Help! Supply drop during short illness

[runningmama14]

My LO is 10 weeks and is ebf. I went back to work full time at 8 weeks and had been doing well with pumping. We both got sick this past weekend with a viral illness.

He was nursing less and I was drinking and eating less. I had to stop taking fenugreek as well. I tried to pump when I could during the few days we were sick, but it was a struggle. We were both miserable.

So now I've seen a huge drop in my supply. My nightly pump after he goes to bed used to be my best pump of the day and tonight I barely got 2 oz (used to get 6-8 oz). There were a few feeds today that I was worried I didn't have enough milk for him and I'm really worried that his appetite isn't 100% and that when it is, I really won't have enough.

Today we did a nursing vacation and I pumped after every feed (getting ~1/4oz each time). I restarted fenugreek and I'm eating oatmeal and lactation cookies. My hydration and calorie intake was back to normal today too.

So my questions are: is there a good chance things will rebound? When do you think I will see that improvement if I'm going to? Anything else I can do?

I'll be home with him again tomorrow, but I'll be back at work after that. Planning on another day in bed with skin to skin tomorrow and pumping after every feed.

Thanks for any help you can give!

[melody330]

It sounds like you are doing everything right. The absolute best thing you can do for your supply is put baby to breast.

I would say your supply will likely rebound a bit. However, pumping 6 to 8 oz after he goes to bed is a huge oversupply. I doubt that will come back. Your supply is lowest at the end of the day, and for me that is when I would yield next to nothing when I had to pump then.

As for improvement - I think it will get a little better each day. Do not skip pumps at work, that would be crucial in building/maintaining supply. At 10 weeks out I was still all over the place with my supply. It didn't regulate until about 12-14 weeks. I really feel like you had a bit of oversupply going on in the beginning so I don't think you will see the same results as before. The normal "rule" is you pump an oz for every hour you go in between pumps.

Good luck!

[bantyrooster]

Lots of water and nurse often. Also watch what over the counter meds you are taking, if you are taking any. Some lower supply. You should bounce right back.

[casey]

Yes, we've been sick a lot, and this is very normal. Focus on hydration, calories, and getting lo to breast. It usually took 3-5 days for me. Sometimes up to a week if I was really, really sick. Keep heart.

[runningmama14]

Thanks all! I did have an over supply, which had actually gone down to the point that lo was handling it fine. I wasn't doing any thing else to slow it down because it was allowing me to build a bit of a stash. I went back to work with nothing because of lo's newly discovered dairy sensitivity.

I'll miss having that cushion if it d doesn't return, but I would be happy with just being able to produce enough for him. I still don't have much stashed, so I wouldn't make it very long ebf if I can't keep up.