You may notice a drop in your breast milk supply at 6 months postpartum. In order to understand why this is happening and what is normal, you need to take into consideration several factors.
In this article, we will look at possible reasons for a drop in breast milk supply at this age as well as tips on how to improve milk supply.
Reasons for drop in milk supply
Normal breast milk production follows an expected pattern. However, various factors can impact a mother’s ability to produce an adequate supply of breast milk. It is important to understand these factors in order to maintain and improve milk production for successful breastfeeding.
In the early days, your baby should regain their birth weight by 2 weeks old and then the baby nurses 8-12 times per day in those first few weeks postpartum. Growth spurts will increase nursing frequency as well as breast milk supply for periods of time. In general, your baby will eat anywhere from 24-30 ounces of breast milk in a day for the first 1-6 months of their life.
As you get into a good pattern and routine with feedings, sometimes things can change that you might not realize. It is imperative that you understand some of the reasons why you might experience a drop in breast milk supply at 6 months of life.
1. Not emptying breasts often enough
One of the most important aspects of breastfeeding is ensuring that the breasts are emptied often enough to maintain milk supply. When the breasts are not emptied regularly, the body receives signals to produce less milk, which can lead to a decreased milk supply over time. This can also lead to engorgement, a condition where the breasts become overfull and uncomfortable. Additionally, not emptying the breasts regularly can increase the risk of developing mastitis, a painful inflammation of the breast tissue.
Maybe you returned to work several months ago and you started off with a good pumping routine. But now, your schedule is busier and you have been skipping pumping sessions or shortening them. Perhaps, your baby is sleeping for longer stretches at night or your routine has changed and maybe you dropped a feeding. Often, adding these pumping sessions or feedings back in will increase your supply back to baseline over time.
Knowing your magic number will help you to set your pumping and feeding goals and tailor them to your body.
2. Introducing Solid Foods
Introducing solids to breastfeeding babies might seem tricky at first, but it really can be stress free. At around 6 months of age, babies can begin to try some solid foods alongside breast milk. It is important to introduce new foods into your baby’s diet at this age because they will start to need extra nutrients. A particularly essential nutrient for babies between 4-6 months old is iron. As a pediatrician, I recommend introducing iron rich foods such as shredded meat, pureed green vegetables or iron fortified baby cereal as baby’s first foods.
However, it is important to note that breast milk should continue to be the main source of calories for the baby at 6 months, with solid foods being introduced gradually alongside milk feedings. As the baby grows, solid food can become a more significant part of their diet, but breast milk or infant formula should still be their primary source of nutrition until solid foods take their place between 9-12 months old.
As you introduce solid foods, you may notice a decrease in your milk supply if your baby is getting full from food. Be sure to offer breast milk before any meals of solid foods. Don’t change your breastfeeding frequency until your baby is a little bit older.
3. Maternal Hormonal reasons
Maternal hormonal changes can significantly impact breast milk supply. Starting hormonal birth control containing estrogen can lead to a decrease in milk production. Additionally, expecting ovulation or menstruation can also cause a temporary dip in milk supply. Furthermore, pregnancy can also affect milk production.
These hormonal changes can affect milk production by altering the levels of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production. Estrogen, for example, can interfere with the production of prolactin, leading to a decrease in milk supply.
To manage these hormonal changes while breastfeeding, it is important to stay informed about the potential effects of hormonal birth control, ovulation, menstruation, and pregnancy on milk supply. Consulting with a healthcare provider before starting any hormonal birth control is recommended. Keeping up with regular breastfeeding and pumping schedules, staying well-hydrated, and ensuring proper nutrition can also help maintain milk supply during times of hormonal fluctuations.
In some cases, women may want to consider alternative non-hormonal birth control methods to minimize the impact on milk supply. It is essential to communicate with a healthcare provider to find the best management strategy for maintaining milk supply while managing maternal hormonal changes.
4. Perceived low milk supply
Your breastfeeding journey is usually marked by unwanted advice from well meaning friends and relatives. Often this input can cause breastfeeding moms to doubt their milk supply when actually it is adequate for their baby.
There are many reasons why you might perceive that your milk supply is low when it is actually fine:
- Fussy babies: A baby can be fussy for lots of reasons
- Reduced feeding frequency or shorter feeding duration: Older babies are more often more efficient at the breast and can transfer larger volumes or milk in shorter periods of time.
- Softer breasts or not feeling heavy: Your body adjusts to your milk supply and this is not necessarily an indication of low milk supply.
- Decrease in pumping output: The baby is a much better “pump” than the electric breast pump. Often babies get larger breast milk output than can be extracted with a double pump.
If your baby is continuing to gain weight as expected, has a good volume of wet and dirty diapers and seems happy between feedings, likely everything is going well. Of course, you can always consult your baby’s pediatrician or lactation consultant if you still have concerns.
Three Tips to Increase Milk Supply
If you’re a breastfeeding parent who’s concerned about your milk supply, rest assured that there are several effective ways to help replenish it. By making some simple lifestyle changes and implementing specific techniques, you can increase your milk production and provide your baby with the nourishment they need.
From adjusting your diet to adding in more frequent nursing sessions, here are a few strategies to help boost your milk supply and ensure that you’re able to continue providing your little one with the best possible nutrition.
1. Add feeding or pumping session
When it comes to feeding or pumping sessions, the magic number is typically 8-12 times a day, including both day and night. It’s important to establish a consistent schedule to maintain milk supply. For working moms, pumping more often during the workday rather than longer sessions can help maintain milk production. Aim to pump every 2-3 hours for about 15-20 minutes each time.
Incorporating hands-on pumping techniques and breast compression can help maximize milk production and drainage. This involves using your hands to massage and compress the breasts while pumping, which can help stimulate letdown and improve milk flow. It’s also important to ensure that the breasts are fully emptied during each pumping session to stimulate increased milk supply. This can be achieved by continuing to pump for a few minutes after the milk stops flowing to fully drain the breasts.
If you are having trouble achieving a letdown during pumping sessions, you can watch a video of your baby, take one of their pieces of clothing to work with you or even just thinking about your little one will help.
2. Prioritize milk over food at 6 months
At 6 months, it is important to continue prioritizing breast milk over solid food for your baby’s nutrition. To do this, continue to breastfeed on demand to ensure that your baby is getting enough milk. This means feeding your baby whenever they show hunger cues, rather than sticking to a strict feeding schedule.
Additionally, consider pumping milk to maintain your breast milk supply, especially if you will be away from your baby for any length of time. This will also help to ensure that you have enough milk to continue breastfeeding on demand.
It’s important to monitor your baby’s weight and growth to ensure that they are getting enough milk. If you have any concerns about your baby’s milk intake or growth, consult with a pediatrician or lactation consultant for guidance.
3. Know what is normal
A 6 month old baby should gain 15-20 grams per day on average or around a half an ounce per day of body weight. Your baby should also continue to take between 24 and 30 ounces of breast milk per day at this age. This volume will start to decrease as they consume more solid foods. Breast milk is so magical that even though the amount decreases, the caloric content increases. As your baby ages, so does the content of breast milk in order to meet their nutritional needs.
If your breastfed baby is meeting these weight gain and volume markers, then they are on track. Likely, your breastmilk supply is just fine if these things are true.
How Can 127 Pediatrics Help You?
At 127 Pediatrics, we offer concierge level pediatric and breastfeeding care. If you are near Colleyville, Texas and would like to know more about our in person services, fill out a contact form on our website for a free meet and greet. If you are not close to our practice, but would like breastfeeding support, we offer an array of services. From free resources like this blog or our YouTube channel all the way up to paid resources such as our online breastfeeding overview course. We would be honored to be part of your breastfeeding journey.
© 127 Pediatrics, January 2024
Please note that this article is purely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as medical advice.
Dr. Andrea Wadley owns and operates 127 Pediatrics, a pediatric and lactation practice in Colleyville, TX. She specializes in pediatrics, breastfeeding medicine and offers house calls only. Additionally, Dr. Wadley is the owner of the 127 Pediatrics Online Breastfeeding Medicine and Education Center. We have many free resources for breastfeeding mothers. Subscribe to our YouTube channel or download a free breastfeeding checklist.
