Breastmilk reducing

I've always combi fed my little one. Usually pump once or twice a day (due to be alone during the daytime hours), my partner works during the day. So I'll pump once he gets home and before bed. Offering breast 2-3 hourly followed by 3 hourly formula feeds.
Up until last month my LO has been using a nipple shield during breastfeeding ( difficulty latching). However, since the new year he's been latching onto my nipple! Which is great!
However... I now feel like my milk supply has dropped, this past week during the day he will latch onto one breast for 5- 10 minutes ( previously 15-30 minutes). Previously in one sitting, I could express 40- 60 mls during a 30 minute session. Now I'm expressing 30 mls max.

I don't feel my boobs are complete empty after breastfeeding or expressing.

Does this mean my breastfeeding days are coming to an end? 😔😪

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* He's also teething at the moment*

So glad you've posted this, I'm going through exactly the same thing.

Last week my LO started hysterically crying each time I tried to breastfeed them. I also use a nipple shield.

Had to almost completely bottle feed them for five days.

I wasn't sure if it was because their gums were hurting. Or whether they liked the instant reward from the bottle. Or whether my supply was dropping. Or a mixture of all.

I read a few tips of things to do with them to try and get them used to breastfeeding again. While doing skin to skin on Sunday night, he suddenly latched on and with no nipple shield.

Since then we've done a few really good breast feeds. But sometimes he's still crying a lot and wanting the bottle instead.

Starting to pump again to try and keep a supply/increase it. He was such an intense feeder for months that I had a big supply but he's been going longer between feeds and sleeping more at night so I think that's reduced my supply too.

On this journey with you!

Oh my goodness!
Emma... thank you so much for this!? Sounds reassuring that I'm not alone with this and that another person could relate.
I was starting to doubt myself massively. I'm not ready to stop this part of our journey. I will defo try the skin to skin.
Thank you 🩵

Using a shield can affect the flow of milk so it may just be a case of it’s not as hard to get the milk out that he wants?
Go to a lactation specialist and your gp and they can prescribe you medication to up your milk supply🫶🏼but do also try everything that’s already been mentioned!x

Just been to see the infant feeding team at my local Family Hub. Worth doing if you haven't already.

Found out that the issue I'm having at the moment is getting the latch right now that there's no nipple shield. Because it's very different.

My supply is actually ok. But it will increase by keep trying to BF and through LO crying.

My LO is crying a lot when trying to BF because he's communicating with my body.

As soon as the lady held him for a little bit he calmed down. He's not crying because he's in pain. She advised if there's someone who can take him for little periods, that'd really help.

Main thing was to keep practicing the latch. In a calm environment with snacks and water.

Avoid using a dummy too much because that's replicating the suck of a bottle.

in our community

Hour night wakes and 5am get up

Can anyone shed some light as to why on earth my child doesn’t want to sleep??? My eyeballs are bleeding!!

Never been a good sleeper, but the problems always changing. He’s nearly 9 months old.

Beginning of the month he dropped to 2 naps. We could put him to bed at 7pm and he’d get up for the day at 6am, with multiple wake ups every 2/3 hours.

Now we put him down at 7pm, he can do a good 4/5 hour stretch, but come 1/2am he’s up every hour then getting up for the day at 5am. This then completely messes up the day because I can’t keep him awake long enough to even get to 7pm, let alone later.

He has 2 naps, roughly about 1hr10 each but it changed based on when he wakes and trying to get him to a reasonable bed time.

What could be the reason for this? 6am is fine, but 5am is not 😩😩

Help! First time mum -

I have a 4 month old and now all of a sudden when he’s been asleep for 1hr30/2hrs he will wake up screaming (high pitched) I’ve tried winding him sometimes that helps, I’ve tried bicycle legs & bringing his knees up but that doesn’t seem to help but he brings his knees up himself sometimes but nothing happens. I’ve noticed since the 4 month mark he has started to struggle passing wind downwards! Any tips?

Don’t want to leave my first born😭😭😭

Anyone else extremely sad and anxious to leave their first born😭

He’s 2 and we have never not put him to bed or be here for when he wakes up😭

I’m so sad and anxious about leaving him

Help meeee

!!All advice welcome!! My 5 month old (nearly 6mo) is just not sleeping . Not for naps and not at night . She can’t connect her cycles . We started sleep regression at 3 months but in like how is this nearly been going on for a further 3 months . Like surely not . She has 10 min naps in crib ( which take so much effort ) and maybe 20/30 min naps in my arms/pushchair . She wakes minimum every hour at night with guaranteed false start 20 mins in . I combo feed. I breastfeed her until almost asleep then place her in the next to me crib give her the pacifier and put my hand on her cheek/face for 20 seconds and she drifts off . It’s not really getting her to sleep that’s the issue it’s she just won’t stay asleep . She doesn’t even need to feed much at night usually 1-2 breastfeeds . The rest is comfort wakes needing her pacifier or my hand on her cheek . I’ve looked into sleep associations and independent sleep and I broke the feed to sleep association and rocking and do bedside comforting instead for most wakes which has now lead to my hand being a sleep association on her face . I’m just so exhausted my husband is working mon-fri 9-9 and it’s just me . I haven’t had more than 4 hours in a row since her birth . I can’t get anything done during the day . She is so clingy and cries if I leave room /put her down etc. I love her so much but we both need rest . If anyone has any tips or a routine that could help PLEASE tell me I’ll try anything 🥲❤️❤️

Feeding to sleep

FTM here! 👋

Are you guys feeding your baby to sleep?

I just read feeding to sleep is creating bad habit and baby will always cry etc when awake at night expecting to get bottle before falling asleep again. 🤔
It said should feed the baby, give a bath (or not) and then put to sleep.
I do other way around - bath, pjs/lotion, rock to sleep and feed at the same time and then baby falling asleep.
Am I creating a bad habit? Been doing it all the time really. 😳

Feeds

How many times a night are your little ones getting up? My daughter is every 90-110 minutes. I am absolutely exhausted and don’t know how much more I can cope