4 months in, worried about producing less.

[sheldonsmommy]

Hey all!

My concern is that I'm not making enough. Tonight I went out to play volleyball, which I do every Monday. Lennox gets a bottle of ebm at my SIL's house, and I pump when I get home. It's usually within an hour of him eating to me pumping.

Tonight I barely got 60 ml of really watery bm. I usually get at least 90 ml of fatty looking bm and I pump every couple days.

He usually eats every 3 hours, more during the day and less at night. He has plenty of wet diapers per day and he usually poops once per week (for a couple months now). I haven't had him weighed in a month or so but he had gained enough at the last visit. His thighs are definitely getting more chunky though.

My question is does it sound like he's getting enough or should I be concerned?

My first son lost half a pound because he wasn't getting enough, so maybe I'm being over sensitive. Any experiences welcome!

 

[Rachel_C]

It sounds like he's fine BUT if you're not expressing every day that's probably why you got less - because the expressed feed isn't expected by your boobs. At 4 months, your supply will have regulated to exactly what your baby needs. If you express every day, your supply will keep up but if it's only every few days, it might not be often enough for your boobs to get the message that more is wanted from them.

I'd start expressing a couple of ounces every day and build up a little freezer stash, if you know you will be wanting EBM every week and don't want to worry about the volume. Or just do as you are currently doing and expect it to take two sessions to get enough for while you're away but don't worry about that as it's normal.

 

[sheldonsmommy]

Thanks! I have been expressing since very early on and I have a substantial freezer stash (maybe a months worth if I stopped bf), and I haven't really ever had a problem getting over 3 ounces. I used to express every morning due to discomfort, but my breasts never seem to feel 'full' anymore. I gradually decreased the frequency of pump sessions, so my supply shouldn't be associated with that.

I think I'll just have to get him weighed to put my mind at ease.

 

[sheldonsmommy]

I think my concern is the my boobs think that 60 ml is enough, and it doesn't seem like enough to grow a human lol