Remember I was discussing my random milk supply drops a while ago? Well I finally figured out the culprit, and it's none other than ovulation. Many mothers notice their milk supply decreasing right before they get their periods each month, but then it picks up a day or two after its onset. However, some mothers notice this same drop on or about ovulation. Like me.
Before my period returned, I just assumed that my monthly drops were during my non-existent period. Maybe it was my period getting all geared up for the big day with practice runs each month? But now that I do have a period and can see when I ovulate, I came to realize that these sudden decreases in my supply were always timed on my day of ovulation. In fact, if I want to know when I'm ovulating, I can use those drops as indicators!
This month, Sam has been teething really badly so he is nursing for longer since it apparently comforts and or soothes him. I don't mind! So doing this upped my supply quite a bit (I pumped 4.75 ounces today when I normally pump about 3 oz these days) and my boobs feel full to the touch. Still, my letdown is on vacation. It takes a really long time for it to happen, even 5 minutes sometimes. But I know I have plenty of milk. It's just a matter of releasing it. In addition, the letdown doesn't yield so much at a time. However, if Sam nurses for more than a few minutes, he would stimulate another letdown eventually.
So I should really correct my original line of "drop in milk supply" to "slow and reduced letdown reflex."
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Ok I just commented but I think I deleted it accidentally. I'm so glad to have read this. My milk supply has DRASTICALLY dropped in the last two days. Last night I had to give a bottle to my baby after nursing before I put him to bed because he was fussy and I could tell he hadn't gotten enough. I pumped three hours later and got less than an ounce. I got my period for the first time less than two weeks ago. I'm hoping the hormones are causing this dip and my supply bounces back. I've been eating plenty and drinking tons of water. I guess I'll just have to wait and see in the next few days.
ReplyDeleteHi Hannah. How old is your baby? If you are already giving him food, you can just up the food for the few days that it takes for this to pass. These days, since Sam is already over a year old, I assume he'll just eat more of the solids and drink more water/cow's milk if he gets less from me. Just nurse as long as he asks and try to feel hopeful that it's probably ovulation related and should get back to normal in a few days. I find my supply is great a few days before my period starts!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteExtremely glad to come across this post.
My baby girl is 4.5 months old and I've always had plenty of milk ...until....
Past 2 days have been rubbish for me. The milk supply has dropped and the letdown was just not happening.vshe is fully latch on so we have no bottle, no formula coz guess what such a thing never happened with #1!
I blamed everything & everyone...but now I feel my nipples are sore, a, bloated and def not preg and a slight pain around the ovaries. So I googled ovulation + no letdown and came here.
She took a feed around 3am in the night then nothing....come 9am...nothing. I was in despair and a good friend finally brought over some formula powder. I said let me try one more time and it finally happened...my let down came yay. I switched her to the stronger side then expressed like mad. Heck zi should be expressing now instead of commenting here :D.
But all the massage & expressing has ensured I get a letdown everytime she latches on.
The flow lasts for a shorter time though.
Do you recommend any supplements like calcium?
Thanks!
Mue
Thanks for your comment, Mue. Definitely sounds like a letdown issue to me and probably hormonally caused. When someone sees a drop in supply because of a decreased demand (e.g. baby has a stuffed nose and is nursing less) it doesn't really happen so suddenly. And when the cause IS hormonal, extra nursing and pumping won't really get it to come back up before it's ready to come back up! Good to hear you get the letdowns now with the massaging and expression!. I have tried taking calcium supplements but then never stuck with it because it was difficult to remember to take 4 pills each day (that was the serving size of the kind I bought). When I finally heard about trying calcium, these supply drops weren't concerning anymore since I was able to give my baby some food (and now regular milk).
ReplyDeleteVery useful info. Hope to see more posts soon!
ReplyDeleteincrease milk supply