grief/ shock and milk supply drop???????

[@llli*lupylu]

My father was ill and passed away within the week last week- I was with him for 3 days and my hubby looked after our nine month old daughter- I came out of the hospital 3 times a day to nurse her and slept with her all night but this was quite distressing time for us all- she may not have fed as much as she did at home- anyway we are home and now organising the funeral- I feel numbish but going through the motions everyday except her nappy output has dropped and I just don't feel like I have milk or that she is swallowing like she used to. I haev been offering her a cup of milk with every meal (having nursed her first as per usual) which she is refusing adn last night she was sucking for hours so I did put some expressed milk in a bottle but she refused that too.

So does grief/ shock affect a supply? Does anyone have experience of this or of their baby dropping liquid intake and it then sorting itself out??????
It's taken me 6 and half months of pumping and suppllementing to get her breastfeeding ( I had thyroid issues- she undiagnosed tongue tie) and we finally got it together at 6 and a half months now I feel we've taken a huge step back
Please help!

[@llli*miniwo]

Sorry for your loss mama
My only advice which I know everyone here will say is keep offering the breast as much as you can.
As far has diaper output, my DD just went through a spell where they weren't as full as what they normally are and it made me very worried too but it was just a phase and now things are back to the norm.
Babies can sense when things are wrong and once you are able to get back to your normal, I think your LO will too.
Hang in there!

[@llli*kmanih]

so sorry for your loss, too. it must be tough. s

i agree with miniwo. babies are so sensitive. perhaps your supply is fine, but your baby senses that you are sad (even if you put on a brave face for her) and doesn't eat as well. breastfeeding is such a close relationship. my baby can sense my moods too and reacts accordingly...

also, my baby's diaper output started to diminish at around this time (she is also 9 months). she's feeding fewer times a day (eats solids twice a day) so has fewer wets. my dr said it's normal for their food consumption to go a little down at this point as the growth rate slows in comparison with the first 6 months.

having said all of this, it is also possible at the same time that your supply took a hit. hormones regulate our supply AND our moods and it's hard to keep things separate. the break in the feeding routine might also affect how much she takes from each feed. but even if your supply has lowered, you might still be able to build it back up. i don't know about every mom, but for me--now that the supply has been well established--some days when production is a bit slower, if i nurse more often and longer, production goes up again a couple of days later. other moms here in the forum might have more feedback on this, as this is my first LO and that's all the experience i have.

i guess grief is a part of life and there's no way around it, but babies are resilient. hope you can find some solace in this difficult time.