There are various possibilities that may cause a sudden drop in milk supply. In this post, we’ll discuss your postpartum period while breastfeeding, a sudden drop in milk supply 4 months, a sudden drop in milk supply 8 months, what foods drop milk supply, and other things that can decrease milk supply.
How Breast Milk Production Works
During pregnancy you have high levels of progesterone that stimulate breast tissue growth (lobuloalveolar growth) making your breasts capable of milk secretion. Furthermore, high levels of progesterone during pregnancy keep your uterus from having premature contractions during pregnancy.
Although the high levels of progesterone during pregnancy are responsible for growing the breast tissues needed for lactation, these high levels also inhibit lactation as they interfere with the action of prolactin (the milk making hormone) at the cellular level.
In summary, high progesterone enables your body to make breast milk for your baby but inhibits the milk from being made until your baby is born, or sometimes some will start to come out in the third trimester. Milk expression and leaking is normal in the third trimester and does not indicate that you will have an oversupply.
How to Set Up Your Milk Supply for Success
The birth of your placenta results in a drop in progesterone, triggering the initiation of full breast milk production, unless you are one of the rare few who do not experience any or full breast changes during pregnancy to produce a normal breast milk supply.
Once the entire placenta has been born then you’ll have copious amounts of breast milk. You will actually have even more than your baby needs. For this reason, this is why it is recommended to put off pumping and establish breastfeeding first. First, you need to teach your body how much breast milk your baby needs.
If you introduce the pump too early, you will very likely get an oversupply. In the beginning, unless something is wrong and you are working with a lactation consultant, you should only be pumping in place of a feeding at the breast, and this isn’t necessary unless you and your baby are apart. If you need to build a milk stash for going to work, only pump after two feedings per day on top of breastfeeding to avoid an oversupply. Again, if you have questions check out The Balanced Breastfeeding Course!
Once your body knows how much breast milk your baby needs, your milk supply will regulate around 4-6 weeks postpartum and your breasts will look and feel more like their normal between nursing or pumping sessions!
What Causes a Drop in Milk Supply?
When you have a drop in your milk supply, ask yourself:
- “Did my period return?”
- “Am I sick?”
- “Is my baby sleeping longer stretches at night?”
- “Did I start some solids with my baby recently?”
- “Did I recently return to work?”
- “Could there be an undiscovered feeding issue like a bad latch, poor positioning, or a tongue tie?”
If you answered yes to any of these questions above, this might be why you have a dip in your supply!
Postpartum Period While Breastfeeding and Drop in Milk Supply
While breastfeeding, your estrogen and progesterone are low (contrarily to your hormones while pregnant), and your prolactin is high. This will keep you from getting your period, meaning you will also not be ovulating. Still, some mamas may get it back much earlier than expected.
Almost everyone exclusively breastfeeding will be free of their periods for 3-6 months or longer. And most breastfeeding mothers will resume their periods between 9 and 18 months after their baby’s birth.
Now, right before your cycle returns, prolactin starts to fall, your hormones begin to level, and estrogen and progesterone starts to rise. This causes your milk supply to likely dip a little when your menstrual cycle returns.
This drop in supply will likely only occur in the middle of your cycle when you have your period and will return to normal.
Information and tips on how to naturally support your body and hormones at this time and what can cause your period to return sooner, you can find in The Balanced Breastfeeding Course, along with more information and tips on many other breastfeeding hurdles!
Breastfeeding While Sick and Drop in Milk Supply
Being sick may cause a dip in your supply, especially if you’re not nursing or pumping as much as you normally would be due to low energy. However, this drop is not likely to be permanent.
In terms of your established supply, this is a very short-term issue that may occur and is very unlikely to be enough to adversely affect your baby. Continue nursing as much as you and your baby desire and pump when you normally would!
Learn everything you need to know about breastfeeding while sick with The Breastfeeding Sick Mom Survival Guide.
If Your Baby is Sleeping Longer Stretches at Night or Starting Solids
When your baby starts sleeping longer stretches at night or started some solids, these are normal times for your milk supply to dip a bit because sleep or trying out a bit of solids is replacing when your baby used to have breast milk.
If your baby is at least 6 months old, check out The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Introducing Solids.
Did You Recently Return to Work?
Many mothers experience a dip in their supply when they return to work. This can either be caused by stress or not pumping enough while separated from your baby.
Acute physical or mental stress can suppress the milk ejection reflex (milk coming out of the nipple from pumping or nursing stimulation) by inhibiting the release of oxytocin. If this occurs repeatedly, it could reduce milk production by preventing efficient “emptying” of the breasts at each feed.
Still, a certain amount of stress is normal when considering the events surrounding childbirth and the onset of lactation. Thus, it is unlikely to have detrimental effects unless you are under some severe stress.
On the other hand, pumping enough while separated from your baby is crucial. Remember, supply=demand! If you don’t pump as much as your baby nurses, you will stop producing enough to meet your baby’s needs. When you are away from your baby continue pumping every 3 hours since that is, on average, how frequently babies nurse.
Is There an Undiscovered Feeding Issue?
An undiscovered feeding issue can be masked by the unregulated and abundant milk supply in the beginning of breastfeeding. When your milk supply hasn’t regulated yet, your large supply may be providing everything your baby needs without them having a good latch or optimal positioning.
Once your milk supply regulates, you may be worried that your supply is suddenly too low. If this is the case, having a lactation consultant check for a tongue tie or taking The Balanced Breastfeeding Course to optimize latch and positioning is necessary to find the root of the problem. From there, you can use my tips and techniques for increasing your milk supply until is up again and regulated to your baby’s needs.
What Foods Can Drop Your Milk Supply?
Besides these other factors known to decrease milk supply, there are some foods that may also cause a drop in your supply.
an Adverse reaction to an herbal supplement
Some herbs, called galactagogues, may help increase your breastmilk supply. While others, called anti-galactagogues can lower your supply.
Some anti-galactagogues include:
- Peppermint
- Sage
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Spearmint
- Thyme
- Rosemary
However, for most women, these herbs would need to be ingested in high amounts to impact your supply.
Further, some known galactagogues that may help some women increase their milk supply, may negatively affect other women’s milk supplies. Be aware of the supplements you take so that if you notice an adverse reaction, you can determine where it came from.
To find an A-Z list of galactagogues that may increase your milk supply check out The Balanced Breastfeeding Course!
Too much caffeine
Consuming too much caffeine may cause you to become dehydrated, and it can cause irritability, sleep problems, and a baby who is not breastfeeding well or stimulating breast milk production, which may lead to a lower breastmilk supply.
smoking cigarettes or drinking too much alcohol
Both can interfere with your let-down reflex (the release of milk from your nipples) by inhibiting the release of oxytocin. Similar to how the stress hormone, cortisol, blocks the release of oxytocin as well.
If this occurs repeatedly, it could reduce milk production by preventing efficient “emptying” of the breasts at each feed.
Questions or Comments on a Drop in Milk Supply?
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below👇🏻
Talk soon, mama!
– Katelyn Lauren
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Reference:
Dewey K. G. (2001). Maternal and fetal stress are associated with impaired lactogenesis in humans. The Journal of nutrition, 131(11), 3012S–5S. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/131.11.3012S
DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding you or your baby’s health. Please read my Medical Disclaimer for more info
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