Perceived Low Milk Supply - What Is It?
Did you know that one of the biggest disruptors to a new parent’s breastfeeding goals is probably something you haven’t even heard of? Yep! It’s called “Perceived Low Milk Supply” and it can derail a breastfeeding relationship just when everything started to go right. But it’s also one of the easiest feeding challenges to overcome with just a little bit of education and support, so that’s what we’re bringing to you on today’s blog.
Getting Breastfeeding Started
It’s normal for breastfeeding to feel like a challenge in the early days and weeks. You and your baby are learning a brand new skill and it takes patience, and a lot of practice, to get it right. Sore nipples, leaking breasts, sleepy babies, and painful engorgement are just a few of the early challenges that you might face on your breastfeeding journey.
But after a few weeks, things start to get a little easier. You’ve mastered that nice, deep latch, your baby is feeding frequently and is happy and content at the breast (and you are going to the pediatrician’s all the time for weight checks), and you finally feel like you’ve found your groove when it comes to feeding your baby.
The Perceived Low Milk Supply Hurdle
But right around the 6-8 week mark a perfect storm of issues begins to churn and all of a sudden you are hit with doubts. You might begin to question if your body is making enough milk or if your baby is getting enough to eat at the breast. These questions can turn to doubts and in no time you are struggling with perceived low milk supply. Why?
First, this is right around the time when your body begins to really establish its milk supply and is perfecting the art of supply and demand. In the very early days of breastfeeding, your body’s hormones were in total control and your breasts’ sole mission was to make milk. Lots of it! But now, your hormones have regulated and your breasts are making milk according to supply and demand forces. Your body knows exactly how much to make for your baby and so all of a sudden your breasts might not feel full and heavy all the time. Does breasts not feeling full equal not enough milk? No, not normally. This is common and to be expected and it typically means that your body has found that perfect balance of supply and demand.
Second, at the 6-8 week mark your baby is also undergoing some big changes. This is normally a growth spurt time, so they may want to come to the breast more frequently. But it also corresponds to the peak of infant fussiness and your baby’s “witching hours” can be particularly intense during this period. All of sudden your sweet, sleepy baby is awake and they are crying a lot.
An extra fussy baby, your breasts not feeling as full anymore, and one well-meaning, but uninformed, friend or family member that suggests you just “top off” with an extra bottle and you have found yourself in the land of perceived low milk supply.
But perceived low milk supply does NOT equal actual low milk supply - it is simply a perception.
How to Overcome the Perception of Low Milk Supply
So how can you overcome those sneaky, little doubts and feel confident that your baby is still getting enough to eat at the breast.
Pay attention to your baby’s hunger cues. And your baby’s “fussy” periods.
Does your baby show signs of being hungry all day long? Even right after a feeding? Or does your baby show signs of contentment and satiety after most feeds throughout the day and then have a distinct period of time during the evening when they are super fussy? The former might indicate that your baby is not getting enough, but the latter supports the fact that your baby is just going through a normal phase of newborn development.
Go back to tracking output.
A baby that is being exclusively fed at the breast should yield 6-8 wet diapers and 1-3 soiled diapers in a 24-hour period. These were things that you tracked in the early days but have probably stopped tracking by 6-8 weeks. Go back to tracking again. The proper amount of input will yield the proper amount of output. If your baby is giving you enough wet and dirty diapers, then they are getting enough to eat.
Call your baby’s pediatrician and request a weight check.
It was easy to know that your baby was gaining weight when you were going to the pediatrician’s office just about every week. But as your baby gets older, the frequency of these visits slows down. You can still call your pediatrician at any time and ask to come in for a weight check. Knowing that your baby is gaining weight and growing as expected will help put your mind at ease over your milk supply.
All of those things combined should hopefully reassure you that everything is still right on track. A few changes in your breasts and your baby’s behavior right around the 6-8 week mark does not mean that breastfeeding is no longer working.
And remember you can always reach out to an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant for a private visit to assess how everything is going. An IBCLC will normally observe your baby at the breast, conduct a weighted feed to determine how much milk your baby transfers at a feed, and go over any questions that you have. Reach out to the expert to put your mind at ease before you inadvertently derail those feeding goals you worked so hard to achieve. Don’t fall into the Perceived Low Milk Supply trap!