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Breastfeeding and Supply Drop on Whole30


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I need some help. I'm on day 20 and my supply has dropped. I'm BFing a 12 week old and a 2.75 year old (older one only nurses 1-2x a day). Assuming I'm drinking enough water, which I think I am, and BFing on demand and often, which I also am, what is the most important step to take to boosting my supply ASAP?

 

Is it more overall food? (I think I've probably under eatten a bit the last week or so due to just not having enough "approved" food around. I'd say I'm consistently eating 3 large meals and 1 snack, plus about 1/3 cup of coconut milk throughout the day.)

 

Is it starchy vegetables? (I eat some with almost every meal.)

 

Is it fat? Like I just might need more than the meal template calls for?

 

I'm will obviously try to improve in all of these areas, but I'm just wondering if there is one more essential place to focus, like on more starchy vegetables or more fat, for example? 

 

Thanks for any insight!

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For BFing ladies, the usual advice is to do 4 full meals a day, not 3 (even with a snack). That could have something to do with it. Each meal should be template, probably at the upper end (since you've got 2 kids nursing) for each. So more like 2 palms of protein and 2 thumbs of fat and as many veggies as you can stand.

 

Starchy veggies can help your supply, as can fat. Melissa Hartwig said she would sip her way through a whole can of coconut milk while nursing her son (only one baby) - 1/3 cup might not be enough for your needs with 2 littles.

 

Could you post what your meals look like so we can give you more specific advice? It's hard to give advice without seeing your actual intake. How much water are you drinking daily too? You say you think you're drinking enough, but you might not be (I have a friend who ended up in the hospital at 36 weeks as a result of her thinking that she only needed 2 liters of water per day...at 36 weeks...in El Paso, TX...in the summer...yeah...now she's having trouble with milk production but still isn't drinking much more than 3 liters per day...even though we're all begging her to drink more and eat more fats...).

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I struggled with my supply for a couple days and then increased how much I was eating at each meal and made sure to do starchy Veggies a couple times a day per the suggestions.I also have a few cups of herbal tea a day with canned coconut cream and that helps me get some good fat throughout the day.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm interested in this thread. I'm nursing a 6 month old and have never had supply problems but I have a high fat kefir smoothie for breakfast daily. I'm going to switch to eggs and veggies or eggs with meat and veggies (premade egg muffins for convenience) for Whole 30, starting in 2 days. I'm thinking I will also have avocado at breakfast to increase fat. But I'm worried without the high fat smoothie I won't be getting enough after reading this thread. Also how do you incorporate coconut milk if not in smoothies? I don't eat much fruit other than in my smoothie and I don't really want to start eating it just to eat with coconut milk.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Day 3 and already notice a supply dip. I'm at 3 template meals, a preWO and poatWO for the days I actually workout, and no snacks.

I've been going 5 hrs between meals so I'm going to shorten that to 4 and get a 4th meal in there. I've already been having a starch at every meal, too! And plenty of fats. And water, too.

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Day 3 and already notice a supply dip. I'm at 3 template meals, a preWO and poatWO for the days I actually workout, and no snacks.

I've been going 5 hrs between meals so I'm going to shorten that to 4 and get a 4th meal in there. I've already been having a starch at every meal, too! And plenty of fats. And water, too.

Yep, 3 meals isn't recommended for breastfeeding women.  At least four full meals and then you can also include mini meals in between if you need them.  We still don't want you "grazing" all day but the 3 meal a day recommendation isn't for you.  You can also try sipping on coconut milk during the day or eating larger quantities of olives/avocado in order to keep your fats up.

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EAT EAT EAT!!!

I'm now into something like day 90 on Whole 30, and have had no supply issues (LO is 12 months though, so it was already well regulated before I started) but seriously, tuck into the coconut milk (at least half a can a day!) and starchy veg (I'm eating a couple of servings of potatoes/yams every day, if not every meal). It's hard to wrap your head around after years of "CARBS ARE BAD" but I have lost almost 20lbs and feel effing awesome.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi all I'm also finding quite a drop in supply, I'm on day 10. Could someone please advise if I'm eating ok? I mean, I'm stuffed every meal and I'm eating lots of fats and sweet potatoes.

Meal 1 - sweet potato, 3 paleo sausages, sprouts, turnip and mayo.

Coconut milk coffee with about 1/3rd cup coconut milk - I have 3 or 4 of these a day

Meal 2- paleo burger (1 and a half or 2) with turnip, broccoli, sprouts, sweet potato and mayo

Meal 3- large sweet pot with steak and veg and half an avocado.

Snack- banana and almond butter

I don't even think I could eat another meal as I'm so full up, sometimes I snack on berries as well as the above. The mayo I have is at least 2 thumb sizes every meal, I honestly don't know what else to do.

I'm drinking 2 litres of water a day, which is a big achievement for me, and not doing any exercise. I have about 20 to lose

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Hi all I'm also finding quite a drop in supply, I'm on day 10. Could someone please advise if I'm eating ok? I mean, I'm stuffed every meal and I'm eating lots of fats and sweet potatoes.

Meal 1 - sweet potato, 3 paleo sausages, sprouts, turnip and mayo.

Coconut milk coffee with about 1/3rd cup coconut milk - I have 3 or 4 of these a day

Meal 2- paleo burger (1 and a half or 2) with turnip, broccoli, sprouts, sweet potato and mayo

Meal 3- large sweet pot with steak and veg and half an avocado.

Snack- banana and almond butter

I don't even think I could eat another meal as I'm so full up, sometimes I snack on berries as well as the above. The mayo I have is at least 2 thumb sizes every meal, I honestly don't know what else to do.

I'm drinking 2 litres of water a day, which is a big achievement for me, and not doing any exercise. I have about 20 to lose

Your meals look fine.  If you are finding that you are needing to snack inbetween meals, make it a mini meal of protein, fat and veggies.  Or at the very least, two of these macros (ie, protein and fat, protein and veggie).

 

Water is a huge part of milk making.  2L is great if you are 128 pounds and not breastfeeding.  Our recommendation is half your body weight in ounces....more if you are nursing.

 

You can also add more fat to your meals (more mayo, whole avocado) and you can sip on coconut milk during the day to keep your fats up too.

 

The amount of coffee you're drinking can also be contributing to your supply drop; consider cutting back and swapping some of those coffees out for more water.  Also resist drinking coffee before you eat a meal; it's an appetite suppressant so if you are already having trouble eating enough, the coffee isn't doing you any favours.  

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  • 1 year later...

I am on day 4 of my first postpartum whole 30. I am exclusively breastfeeding my 2 month old daughter. We have never had a supply issue, in fact I tend to have more than enough. I have started pumping in anticipation of going back to work at the beginning of August. Typically when I pump, I get 4-6oz. The last two days I've barely gotten 2oz. 

I'm staying well hydrated and am pretty confident in my meals (this is my 4th round.) I am eating three big meals and two mini meals. Meals so far look like this:

meal 1--2 eggs scrambled, 1-2 sausage patties, 1/4 avocado, 1 slice tomato, 1/2 sweet potato, peach, black coffee

meal 2--large salad w ground beef, sautéed peppers/mushrooms/onions, guacamole, salsa, olives

meal 3--chicken hash from whole 30 book, steamed broccoli/cauliflower/carrots

mini-meals--2 hard boiled eggs, olives, strawberries

or

smoothie with coconut milk and fruit, 2 hard boiled eggs (it's HOT here in Florida!)

I'm also still taking a prenatal vitamin prescribed by my OB  

anyone experience reduction in supply? What to do about it? 

 

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Increase your fat.  1/4 of an avocado isn't even a serving according to the template, we ask for half to a whole avocado for people who aren't breastfeeding...

Your Meal 3 has no fat.

This topic has been discussed at length in this forum and there are many posts of how to increase your supply, how/what to eat within the Whole30 etc... I"m going to merge your thread with a popular thread on the same topic to keep the forum tidy and help get you to a good thread of info.

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  • 6 months later...

Wondering if a moderator can weight in here. I have a 13 month old who is breastfed twice a day - morning and night. At this point he doesn't need the calories, I more want him to get the immune system benefits from nursing so I don't think I need the four full meals every day. Is three meals and a snack sufficient? I know I need a little more but I'm just not sure how much.

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4 hours ago, CGinDC said:

Wondering if a moderator can weight in here. I have a 13 month old who is breastfed twice a day - morning and night. At this point he doesn't need the calories, I more want him to get the immune system benefits from nursing so I don't think I need the four full meals every day. Is three meals and a snack sufficient? I know I need a little more but I'm just not sure how much.

Try three meals and a snack and see how you feel... if you're tired, dragging, starving, moody and you weren't when you were eating four meals, then back to four you go.

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