Hi Everyone,
I am finally back on Lactnet after a 3 month break- We had our 6th child, 
and 5th girl!  Now that she is 3 months, I am back to work and into things 
again.
I am following the SOP thread, and am also waiting to see what the IBLCE 
will do.

About the mom whose milk is drying up, it reminded me of  a mom I worked 
with.  I helped her with her first child, saw her at 3 months- her milk was 
drying up, and after careful history taking, I suspected she had huge 
amounts of milk in beginning, baby could not handle it, and went to just the 
nipple, and supply diminished because of the poor latch.  She could not get 
anything out pumping, and were not successful in bringing her supply back 
up.
Saw again with #2 and made sure things went right from the beginning. 
Things went well, and then at 3 months was hospitalized, and supply dropped 
even though she was pumping as best as she could, and could never get it 
back up again.
Saw again with #3- had great supply in beginning, baby ate around 60 cc even 
though there was much more- she did not want more- often did not want the 
second side, looked happy and healthy.  She was gaining about 140 g per 
week- Doc was unhappy- but mom fed whenever baby made a peep- I had her wake 
every 3 hours- continued to gain at same rate but was very happy.  Now she 
is about 4 months and mom feels she is losing milk even though she has done 
nothing different.  Baby is beginning now to be fussy even though she has 
changed nothing.- she is happy to offer whenever.  Now baby is gaining 
100-110 per week, and Doc is really unhappy.  She is not pregnant.  Mom told 
me her sister has 6 kids, and exact same thing happens to her.  Things dry 
up at around 4-5 months latest.
When we talk with a mom about her being anxious, I think we need to ask if 
anything is going on, but be careful not to blame the situation on that. 
She may have BECOME more stressed due to pressure from Doc etc and this may 
be what we are observing.
I really believe that the BF relationship must be durable enough to 
withstand most normal life situations, and a supply won't dwindle with a 
little normal stress.  I think there is probably some other missing piece of 
the puzzle in these situations.
So basically, what  I am saying, is that it would be terrible if while 
gently probing about anxiety and stress, we left the mom feeling like if she 
had somehow been calmer, or less stressed, she would have not run into these 
problems.

Jessica Billowitz, IBCLC
Israel 

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