>Hey netters, Let me throw this into the equation regarding a drop in BM
>supply at 4 months. As Per, Counseling the Nursing Mother, By Judith
>Lauwers and Candace Woessner, Page 136, "The the milk yield of a
>well-nourished woman will rise steadly from birth to six months and then
>begin to decline slowly." Here are their average yields of breast milk.
>.
> Month Postpartum Volume(oz/day)
> 0 20.3
> 1 26.5
> 2 28.4
> 6 27.8
> 6-12 18.6
> 12-24 15.2
>
This is interesting. Where, I wonder, did they get these figures from? From
extrapolation or calculation of some sort, or from actual measurements?
Peter Hartmann has found (as an aside when studying breast storage
capacities, etc) that in the mothers he follows (about 1 to 6 months), they
find that milk intake volume of individual babies stays relatively constant
over the months. We discussed some of this earlier on Lactnet (at about
April '96) when talking about growth spurts, and I came to the
understanding that growth spurts are temporary increases in intake, at a
time of faster growth, but that the level drops back to 'normal' after this
phase passes. A bit like teenagers suddenly wanting to eat more, and then
when you buy up big to stock the pantry, they go back to 'normal' again!
This still doesn't really address the original question about apparent
failing supply at 3-4 months, I know. I think Lisa M may well be on the
right track with her explanation of mothers who are relying on the
endocrine control in the first few months, and perhaps not feeding truly
'according to need' (what you call 'demand feed'). It is not actually
something that I have come across with mothers, yet, although I am familiar
with the 'distractions stage' and the presumed taste changes associated
with menses, ovulation or pregnancy (ie hormonal) causing
refusal/fussiness.
Joy Anderson IBCLC, NMAA Breastfeeding Counsellor
Perth, Western Australia
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