How To Handle A Sudden Decrease In Milk Supply - BabyCenter

If you're worried that your breast milk supply is dropping, you're not alone! Many moms question whether they're making enough milk at some point in their breastfeeding journey. The good news? In most cases, your body is producing exactly what your baby needs.

Changes in how your breasts feel, how often your baby feeds, or even how much milk you're able to pump can sometimes make it seem like your supply is decreasing – but that's not always the case. Understanding what's normal and what might be a true dip in supply can help you feel more confident and find solutions if needed.

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Read on to learn the signs of a low milk supply, common reasons for a sudden drop, and simple ways to increase your milk production if you need to.

Why does it seem like my breast milk is drying up?

Breastfeeding moms sometimes lose confidence in their milk supply when it's actually fine. "Many moms worry about low milk supply, even though most make exactly what baby needs," says the United States Department of AgricultureOpens a new window (USDA).

Sometimes what seems like a drop in supply is just a normal part of breastfeeding. For example, in the early weeks of breastfeeding your breasts may feel enormous, heavy, and engorged. As your body learns to make just the amount of milk your baby needs, your breasts will get smaller and softer. But that doesn't mean your milk supply is dwindling! Even if they're not bursting out of your nursing bra, your breasts are just as capable of making milk.

You may also worry that your milk supply is low if your baby suddenly needs to eat more often than usual. But this doesn't mean your baby's not getting enough breast milk. What's often happening is that your baby's going through a growth spurt – they're growing rapidly and need to eat more frequently. According to the USDA, growth spurts are common at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months of age.

When you start giving your baby solid foods (around 4 to 6 months), you might expect your milk supply to diminish, but at first it won't. That's because when a baby starts eating solids, more goes on their chin than into their stomach! As your baby gets the hang of eating, they'll require less milk, so naturally you'll produce less.

Key Takeaways

• Many moms worry about low milk supply, but in most cases, their body is making exactly what their baby needs. Changes like softer breasts or more frequent feedings are usually normal, not signs of a supply issue.
• Factors like not nursing or pumping enough, stress, sleep deprivation, dehydration, certain medications, and hormonal changes can temporarily reduce milk production.
• To boost your supply, do your best to breastfeed and pump more often, stay hydrated, and get more rest. Get support from your baby's healthcare provider or a lactation consultant.

Signs your milk supply is decreasing

If your milk supply is decreasing, you'll notice:

• Your baby stops gaining or begins to lose weight. After the first five days or so (when newborns typically lose a little weight), babies usually gain roughly 2/3 ounce each day. That works out to about 5 to 7 ounces each week and between 1 and 2 pounds each month for the first 4 months. After that, babies gain roughly 3/4 ounce a day until around 6 months, when their weight gain will slow to about 1/3 ounce a day.
• Your baby is showing signs of dehydration. This could include wetting fewer diapers than normal or having dark urine. According to the American Academy of PediatricsOpens a new window (AAP), your newborn should have two or three wet diapers in the first few days after birth and six or more wet diapers per day after that. By five to seven days, their pee should be nearly colorless or pale yellow. Dry skin and a dry mouth, along with rapid breathing, are also signs of dehydration.
• Your baby is fussy or lethargic and struggling to stay awake while breastfeeding.
• Your baby is sucking at the breast but not swallowing.

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Reasons for a sudden decrease in milk supply

If you see a sudden drop in your milk supply, you may be able to pinpoint the cause and correct it, keep your milk flowing, and continue to breastfeed your baby.

Here are some possible reasons for a sudden drop in milk supply:

• Not nursing or pumping often enough. This is the most common reason for a drop in milk production. Your body produces milk according to how much your baby sucks, and supply is maintained by frequent nursing. You may experience a sudden drop in supply if you start spending more time away from your baby, or if your baby has suddenly started sleeping through the night. "It's a milk factory, not a milk warehouse," says BabyCenter Community member JavaBeanGenerator. "The factory will produce only if there's a demand."

• Stress can cause your milk supply to drop very suddenly. If you're dealing with something difficult or struggling in your day-to-day life, it could cause your body to produce less milk. In addition, the added stress of worrying about your milk supply can compound the problem.
• Sleep deprivation could also affect your milk supply. Though getting enough sleep can be impossible, especially when you're nursing around the clock, there are ways for new parents to get more sleep.
• Supplementing with formula. Breast milk is produced on demand, so if you give your baby formula and don't pump, your body will think it doesn't need to produce as much milk and your supply will drop.
• Dieting. It's key to have a nutritious, satisfying diet while breastfeeding. You need more calories than usual to make breast milk, and not eating enough can hurt your milk supply. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,Opens a new window "your body needs about 450 to 500 extra calories a day to make breast milk for your baby. If your weight is in the normal range, you need about 2,500 total calories per day."
• Dehydration. Your body needs plenty of fluids to make breast milk: A whopping 16 cups per day of water, according to the Academy of Nutrition and DieteticsOpens a new window! (This can come from food and other beverages, not just drinking water.) One way to stay hydrated while breastfeeding is to make it a habit to drink a glass of water whenever you sit down to nurse. Keep in mind that an illness – even a run-of-the-mill cold – can leave you dehydrated and run down enough to affect your milk supply.
• Medications. There are many medicines that are safe while breastfeeding, but even these could impact your milk supply. For example, antihistamines, steroids, and pseudoephedrine might cause a sudden dip in production. Certain herbs taken while breastfeeding and birth control pills could also affect your milk supply. Talk with your doctor if you're concerned. You can also look up the effects of specific medications on breastfeeding on LactMedOpens a new window.
• Hormonal changes. When your period returns, your milk supply may drop during some parts of your menstrual cycle, typically just before or at the start. (If you're exclusively breastfeeding, you usually won't have a period for 3 to 6 months after birth or longer.) If you're breastfeeding while pregnant, you may see a temporary dip in milk supply around 4 months.
• Thyroid issues. The thyroid gland secretes hormones that play an important role in lactation. If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) or an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), you might notice milk supply issues or have trouble with your letdown
• Breastfeeding problems. Nursing doesn't always go smoothly, and issues such as engorged breasts, clogged ducts, and mastitiscan reduce your milk supply. If your baby doesn't have a good breastfeeding latch or goes on a nursing strike and breastfeeds less, this will also affect your supply.

What to do if your milk supply has dropped

If you've confirmed that you're not making enough milk for your baby, that doesn't mean your breasts will dry up and your breastfeeding journey is over. Here are some ideas for increasing your milk supply:

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• Breastfeed and/or pump more. Making breast milk is all about supply and demand, so up the demand. Add extra feedings, encourage your little one to breastfeed for longer than usual, and/or pump more frequently. Be sure to empty your breasts at each feeding, pumping if necessary.
• Take care of yourself. Breastfeeding is a demanding job, so make sure you're getting as much sleep as you can, eating and drinking enough, and keeping your stress levels as low as possible. If you're struggling, ask for help from your friends and family so you can make time for yourself.
• Get mental health support. Many moms experience postpartum blues, postpartum anxiety and/or postpartum depression. If you're having any mental health issues, talk to your healthcare provider. They might suggest therapy or medication.
• Have a nurse-in. Spending a few low-key days skin-to-skin with your baby nursing on demand can help rescue a sinking milk supply. If possible, ask your partner or relatives to step in for a weekend and help with household tasks and older children so you can focus on nursing your little one.
• Meet with a lactation consultant. A lactation consultant can help you troubleshoot any issues, such as a poor breastfeeding latch, and help you get back to producing enough milk.
• Consider a milk booster. There's no solid evidence that certain foods (like oats) will increase your milk supply, but it doesn't hurt to try, as long as you don't eat anything excessively. Certain herbs such as fenugreek may be helpful, but talk with a knowledgeable healthcare provider before trying an herb or herbal mixture while you're breastfeeding. Learn more about galactagogues (substances that increase breast milk production) in our article on boosting your breast milk supply.

If you still feel you're coming up short, try not to stress about it. "Any amount of breast milk is good for your baby!" says Kate Shand, an international board-certified lactation consultant. "All or nothing is not a thing here. So please don't feel discouraged if you have to supplement with formula."

What if you're exclusively pumping and your milk is drying up?

If you're exclusively pumping, dealing with a sudden drop in milk supply might look a little different. Here are ways to increase your milk supply:

• Add another pumping session to your day. Some moms choose to wake before their baby to pump early in the morning.
• Prioritize pumping at work, especially if your job makes it hard to pump often and for a long-enough amount of time. If possible, schedule your pumping breaks and don't put them off no matter what."The wearable cordless pumps work great for the car ride there and back!" suggests BabyCenter Community member Daytonj.
• Check your pump. Over time, your electric breast pump could become less effective. Or you may need to adjust the settings or use different flanges. If you troubleshoot but don't find solutions, you can reach out to the pump manufacturer and/or ask a lactation consultant for help.
• Spend time skin-to-skin with your baby when you're together. Exclusive pumping doesn't mean you can't take advantage of the benefits of getting cozy with your little one, which may boost your milk production.
• Try power pumping, a pumping strategy specifically focused on increasing breast milk output. The basic idea is to pump for additional periods throughout the day, imitating a baby's cluster feeding (which babies do when they're having a growth spurt and need you to produce more milk). One commonly suggested power pumping schedule is pump for 20 minutes, rest for 10 minutes, pump for 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes, pump for 10 minutes. You can power pump once or twice a day."For me it takes nearly two weeks of daily power pumping to see the jump in supply, but it's very effective," says BabyCenter Community member Hope918.