Tag: periods

Why does my breast milk supply drop during my period?

- Julie Matheney

Did you know that many of us will notice a supply drop right before our period is going to start and lasts through the period? This is caused by hormone shifts in your body. As supply dips, the milk flow slows. Research shows that the composition of breast milk changes around ovulation (mid-cycle). The levels of sodium and chloride in the milk go up while lactose (milk sugar) and potassium go down. So, the breast milk becomes saltier and less sweet during this time. Some babies become frustrated with this change. They may grab the nipple with their mouth and shake their head back and forth. Pop on and off the breast. Knead or beat the breast with their hands or become extra fussy at the breast. They may even cluster feed and act as if they’re still hungry. They’re trying all the strategies to get your milk to flow how they prefer.

Also around the time of ovulation and just before the start of your period, estrogen and progesterone levels change which can affect your breasts and your breast milk. When estrogen and progesterone levels go up, it can make your breasts feel full and tender.

Higher estrogen levels can also interfere with milk production. Studies also show that calcium levels in the blood go down after ovulation. The lower level of calcium may also contribute to the drop in the milk supply. Lower levels of calcium may also cause your nipples to feel sore, making breastfeeding during your period uncomfortable or sometimes painful.

This is a temporary dip but can be surprising the first time it happens. Remember: this dip can happen once or twice before you actually have a period as your hormones are shifting back into baby making mode. If your baby is older than 6 months and eating lots of solids, you may not notice a difference. The strongest behaviors are seen under 6 months when babies need an exclusive milk diet. You may also notice the dip if you’re a pumper.

Having your period start again may not have any effect on your baby or your milk supply. Some babies continue to breastfeed well. Others will not like the taste of the breast milk or the drop in the amount of breast milk that can happen when your period returns. Your baby may:

  • Become fussier than normal
  • Want to breastfeed more due to the lower milk supply
  • Breastfeed less because there is less breast milk and it tastes different
  • Nursing strike

What can you do about it? Knowing it can happen is the first step. Stay well hydrated and eat quality nutrition. Many find adding in a calcium/magnesium supplement (1000mg of calcium/500mg magnesium per day split into 3-4 “doses”) can help combat the drop. Others find adding in lactation specific herbs or supportive foods help. Iron rich foods like dark leafy greens and red meat and milk making foods like oatmeal, almonds and fennel can really help. Keep offering the breast or pumping frequently. It will get better and your supply will come back up as soon as your hormones shift again after your period. It usually only lasts a few days.

Word to the wise: You can release an egg from your ovary (ovulate) before your period returns. If you’re involved in an intimate relationship, and you’re not using birth control, you can get pregnant again without ever getting your first period even while you’re breastfeeding. If you notice a very drastic drop in milk supply, consider taking a pregnancy test.

Pumping Log: back to normal.

- Julie Matheney

Us pumping mamas tend to freak out about how much we pump. Can I get an amen?!? When our supply drops we freak the freaky freak out.  But what if we weren’t pumping. Would we actually notice any of these drops, or what our babies just happily do what they do and not even give us education that something has changed? Would we even have periods because we would be exclusively nursing And supply changeseould be a non issue? Yesterday I took my deep breaths and talked myself off the “I have no milk” ledge. Today my period is officially over. And low and behold my milk supply is back up. Remember, hormones do funny things to our bodies. Do what you can but don’t freak out over every little change. Stay the course. Love yourself. Love your body.

Pumping Log: periods and breast milk

- Julie Matheney

While we may affectionately call them jugs, breasts do not work like standardized cartons of milk. As I already discussed in specious post, the volume of breast milk pumped during the day varies by many factors. If stress and eating and hydration and life aren’t enough to alter your milk supply, Mother Nature throws in another curve ball. Once your period returns, hormones also impact your breast milk production. A few days before our periods start, our blood calcium levels drop. This drop in blood calcium can cause two things to happen

  • It can cause a drop in milk supply. Not every women experienced this, by side notice that starting a few days before their periods, their milk supply drops a bit. This lasts until a few days after the period has started.
  • It can slightly change the flavor of your milk. Again, this isn’t true for everyone. But Aunt Flo can slightly alter the flavor of your milk, making it less palatable for your baby. This alteration starts a few days before your period, and lasts until a few days after your period has begun.

The result? If your pumped milk is looking a little lean, you may just be about to ride the crimson tide. Make sure you’re eating a week balanced diet with foods rich in calcium when you start PMS’ing. Chocolate is high in calcium, right? Happy pumping.

PS this picture is from my morning pump. My baby started on the right side this morning and didn’t really want anything to do with the left side. See the difference?