Any Breastfeeding mom out there?

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  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
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    I've breastfed 3 babies (still nursing the 3rd) and pumped at work until each of them turned 1. It can be very stressful. I did find that my first month or so back at work went great and then my supply started to drop off and I wasn't usually pumping enough at work. What I had to do was pump every morning before work, as well as on weekend mornings. Usually I would nurse my baby from one side while pumping from the other each morning of the week. That was truly the only way I kept up! It is normal to pump more in the morning and get less as the day goes on. What you are describing may or may not have anything to do with weight loss. It sounds fairly similar to what I experienced pumping at work. I tried to lose weight when my baby was about 5 months old and noticed a major decrease in supply, as well as him suddenly waking a lot more at night to nurse, so I stopped trying to lose weight. I'm trying again now that he's 1 and eating lots of solid foods. I hate trying to worry about my milk supply while losing weight, it's too much stress for me!
  • BiscuitH11
    BiscuitH11 Posts: 11
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    Well, I think I figured out the problem. My baby is 4 months old and I just got my first period since he was born, so I think it was from ovulation, which I have read can cause a dip in milk supply. But, the good news is it seems to be back up to normal now! Thanks for all the help and advice girls!
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    Well, I think I figured out the problem. My baby is 4 months old and I just got my first period since he was born, so I think it was from ovulation, which I have read can cause a dip in milk supply. But, the good news is it seems to be back up to normal now! Thanks for all the help and advice girls!

    Glad it's back up. One thing I can tell you, the hormone fluctuations of your cycle do affect the breastmilk. My oldest never had any issues, but I can always tell when I am about to get my period now because my youngest is mad as hell for a few days. I'm not sure if it's from a supply drop or a change in the taste, but she doesn't like it. Since you have a young baby, if you find it's an issue, you might want to pump during the month and save the milk for those days. There's nothing worse than PMS with a side of cranky, sleepless baby.
  • vderousseau
    vderousseau Posts: 2 Member
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    I might sound like a broken record, I haven't read all of the comments. Use kellymom.com as a reference for anything breastfeeding, there is plenty of useful information on the website. The dip in milk supply shouldn't be from your caloric intake, sounds like you are getting just enough to produce milk. I would try putting baby on the breast more at home, your body will make as much milk as baby needs. So if baby is on the breast more or you are pumping more, than you will produce more. I also pump 3x at work and will get a good 12-15 oz, but once I'm at home I EBF. Once she goes through a growth spurt she's on the breast more frequently.

    Also, if I'm not mistaken, you shouldn't have started your period so soon. As long as you are getting enough stimulation your body should continue to produce hormones that would not cause menstruation to begin.
  • kimberkaymorin
    kimberkaymorin Posts: 1
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    There should be a support group for breastfeeding moms trying to lose weight. I am breastfeeding baby number three, wondering how I will ever fit into anything besides sweat pants.
  • 3proud
    3proud Posts: 21 Member
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    Hi, I am glad your supply issue has resolved!

    I wanted to share for anecdotal purposes that I have dropped calories to around 1800...sometimes more, sometimes less. I am now almost 10 pounds below pre-pregnancy and I was thin then...I have lost about 1-2 pounds a week and I will bump up calories for a few days here and there. I don't exercise AT ALL.

    My supply hasn't dipped. I drink A LOT of water and eat a lot of carbs. I drink a beer a night. My baby is 8 months and still feeds very frequently. I think stimulation has a lot to do with supply. I waited to count calories at 4 months and found it really easy form that point on to lose (before that, I found the weight didn't budge much and I wanted to establish supply).
  • ali4579
    ali4579 Posts: 24 Member
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    Glad to hear that you figured out the problem and everything has returned to normal :) I noticed you mentioned supplementing from your freezer stash, and it reminded me of an article I read a few years ago. It talked about how supplementing from your freezer can lead to a decrease in supply - every meal your baby is fed from the freezer is one that baby is not demanding from your boobs and so the supply/demand relationship is harmed. In hindsight, it made perfect sense for me, as I had done exactly that (supplementing from the freezer as I could not pump enough once I returned back at work). The article suggested to only send what you pump and to ask the daycare to string baby out by feeding smaller bottles and feed slowly with breaks so baby doesn't overfeed.

    Hrm, I don't think I'm explaining very well, let me see if I can find the article.
  • ali4579
    ali4579 Posts: 24 Member
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    Article on Freezer Stash: http://www.workandpump.com/freezerstash.htm
    The one that talks about supply boosting, sending what you pump etc http://www.workandpump.com/freezerstash.htm

    The whole website was quite interesting, and one that I had not seen come up in google searches very often. It has a few ideas that I had not seen on the other breastfeeding sites (Australian Breastfeeding Association, Kellymom, etc)

    Anyway hope this is of some use to you :)
  • ali4579
    ali4579 Posts: 24 Member
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    Also a calcium/magnesium supplement in the second half of your cycle (ovulation through to the first few days of your period) can help even out that dip in supply

    Info here: http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/herbs/natural-treatments/ (you'll need to scroll down a bit)
  • kcasey155
    kcasey155 Posts: 968 Member
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    I haven't read all the posts but there is a mfp group called Breastfeeding Support!

    Also, just for information, I'm feeding #5 right now, eating 1850+500 calories+eating back exercise calories and am still losing weight comfortably. The 1850 is what mfp put me on to lose 0.5lb a week. It IS entirely normal to have less milk as the day goes on, your best supply is between 3am and 6am ironically and breastfeeding does not determine when your period returns, but can indeed influence your hormones.

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