Breastmilk Supply: Signs of Low Breastmilk Supply

When you become a mother, you find yourself immediately hardwired to worry about your child. One of the first worries you may experience as a new mom includes, “Is my milk supply enough for this baby?”

Breastmilk supply is demand-driven, meaning, the more breastmilk you remove from your breasts, the more breastmilk your body will make. Demand the breastmilk, receive the breastmilk. It’s a relatively simple concept in most cases. 

Commonly, mamas mistake typical and healthy newborn behavior as “low-supply.” 

Behavior that May Have You Fooled

Here are several behaviors that you may think are signs of low milk supply, but aren’t:

• Baby behaving fussy or whiny 
• Baby acting hungry more often (this is how your baby helps your body create more milk as they grow)
• Baby waking more frequently at night

While unpleasant, these behaviors are not indicators of low breastmilk supply.

Signs of a Low Milk Supply

Now, there are times that a mama’s milk supply may indeed be low; this is when assistance is needed. Some signs of a low milk supply include:

• Poor weight gain
• A decrease in wet and poopy diapers
• Dehydration in baby

These are all issues to be taken seriously. I recommend a consultation with an IBCLC (like myself) in cases such as these.

What Causes Low Supply

There is no shame in the low supply game. Many factors can cause a low breastmilk supply. These include:

• Supplementing with formula or donated breastmilk and not pumping to replace that feeding—this lowers the demand, hence the lower supply
• Bottle preference—a baby preferring a bottle for shape or ease
• Pacifier overuse—these can also affect latch
• Nipple shields—these can be a lifesaver but can affect nipple stimulation or milk flow
• Scheduled feedings—feed your baby whenever they are hungry
• Sleepy baby—in the beginning, your baby may just be too tired to start the letdown
• Stopping a feeding, rather than letting baby finish naturally
• Offering one breast per feeding before establishing your supply
• Mom’s health – see the list below

For Mom’s health, the following things can negatively affect supply:

• hypothyroidism
• retained placenta
• postpartum hemorrhage
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• breast injury/surgery
• anatomical problems
• medication—like Sudafed or Benadryl
• hormonal birth control
• smoking

Luckily, most of the low supply triggers can be resolved, and there is no reason why your supply cannot rebound or establish.