The Infamous 12-Week Supply Regulation

Like all good stories, the infamous 12-week supply regulation seen as the end of the time that you can increase your milk supply, has a tiny bit of truth and a whole lot of misunderstanding. It gets passed around as a sacrosanct fact, unquestioned by moms as the tiny bit of truth gives undue credibility to the idea as a whole. Occasionally, a mom will question the wisdom in this idea, but without an understanding of the biological process of milk production to refute this idea, the myth lives on.

So where is the truth in this statement?

There is a shift in the milk production process between three and four months after giving birth (so here we have the mythical 12 week number) that can impact milk supply. The misunderstanding is in what regulation means, why this time gets so much attention from moms who feel their supply is reduced, and why is seems harder to increase milk supply after this time. Let's break these misunderstandings down into easily understood facts and put this idea that 12 weeks is a time of milk-making doom.

What drives milk production?

Remember those 24-72 hours after you gave birth when your milk came in (that's another misunderstanding I will cover later), and almost instantly, your breasts felt full, heavy, and warm to the touch? That happened because your placenta had been delivered, and the hormones the placenta secretes to inhibit milk production had exited the stage.

Your milk production at this stage is heavily influenced by your hormones, and milk removal plays a role, but the hormones are driving the show at this point. Hormones will continue to run this show in the coming weeks, but will taper off as the process becomes increasingly dependent on local stimulation to drive your milk supply.

When the hormones are primarily driving your milk production, you are likely to experience things like engorgement, leaking between feedings (or pump sessions), and milk production that is in excess of what the stimulation at your breasts would otherwise produce. Once the Autocrine system takes over, you aren't getting that little extra boost, so all milk production is driven by the stimulation your breasts are being provided.

So why does this particular time period in milk production get so much attention?

If you are nursing, you might find that you suddenly no longer feel full between feeds and are not producing that excess milk anymore. If you are pumping, you may see a taper in your milk production, and your attempts to increase your output do not seem as effective as they did in the first twelve weeks. This time period often reveals issues with milk removal, as the loss of the hormonally driven oversupply can no longer compensate for a baby who has trouble transferring milk or a breast pump flange that is the wrong size (this is super common, if you are pumping and see milk production drop off get sized!!).

So can you increase your supply after 12 weeks?

YES!! It may be harder at this point, and it will likely take good breastfeeding management, but it can be done. So, if you find yourself struggling with your milk supply, don't throw in the towel because it's after 12 weeks, get yourself a good lactation consultant and put a good plan in place!