Crazy breasts - first engorged, then empty!

[fluvly]

For the last two weeks my breasts have started behaving strangely - for a few days they felt completely empty, and I gave my 7week-old formula to supplement. Then those days are followed by some days when my breasts are engorged and hard as iron. Now they feel empty again, and I really don't want to give my baby formula but I might have to!

I'm taking fenugreek to get more milk.

My diet hasn't changed, and I'm drinking regular amounts of water every day.
I always make sure that my baby's latch is perfect, and I never had nipple pain.

Can anyone help me understand what's happening to my breasts? It's really depressing to know I don't have enough milk.

[Layla]

(((Hugs)))

Around 6-8 weeks, your breasts settle and don't start to feel "full" like they may have in the past because your body has learnt how much milk to produce based on the feeds your baby is having. So in your case your breasts probably started to feel as hard as iron because you started implementing with formula and milk started to build up.....what that then tells the body is that your baby doesn't need as much as it was making and the body reduces milk production and your breasts go back to feeling normal. So if you are keen on breastfeeding, put the baby to the breast and offer both sides without supplementing at every feed. If you supplement,that may reduce your milk production because the body thinks your baby doesn't need as much milk as it really does. So if you feel that the baby is still hungry, go back to the 1st side again (so left, right and then left again). I too was worried about my milk production and my breasts stopped feeling full around this time also but please don't take that as a sign that you don't have enough milk...milk production works on supply and demand, which basically means your body will supply what the baby demands.

Hope I explained that well....I am sure others will post their thoughts

[fluvly]

Thanks for the answer, I feel a bit better now!

I supplemented with formula just 3 times, during 3 consecutive days in the evening, when my breasts really felt empty, and my baby still looked hungry after having had both breasts.

It's been a week since the last bottle of formula and she's gaining weight just fine. However, today my breasts feel empty again

I will do as you said, keep offering the previous breast if I think she's still hungry after both breasts!

Thank you very much for the advice

[weaver]

today my breasts feel empty again

As Layla said, don't go by how your breasts feel to you, go by how your baby is.  Is she full?  Happy?  That's all you need.  Your breasts shouldn't have that 'really full' feeling once feeding is well established.  They produce to demand so won't be storing lots up.  Hope that makes sense. 

I'm still feeding my LO2 (14 months).  I never ever have that 'hard as iron' feeling but she is still getting full feeds when she wants them. 

[Fiver]

You've got some great advice already. If you really feel you need to supplement then try not to during the evening/night as that is when prolactin levels are highest and a missed feed is most likely to affect supply.

[Erin M]

Keep in mind too that your baby may have gone through a growth spurt -- they happen quite frequently in the early months -- and may cause you to feel less full -- you could also try letting your LO nurse more often as it will give your body the signal to produce more.