is there signs for running out of milk? not having enough!!

[Lucie preciosa]

She's been weaned for more than 6 weeks now, her sleep patters are much better (thanks God) her gas and reflux are not so bad now! But me... I have lost so much weight, more than my original pre baby weight. Now I pump sometimes to train with the bottle with she takes wonderfully and happily but I really strugle to fill 6oz of it, and that is after using the breast that got used at 7pm!! I pump at 6.30 am!! so almost 12 hours and just 5 to 6 oz! Is it possible that my milk is coming to an end?? Shall I pump more or shall I switch to formula.
Lucie is pooping every day now, since settle with solids (I make my own). She loves the food and never seems to want to sptop feeding!
I feel that my breasts are so tiny now, there is not weight on them even after 12 hours of not using them!
What shall I do. Please help!.... Marleni

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi, from what i've learnt on this site your milk supply doesn't just go. But if you lo is not feeding as much your body adapts. Even thought you have not fed or pumped alnight if lo not taking it then your body won't keep making it. If you want to pump to keep a stash, pumping after a feed will increase your supply again.

Hope this is right and there's not some other reason why?

Kate

[Samuel's mum]

How many breastfeeds are you doing and how are you scheduling them? i.e are breastfeeds 'first'? Has her behaviour at the breast changed?
How much solid food is she having in a typical day?

5-6oz sounds like a high pumping output to me so I'm not sure what you are used to. Breasts do get soft. Mums do lose weight. But it might be possible for your supply to be depleted if she was taking a large quantity of solids and she was taking less milk as a result. Or she was having solids 'first' and was full when she came to the breast.

Whether you pump more and work on supply or use formula is a very personal choice. How long would you like to breastfeed? If you did have a supply issue (let's imagine she HAD been consuming a lot of solids for her age) then it would only take 2-3 days of focused pumping to transform your supply.
Do you think she's taking less milk? (It shouldn't be much less than it was pre-solids at this age. Solids are an addition not a substitute).

[Lucie preciosa]

She still on 4 feeds, she not longer takes her DF. at 7, 11, 3 and 7, breakfast 4 T at 8 am (with breast milk), lunch 4 cubes at 12 ish, then at 5 45 or 6 about 4 cubes, she loves it and seems to want more!! I feel she is on my breast less, but HV said that's ok. I will like to carry on breast feeding till she is 7 months at least. She sleeps well and naps ok.
This morning I pumped from my 3pm previous day breast 4 oz only and top ot up with the 7pm previous night breast to get enough for her feed and breakfast.
She eats my own pures, veggies with chicken. She started with 1 to 2 tea spoons and rapidly progressed because she will just want more. I think we started solids when she was 5m and 3 weeks (baby rice). She weights 19 LBS
Thanks

[Samuel's mum]

In your original post you sounded worried or at least seeking reassurance. In your latest post you seem content with how things are except for the pumping output.
What kind of pump do you use? Pumps sometimes need a tune-up after being used quite a bit for 6 months. How much use has it had?

How often do you use a bottle? You probably know that feeding from the breast is the easiest way to stimulate supply - pumps don't do the job as well (which is why exclusive pumpers almost always end up taking galactalogues.)

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

galactalogues??

[woopster]

Stimulants.  Increase your milk supply.

The way I read it your daughter is only feeding from one side at a time. Is that right?

This morning I pumped from my 3pm previous day breast 4 oz only and top ot up with the 7pm previous night breast to get enough for her feed and breakfast.

If you are feeding her at 3pm one day and not pumping that breast til the next morning, that will make a difference, won't it, Emma? 

[Samuel's mum]

galactalogues - sorry - herbs like fenugreek/ blessed thistle or prescribed medication like domperidone or reglan.

For sure supply is going to take a dip when a breast is 'unused' for such a massively long interval. But usually supply does adjust to meet your baby's needs - I just assumed that this long interval is what your breasts are used to. You are right to point it out though Wendy. I think some people (not saying the OP) think leaving a breast 'unused' will 'refill' it and benefit output when infact the COMPLETE opposite is true. The longer a breast isn't used (and stays engorged) and more signals being sent to cut back supply and supply adjusts quickly.

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Im begining to realise this.

[Lucie preciosa]

I do give only one breast. sometimes I offer her the other one but 9 out of 10 she won't take it.
My Isis manual breast pump has been used now for me to express a bottle a day during the weekend so husband can give her the bottle. and evreyday to express 30ml for breakfast.
I am thinking of swaping to formula? notsure yet. I'll se GP tomorrow, given Lucie's tummy history. now she poops every day!!