Ladies and gentlemen, I need your advice! I have permission from the
worried mom in question to post this--with her grateful thanks for any
ideas or suggestions.
 Mom called me today. She is breastfeeding her second child who is a month
old today. She nursed her first child with joy, satisfaction and success
for 14 months.
This baby is a full term boy. He nursed well from the start even though he
is tongue-tied. He had a lactation visit with me when he was 4 days old and
was gaining weight, transferring a good amount of milk, not jaundiced and
causing no nipple pain at all. Everything seemed just fine.
The mom said today that he was evaluated by an ENT for the tongue-tie. His
frenulum will be clipped when he is 3 months old " so it won't interfere
with the feedings" (!!)He is healthy, nursing well and gaining weight.

In the past few days she has noticed a significant decrease in the milk
supply in her left breast. When she pumps, she can now only get a scant
amount--as compared to several ounces from the right side. At first, both
breasts produced an equal amount of milk. Her baby is now fussy at the left
breast, but nurses well on the right. He used to nurse well on both sides.
She reports that her breasts are equal in size and shape and always have
been. She has not had any breast surgery or trauma to either breast. She
has not had any signs or symptoms of mastitis. The only medication that she
is taking are prenatal vitamins. The left breast is not lumpy or painful or
reddened. She describes it as "soft and empty feeling". Her diet and
general health are excellent. She says that she can feel a "let down" on
the left side, but very little milk comes out ( when pumping).

What might be significant, is that she mentioned that the left breast
stopped producing milk a month or two before the right did when she nursed
her first child. But she recollects that she had plenty of milk from the
left side for about a  year.

She is a very determined and dedicated mom. She has already tried to boost
her supply by adding some pumping in addition to frequent nursing. She
always puts the baby to the left side first. So far, she has enough milk to
keep him happy and healthy and thriving, but she is getting worried.

I can't think what could be causing the drastic drop in milk supply on the
left side. Any ideas? Any other questions that I should ask her?

Thanks for your collective wisdom and encouragement.

Kirsten

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