will come to your house. They are great and if breast feeding is what you want they can help you reach it. They are not totally cheap. ask the cost but they are totally worth the money. Maybe you need to pump too with a Medela Punp In Style to increase it. Skin to skin contact is best also with mother and baby.

quit supplementing. Drink massive amounts of water, until it hurts, nurse and pump constantly. You need to overstimulate yourself to get it pumping again.

maybe your pregnant?

start pumping every two hours until your rupply increases, if you don't have a pump you can rent or borrow one.

I've heard of this happening to some moms - milk just dries up without a good reason. I think it just happens sometimes. Have you tried speaking to a lactation consultant or contacting La Leche League?

hi poor you
try this it tastes g8 and does actually work
.Can you buy semolina the dry powder ?If you can cook this dry in a pan until it is slightly brown
.After melt some butter until its soft .Add some honey and mix together . Put this mixture with the semolina and mix well . Then eat .Its very sweet but tastes delicious ..This will help to stimulate the milk ducts .
Also eat lentils .. g8 aswell especially the brown ones .These help too . good luck .

I got this info from my husbands family who swear by this everytime .Worked for me . when i was breast feeding and i ended up breast feeding until my boy was 15 months old.

You might be getting your period. My supply always takes a slight dip 2-3 days before my period arrives.

ive gone through this too sooo many times. my baby girl is 7 1/2 months. i honestly didn't know anyone in the world had these same problems as me. i was the same way... never had enough. and id explain it the same way you did, i just know my body and when its empty. i too did the fenugreek and blessed thissle. they helped if i took a whole bunch at once, but then they wore off as i kept taking them, almost like my body got used to them. my baby only ever nursed for 2-5 min (one side only)i also have strong let downs but no milk. quite honestly i just started to realize now how to get more milk. ive started pumping with an electric pump. people always told me to but i wouldn't bc i wanted to save what i had for her next feeding, but what i do now is pump one side, let the other go until she needs to feed, its helping a lot. i never believed people about supply and demand, but its true so I'm now learning after 7 1/2 long stubborn months. hope this helps. thank god if your baby takes a bottle or any formula, when i was dry, i had no other means to get fluids into her, she refused the bottle.