diminishing supply?

[abbyrose]

Hi. My baby is 9 months and in the last couple weeks I've been giving her a bottle at least once a day in order to wean her off the breast.  My question is, is how do you know for sure if or when your milk supply diminishing? As it is now I'm lucky if my LO will do 5 mins on both sides, (which is another factor in why I started giving her a bottle) and sometimes I can feel a let-down, other times I can't, and I can go probably 12 hours before I even feel even the slightest engorged.  Think she is still getting enough from me? or should I just switch her to the bottle permanantly?

[deenz]

How many times are you bf'ing your lo?  By now, your body is well-adjusted to making the amount of milk that you are feeding your lo, so feeling full is not likely to happen very much (unless there is a sudden decrease in the amount you are feeding).  It is also common to not feel let-down after a while (I can't remember when, but with dd1 there was a point where I no longer felt let-down, and some women never feel the let-down).  Also, the amount of time on the breast is not really an indication of how much your lo is getting - as they get older they do get more efficient.  My dd1 was only nursing for that length of time at that age.  Does your lo seem satisfied after nursing?

Having said that, I know some mothers do notice a decrease in supply if they're only feeding once or twice per day.

[JacobMarksMummy]

At your LO's age it is normal for you to not feel full. Your breasts arent producing as much milk as when she was first born. My DS is 10months and I couldnt tell you the last time I felt a let down, he feeds 3/4 times a day and I like you have often wondered if I am making enough. DS is thriving so I figure I am doing fine and by the sounds of things so are you. Try to bear in mind how big and full your breast used to be and how BM was your LO's only source of food. Now she is eating solids and is far more effiecient at getting the milk which all equals the thing you are experoencing.

Try not to worry and carry on with the good work