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Expert Q&A

	By Ann Calandro BSN, RNC, IBCLC Lactation Consultant

My daughter is nearly 3 weeks old, and she latched on right away after birth. Things were going wonderfully, until I got an infection in my C-section incision and had to go on antibiotics. I noticed a change in the amount of milk that I was producing, and this was at the 2-week mark just in time for her to have a growth spurt. She began nursing extremely frequently, and I know that I was not satisfying her with the amount of milk that she was requiring. She would get really frustrated at the breast and repeatedly would pull away and begin to cry. I then resorted to pumping in between feedings, taking fenugreek and blessed thistle, drinking an inhumane amount of water, and still, I am only expressing about 2-3 ounces from each breast when I'm really full where I was getting about 4 ounces from one a week and a half ago. Please tell me things haven't taken a turn for the worse (breastfeeding was a disaster with my 2 1/2-year-old son, and I was so excited with the initial success with my daughter). Please help me!

I need a little more information. When your daughter began the frequent nursing and the ""pulling away"" behavior, did she also have a decrease in wet diapers and bowel movements? I ask because I get frequent calls from moms whose engorgement has gone away, their breasts feel softer and the baby is having a three week growth spurt. In almost every case, the baby is having numerous wet diapers and bowel movements. That should be your main indication of success at this time. If she is getting bottles, she may be reacting to the different flow of your breast (changes as the feeding progresses) and be preferring the bottle flow (constant). Most babies her age drink about 2-3 ounces of milk from the breast at each feeding, so it sounds like your milk supply is probably fine. Is she gaining weight well? What does your health care provider say? Be careful not to drink too much water. Some studies have shown that if you drink more than you really want or need, it can have the opposite effect of what you are hoping for, and your milk supply can decrease. Keep nursing, count the diapers, and if you still have concerns, seek the help of a board certified lactation consultant.

Wishing You Well,
Ann Calandro, RNC, IBCLC

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