Author Topic: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(  (Read 6852 times)

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Offline Martini~

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No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« on: April 20, 2017, 17:25:52 pm »
I would kindly like to ask for your prompt help.

I am BF my 16wo. From last night I have a fever as having some throat infection. At 7:30 feed today I got no let down. Normal feed lasts 7-15min from one or both breast. Today DS2 sucked breasts for 20-35 and I generated no let down. I tried to pump but with no luck. However he was contented and lasted till 10:40 when I fed him. No let down. After 30min of feeding from both breasts I tried to pump and got some kind of a let down and 50-75ml of milk. Tried to offer him a bottle but he didn't want but I don't know if he doesn't like the bottle or was not hungry. 2:30pm feed - after 18min I got the let down - he fed. At 5pm I offered feed - no let down but he seemed not hungry as ate 2.5h ago. 7:00pm feed - after 15min let down generated, not sure DS was full after that feed but took only 20ml from bottle and didn't want more. He drinks very well from the bottle at DF 130-170ml but has problems with occasional day bottles.

Any ideas what's going wrong? Why I cannot generate let down? Is it fever? Am I dehydratated? Should I take Panadol to kick the fever even if it means intensive sweating and potential dehydration going harder.
~Marta

Offline jessmum46

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2017, 18:51:59 pm »
I'm guessing it could be related to being unwell, though it is good that DS seems not to be bothered by the difference.  Perhaps you are getting some let-down, just not as intense/as much as usual, but still enough for him to feed ok?

I would keep yourself well-hydrated just in case and try not to worry too much - if DS is happy and contented likely he is getting plenty of milk even if it feels different to you.

I'm not sure I understand this bit I'm afraid:
Should I take Panadol to kick the fever even if it means intensive sweating and potential dehydration going harder.
Panadol (paracetamol) shouldn't cause you to sweat or dehydrate ???

Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2017, 19:30:46 pm »
I felt that DS was ok but I am not quite sure he took during day as much as usual so a bit afraid of him waking MOTN. And at 7pm he was really frustrated that the let down didn't come I guess.

Panadol makes my fever go down. As a result I usually sweat (normal when you are killing the fever?). And that's the only thing I can correlate with loose feedings. Last night I took Panadol and was able easily to pump normal amounts of milk at 10:30pm but it was still a very beginning of the illness. At night I had shivers and was feeling extremely cold and than extremely hot/I sweat much/. In the morning I felt like I sweat whole night... and in the morning the problem started.

I am just afraid that my supply will go down, and that will be a very quick end of BF:(. I planned to BF till 5/6mo however and I am thinking if there is anything I can do to help ourselves.
~Marta

Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2017, 20:51:23 pm »
So - it seems that my adventure with breastfeeding is just ending.

For last 14 weeks I pumped around 5oz of milk at 10:30pm. Every day. Today I got nothing. Like nothing. As no let down. Which means what I suspected that DS didn't got what he needed at 7am and 11am feeds today and 5pm.

Sad. Never expected it will end like this and so quickly, so unexpected. He is at 8percrntile in terms of weight. I cannot allow myself for waiting and not feeding him.

Crying:(.
~Marta

Offline cath~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2017, 21:11:53 pm »
(((Hugs))) Marta

Sorry you're ill and so worried too.

I had a similar drop in supply for a day or so when I had food poisoning and was BFing DD2. It did bounce right back again though when I was better and I was able to go back to BFing as before. So I wouldn't give up hope just yet. Hang in there, rest, get better and then see where you are.

((Hugs))
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old

Offline deb

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2017, 21:23:15 pm »
Stay with it - you're ill, your body is trying to recover AND make milk, and likely it's prioritizing at the moment. Hang in there, make sure you're getting plenty of fluids, pump, rest, lather, rinse repeat.  :-* :-* :-*

Offline jessmum46

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2017, 06:41:52 am »
Everything they said hun :-* this probably isn't the end, just a short-term blip while you recover.  Let DS feed on demand for a bit and hydrate hydrate hydrate xx

Offline dache

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2017, 06:46:50 am »
Dropping of more hugs. Get well soon xx



Offline Shiv52

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2017, 07:28:58 am »
Id a similar drop when ill. It went right back to normal After a day or two. Just keep feeding on demand and some skin to skin. It's also really important to try and relax as I found me stressing was almost inhibiting the letdown happening.

There is nothing wrong with being on the 8th centile for weight. So long as he is following a curve and not dropping through centiles. My DD1 was the 99th centile. DD2 was 2nd and this little lady is between the 2nd and 9th. 

Feel better soon xx






Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #9 on: April 21, 2017, 07:53:50 am »
He dropped from 30th to around 10 as we went through 2 colds with him, but I guess it's still normal. I just wouldn't like him to go beyond that. But DS1 was similar, 3-8centile until formula and solids introduced.
Today I got the morning feed today - LD after 4min. There is a small progress. We prolong feed until he literally puts off the breast. I feed after naps as there is no demand from him LOL other than that. He survived yesterday somehow - my precious angel baby.

Good night, morning feed happening, and me feeling slightly better gives me small hope that there is still a chance to work it out. I just made myself melisa tea and try to rest until next feed.
~Marta

Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2017, 07:54:30 am »
Ohhhh and thank you all so much for being here :-* :-* :-*
~Marta

Offline cath~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2017, 21:04:57 pm »
How are you doing Marta? Xx
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old

Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2017, 07:46:14 am »
Not good.

Friday was great, LD coming at very feed, yesterday morning 7am let down after 40sek. But at 11am it started again, no LD. At 2:30 I was not at home and didn't manage to feed but I managed to express (250ml!!!), he took the bottle with my milk - 160. At 5pm I tried but no let down but maybe it was too close to previous feed. At 6:30pm he was hungry for sure and we tried for 30min, no let down:(. He took the bottle after the feed 140ml - from what I expressed at 2pm.

At 10pm I expressed 240ml, he took a DF of 180ml. Today morning - no let down but he probably got something without let down as boobs were full, I felt that. I tried to give him a bottle - first time with a formula but he was not interested. Now we are heading towards my mum. I have bottle and formula with me. Will try to feed him as much as he wants but if during normal feeds time there will be no let down I will offer bottle. I stop expressing during day. I really have enough, it's making me terribly stressed and guilty and I need to make peace with myself.

Will try to feed and keep him a lot at breast but if it doesn't work, I am trying to tell myself I did everything and in the end fed is best.

But it's not easy:(.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2017, 12:08:21 pm by Martini~ »
~Marta

Offline deb

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2017, 11:10:01 am »
Sorry it's so rough. :'(

For a time I had to supplement w/bottle, even did some bottles of half-and-half (BM & formula) until I was able to get my supply back up again.

Do what you have to do for health and peace of mind.  :-*

Offline Martini~

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Re: No let down - Please help, URGENT:(
« Reply #14 on: April 23, 2017, 13:06:58 pm »
I guess because of illness I have low milk supply and maybe that's from where the problem is coming. 11am LD after 6min, 2:30 no let down but he surely got some teeny tiny amounts as supplemented with formula after 15min of sucking when he started to refuse breast he took 50ml.

I am not quite sure for how long I will manage to cope like that as every attempt to breastfeed and not success gives me hope firstly and than leaves me with a great feeling of a failure.

Formula isn't such a bad thing... isn't it:(((? How am I so afraid? DS1 was supplemented for DF from 3.5mo and from 5/6 only on formula. DS2 is already almost 4mo. I have a full freezer of my breast milk so I can give him my milk 1-2times a day for next two months for sure. Even if I fail with BF, he won't be punished I hope:(.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2017, 13:53:25 pm by Martini~ »
~Marta