At about 3-4 months, isn't that when the milk production process
self-regulates, becomes less specific as far as demand and supply goes?
Perhaps this isn't the best interpretation, but my fuzzy brain remembers a
change in dynamics as far as post-partum hormones and milk production. Is
anyone on the same planet I seem to be living in right at the moment?

Seems that at 3-4 months, additionally, many babies become more efficient at
draining the breast, the mother doesn't experience the same degree of
"engorgement" or fullness, and perceives this as a drop in milk supply.
Since she's no longer getting overfull, she is likely to supplement, because
"there's nothing there" (which, of course, is not the case, but it seems
that way). The more the mother becomes concerned and increases the
supplementation, the more the drop in milk production, because the hormone
balance is changed and the milk supply drops in accordance to the decreased
demand. Since the mother's body isn't responding as it did in the earlier
months, she may not experience engorgement/fullness, and that self-fulfills
the "I didn't have any milk!" mentality.

Ask me about neurologic changes and assessment for stroke and degrees of
cranial/spinal nerve involvement, please. Seems that's far more clear in my
mind today (maybe because of my exam this morning...)

Best wishes,
Sam Doak
12 more weeks... 12 more weeks...

We're going to Candy Mountain, Charlie!


<<Dear all:

Perhaps practices are different in your subcultures, but I always have to
remind myself to
check how often mothers are breastfeeding or draining their breasts when I
get the call
with "my baby is four months old and I'm losing my supply".  I still can't
quite wrap my
mind around how abnormal infant feeding practices are here in Manhattan.
There are at
least two lay books that suggestion feeding 3-6 month olds only 4 times per
day.  There
is one pediatrician who recommends 12 hours per night sleeping --- which
gives you only
12 hours to get in the 8-12 feeds per day that would be normal.  Even if a
baby is taking
only 6 feeds -- that means feeding every 2 hours within that 12 hour
stretch.  Yes, in
most of the literature I ever read that was admittedly developing country
data 8-12 feeds
per day was STILL NORMAL.  I've been plenty of babies who, in Manhattan
culture, will
appear to drop down to 6-8 feeds per day in the 3-6 month range with no
apparent
adverse effects, but once it dips down below that --- I see the milk supply
crash.

I've become so tired of the "oh, but I read such and such and my baby seems
fine on 4
feeds a day" that I now explain in the prenatal breastfeeding class why no
baby should
ever eat less than 5 times a day --- by comparing it to toddlers who need
three meals
and two snacks and how toddlers have bigger stomachs than babies.  And I
explain that
while you can stretch a stomach (like the Japanese guy who mostly wins the
Nathan's
hotdog eating contest in Coney Island) it is not a healthy way to eat ---
opening the door
for later eating disorders.

So, while working with the 4 month milk supply crash, I highly recommend you

investigate whether or not it is due to an abnormally infrequent feeding
schedule first.
While I have seen other causes --- I'd say that 95% of the time it is the
feeding schedule.

Best, Susan Burger
>>

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome