There are a couple things going on here.  

First 10hours sleep at night is a very long stretch.  It is possible that,
if baby wasn't nursing at least 8 times the other 14 hours that the milk
supply just couldn't hold on any longer and dropped accordingly.

Second, you mention she had an overactive letdown.  It is possible that baby
got used to 'living on let down' and wasn't actively driving the supply and
possibly hadn't been for several weeks.  I see babies who 'live on let down'
- the milk flows so fast all they need to do is open and drink.  They don't
'work' for their meal at all.  The breasts NEED to have the baby drive the
supply at some point - we all know this.  BUT - if baby gets used to NOT
working for his/her meal, they 'forget' HOW to work for the meal and when
mom's body can't drive its supply on its own any more...the supply drops -
and rapidly.  

Suggestions:  Herbs to increase supply.  Monitor baby's weight gain to
ensure adequate weight gain while working on supply.  Supplement as needed
to ensure adequate intake.  Continue to feed frequently - perhaps toss in
some pre/post weights to see what baby is actually doing.  Ask mom if the
suck feels loose and weak or strong.  If weak and loose - suck exercises to
tone up the mouth and tongue muscles.  If needed, add in pumping to give an
extra message to the body to get making milk.  Check for pregnancy - rule
out medications that can drop supply - rule out herbs that can drop supply.


Good luck with this one.  I have worked with many cases like this.  Always
challenging and so frustrating for mom...

Warmly,
Jaye

Jaye Simpson, IBCLC, CIIM
Breastfeeding Network
Sacramento, CA
www.breastfeedingnetwork.net

-----Original Message-----
From: Malke Joselevitz [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2010 7:46 PM
Subject: sudden loss of supply at 4 months.

A 30 year old mom, exclusively breastfed her previous 2 children and doing
fine with her 4 month old baby.  3 days ago her breast started  feeling
empty.  the baby was nursing every 3 hrs. during the day, and slept 10 hours
at night.  Now nursing every hour and a half day and night, and gets angry
while breastfeeding.  She doesn't hear him swallow much.  She is nursing on
demand, drinking lots of water and started taking fenugreek.  Her breast not
only feels empty of milk she says it looks hanging like an "old woman's
breast"  She can see some milk but not much.  Before this happend, she had
an overactive letdown.  Any ideas?  Thank you.

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