6 Surprising Reasons For Low Milk Supply

I had one of the toughest days of motherhood thus far. My baby boy refused to sleep ALL DAY and only wanted to cry. No matter what I did throughout the day, getting him to close his eyes was beyond a struggle. The rare moments he would finally close his eyes and start to dream it would only last about 20 minutes before the screaming began again. For hours and hours, this went on.

At one “nap time,” I jumped out of the shower after only being in there for thirty seconds because he woke up screaming. Another “nap time” I tried to make lunch. The oven hadn’t even finished preheating before he woke again.

I should add that my baby has just started rolling on his own. Sometimes he gets stuck on his tummy, get’s scared, and cries bloody murder until you help him. Thus, I go to him to make sure he OK and not stuck.  Only once on this day did I find this to be a reason for his crying. All other times I was dumbfounded by the incessant crying, all day.

I understand when people suggest letting the baby “cry it out” and fall asleep. I’ve had those moments, sometimes they truly just need to let out a good cry in order to fall asleep. But this wasn’t one of those times. The crying never ceased. He cried all day.

Factors From My Day

I surprisingly made it until 5 pm without crying myself.

At this moment he had just fallen asleep and the dog barked, waking the baby into hysterics. I nursed him and just as his eyes were getting heavy again I got a nose bleed. I tried to put him into his crib as fast yet as gentle as possible but I felt him waking up. I ran to the bathroom, fell into the door (which I learned does not have a doorstop) and the doorknob slammed straight into the wall, creating a hole. It was so loud he woke right up crying.

Around 9 pm he finally fell asleep. I ate and drank water (I chugged it) for what felt like the first time all day. Around 10 pm he had been asleep for a full hour for the first time all day. I decided it was time for bed myself. I got out my pump like I do every night before bed. Nothing came out. Either side. Once again I found myself crying.

What was happening? As if this day couldn’t get any more stressful for me, now I can’t pump out anything AT ALL. My stock in the fridge was already at an all-time low, especially after today. Now I have nothing to add to it.

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Factors Affecting Low Milk Supply

There are a lot of surprising factors that can negatively affect your milk’s let down. The first three listed below I can blame for contributing to my seriously low (nonexistent) let down. If you can’t relate to any of the reasons below, make sure you are using a top-rated breast pump. Your breast pump truly can make all the difference in the amount you produce. Or, talk to a lactation consultant if you are still struggling.

1. Stress

Stress can have a negative effect on your milk supply and output when pumping. Stress can affect let-down, causing you to barely produce when pumping.

2. Not Eating or Drinking Enough

What you eat and drink can not only affect your overall health but your milk supply as well. Eating well and drinking enough throughout the day can help encourage the output of your milk supply.

3. Not Enough Rest

Lack of sleep can hurt your milk supply. Finding times to rest with a baby can be a near to impossible task, but if you’re able to find a time to prop up your feet or shut your eyes — do it!

4. Too Much Caffeine

Chugging coffee all day to stay awake with a baby? Too much caffeine can hurt your milk supply. Try to cut down on the caffeine and drink more water throughout the day.

5. Illness + Medication

Feeling sick? Mom’s who come down with sickness can have a harder time producing enough when pumping. Also, some medications can lower your milk output.

6. Menstruation + Hormones

A temporary decrease in milk output can occur during your time of the month. This is due to hormonal changes in your body. Your milk supply can also drop if you are pregnant or you are on a hormonal birth control pill.

Conclusion

The following day was a complete 180 for me. I was not stressed, I properly ate and drank all day, and I got some much-needed rest, even if I wasn’t asleep I was relaxing more throughout the day. When it was time to pump I was able to do so without any issues and regain some of my stock in the refrigerator.

Make sure you are taking care of your physical and mental health. Neglecting one or both can truly have a negative impact on your milk output.

Good luck, Mama!

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