What is Low Milk Supply and Why Do I Have It?
Is low milk supply real?
Yes, low milk supply is real. Very. Real. It’s also a very real thing for mother’s to be told that they have low milk supply when the issue is not truly with their milk supply. If you are worried about your milk supply, or you have been told that you have milk supply concerns, please call a lactation consultant ASAP to assess and determine if this is the actual issue and how to help you deal with it.
What is considered low milk supply?
Low milk supply means the breastfeeding parent produces less milk than their baby needs to grow properly.
What are signs of low milk supply?
Signs of low milk supply are…
a baby who is dehydrated
not making enough wet or dirty diapers
not growing appropriately.
BUT for each of these indicators, I can easily think of alternative reasons for this happening that have nothing to do with your milk supply. This is why low milk supply should always be evaluated by a skilled professional to determine what is actually happening. Breastfeeding support means we need to be very sure of what the issue is so our interventions address the root problems.
Is low milk supply common?
We don’t actually know how common low milk supply is. But, when the consequence of low milk supply can be an underfed baby, if it happens even once, it is a problem that deserves adequate support. Even the slightest concern about low milk supply should be evaluated to make sure we are keeping all babies safe and helping all parents to meet their goals the best we can.
What are the hormonal reasons for low milk supply?
Hormonal imbalances are a common cause for low milk supply. They impede the ability of the breast tissue to develop properly during puberty and pregnancy, and they interfere with the ability of the tissue to function at full capacity. Common hormonal imbalances that influence milk production are imbalances of the reproductive hormones, thyroid concerns, and issues related to blood sugars and insulin resistance. These are issues that we can identify by screening symptoms and having your health care provider run lab work to facilitate addressing these concerns to whatever extent possible.
Is low milk supply hereditary or genetic?
There is certainly a trend where we see families that have multiple generations of milk supply concerns. Given that issues such as diabetes, hormonal disorders, thyroid dysfunction, etc., can run in families, and all of these issues can impact milk supply, so it is not particularly surprising to see a family trend. It is important to note, though, that breastfeeding rates in the United States have been low for many generations now, and that poor medical support has led to mothers and grandmothers being told they had low milk supply when the issue was actually not that. So, just because your family members had low supply doesn’t mean you will.
Reasons for sudden low milk supply?
Sudden low milk supply is certainly concerning. If you feel like your milk supply has dropped, seeking care quickly is important to determine if it is a simple fix like you need sleep or hydration, or if we are dealing with a serious concern like oral dysfunction that has gone undetected or Sheehan’s Syndrome (damage to the pituitary gland from blood loss in labor). If milk supply has truly, rapidly dropped, the good news is there is typically a fix if we get you in for assessment quickly to turn the milk supply around.
Low milk supply in one breast?
So, are we talking about one breast that is producing less than the other breast, but combined, the milk supply is normal? Or, are we talking about one breast that is barely producing anything?
Low milk supply in one breast is likely one of two things:
The typical phenomenon of one breast making more milk than the other, and misconceptions about how breasts function during lactation making parents worry their supply is inadequate.
Possible lack of glandular tissue on one side but not the other. Sometimes, the body will compensate for this issue. Sometimes, it can’t. This should be carefully assessed.
Why do I have low milk supply at night? Why does it only happen at night?
Early evening hours are typically the lowest times for milk production, which leads to babies feeding more often. This can make parents very insecure about what their milk supply looks like. This can be very normal, though, milk production is not steady throughout 24 hours, but follows a circadian rhythm. Milk is more plentiful in volume in the morning, but lower in calories and fat, and less plentiful in volume in the evening, but higher in fat and calories.
Can low milk supply cause constipation?
Low milk supply can result in an infant failing to produce enough dirty diapers, which can appear like constipation. There are a lot of other issues that can cause an infant not to produce enough stool, or to have difficulty passing stools, so again, proper assessment is vital here. Don’t blame the milk supply until we are sure that is the issue.
How do I pump with low milk supply?
Thankfully, while low milk supply can complicate breastfeeding, it doesn’t complicate pumping. We want to make sure you are pumping with an effective pump, with perfectly sized flanges, to make sure that every minute of pumping is supporting your milk supply to the maximum benefit.
Can low milk supply be increased?
Finding the root cause for the low supply is the best way to determine how to treat low milk supply. The first thing we want to do is to make sure that you are using basic breastfeeding management to support milk supply to the best of your ability, and then, meet with a lactation consultant to make sure you know how to handle the bigger contributing issues.
Can Fenugreek decrease milk supply?
Fenugreek, like all supplements that may be used to support breastmilk, carries a risk of decreasing milk supply. Herbs and supplements support breastmilk production by addressing the underlying causes, and if it’s strong enough to help, it’s strong enough to support. I recommend being very careful with supplements and making sure you understand what you are taking, how much is needed to support your needs, and what the risks are.
Can stress decrease milk supply?
Absolutely! Cortisol is the enemy of milk production. Commonly, we see rapid decreases in milk production when the breastfeeding parent is under unusual amounts of stress, particularly during traumatic events. If you are in a stressful situation and feel like your milk supply is low, we need to make sure you keep emptying your breasts and create a care plan to keep your baby fed. The good news is that extremely stressful situations do typically calm down, and the milk supply returns if we manage the situation as best we can.
What foods cause low milk supply?
The craziest thing I have learned about foods and lactation is that the foods one culture is adamant about hurting milk production are the foods another swears increases milk. As long as you are eating enough food, it is likely that is not the root cause of your supply. That said, if we are dealing with insulin resistance, eating foods high in sugars or that cause rapid swings in blood sugar and insulin resistance can certainly increase the impact on the milk supply negatively.
What is the fastest way to increase low milk supply?
Meet with a great lactation consultant, find the issues, and address them appropriately! I really wish there was a quick fix for milk supply issues, but I can tell you it just doesn’t exist. Great lactation care, however, is a click away, and it can help turn things around for good!
Is low milk supply common with PCOS?
PCOS can certainly cause issues with milk supply, including low milk supply. But, not all parents with PCOS have low milk supply - many have normal milk supply, and PCOS is also associated with dramatic oversupply for some. It just depends how the hormonal imbalances present for the individual, if the issue was present during puberty or pregnancy, and how significant the imbalance is.
Why do I have low milk supply with my period?
Low milk supply is a common concern when the menstrual cycle returns, and there are a few reasons for this. A slight dip during ovulation and the first days of your period can be a normal occurrence, and if your baby is older, this will be covered by increases in solids for those time periods. If your period returns earlier than your baby is ready to start solids, we will want to monitor during those times to make sure baby is getting enough.
The return of your period also means prolactin levels are lowered, and this may be when pumping or nursing plans that didn’t involve enough milk emptying for long-term production start to fall apart. The good news is these issues can be managed after some simple assessments.
Do twins cause low milk supply?
Typically, if the body carries twins, the body produces enough milk for twins. If there are issues with milk production that would have been present for a single baby, two babies doesn’t help the overall situation. The answer is the same though, we need a good assessment. The only difference is we get to check two babies and one parent to find all the possible issues!
What are low milk supply remedies?
I’m sticking with the remedy is finding the root issues and addressing them as well as we can. Sometimes, it’s simple fixes like increasing the amount of nursing or pumping. Sometimes, it’s to correct the tongue-tie leading to the low supply. Sometimes, its medications, supplements, or herbs to treat issues that are impeding lactation.
I promise I am not withholding the magic fix. If I had it, I would shout it from the rooftops! I have struggled with low supply, personally, and supported clients professionally with low supply. It’s not something I wish on anyone, but I will do everything I can to help you!
Low Milk Supply and supplementing with formula?
Low Milk Supply means the milk supply is not enough for the baby’s needs. That means we need to supplement the parental milk supply with another suitable option to meet your baby’s nutritional needs. When it comes to infant feeding options, we have the parent’s own milk, donor milk, and formula.
Formula is an easily and readily obtainable option that meets the nutritional needs of the infant to ensure they can grow and thrive. If you need to decide on how to supplement and with what, that is something we can help you with. If you need to figure out how to supplement to protect your milk supply and feeding goals, we can help with that, too.
This can be a difficult issue for parents who had their heart set on exclusive breastfeeding, and while that may be hard to let go of, I can help you make the best of this difficult situation.
Low Milk supply and breast pain?
Pain inhibits the let down reflex, and there are lots of cases where painful latches or pump flanges have resulted in poor milk production. Subclinical infections are another common cause of low milk supply that can cause pain. Pain is never normal, so we should always work to relieve your pain.
Low Milk Supply and Hypothyroidism?
When the thyroid isn’t active enough, it’s called hypothyroidism, and it can play a role in low milk production. This is one of the big issues we typically recommend lab work to identify and work to have addressed to improve milk production.
Low milk supply…but baby refuses formula?
Given that rule number one is always feed the baby, if your baby needs additional milk past your production, and is refusing formula, you need support ASAP. The good news is we have lots of formula options available, and we have donor milk as an option as well. We will find a solution that works for your baby!
Low Milk Supply and Insufficient Glandular Tissue (IGT)?
Insufficient Glandular Tissue refers to a condition in which the breast fails to develop properly, and there is not enough glandular tissue present to produce a full milk supply no matter what we do. This is a complicated condition to identify, and it is typically a process of elimination. A lot of people have had this said to be their cause for low milk production, only to find that this is not the root issue and appropriate treatment options existed to improve their milk supply. Before we decide there are no options to improve things, you deserve a full and thorough evaluation.
Low milk supply guilt?
This is a serious issue. For some people who really wanted to breastfeed, the idea that not being able to make enough milk makes them a bad parent is a real feeling - especially if the cause is identified to be something that could have been controlled for with better support and early breastfeeding management.
I think it’s important to recognize, hindsight is always 20/20, but in the moment, we are all just doing the best we can. Your milk supply doesn’t have anything to do with how you are doing as a parent, and by kindergarten you won’t be able to pick out who got breastfed and who didn’t.
Low milk supply when pumping only?
An efficient baby with great oral skills is more effective than our best breast pump. A poorly fitted flange on a breast pump that’s not strong or durable enough is not going to support milk supply like we would hope for. And, most parents are getting less than great pumping support. This is something we can help you with quickly and easily though! We can help make pumping as effective and efficient as possible to support your goals.
Is low milk supply a sign of pregnancy?
Milk supply suddenly low? Sore nipples? Feeling strange. Pee on a stick!
Pregnancies happen in breastfeeding parents all the time. If you are experiencing this, thankfully home pregnancy tests are inexpensive and quite reliable.
Low milk supply after mastitis?
Mastitis causes inflammation and is associated with poor milk removal. It’s certainly a thing we see for mastitis to lower milk supply, but for most, this dip is temporary. Part of a good management plan for mastitis is quick treatment, hydration, and lots of milk removal to help make sure this issue persists for as short of a time as possible.
