Can certain foods cause low supply

[@llli*mamat]

I'm struggling with low milk supply. Can certain foods contribute to or cause low milk supply? I ate alot of cabbage this week. My milk has been slowly getting worse, but this week has been the lowest milk production I've seen while pumping at work.

[@llli*manitobamommy]

http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/herbs_to_avoid/

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

I don't see cabbage on that list....

How often are you pumping? For how long? How often are you nursing at home? Do you nurse overnight? How old is baby? Have you started your period? Any new medications, especially birth control pills, or over-the-counters?

[@llli*manitobamommy]

well, it was just a list of herbs. I tried to find a list of foods more generally but failed. Sorry - nak. I haven't heard anything about cabbage in terms of eating. It is supposed to help with the pain of engorgement by placing on the breast, but I don't know whether it actually does anything to reduce the milk or is just soothing. My assumption was the latter.

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

I just did some more looking too. Everything I can find about cabbage is about putting it on the breast to relieve engorgement or help dry up milk during weaning (again, by putting leaves on the breast), but I can't find anything that actually eating cabbage is a problem. I guess if you feel like it could be the culprit, you can avoid it and see what happens. But the best cure for low supply is usually to increase demand - either nurse more, pump more, or both. (Again, assuming it's not something like a medication or your period. And I forgot to mention pregnancy in my post above).

[@llli*mamat]

I don't see cabbage on that list....

How often are you pumping? For how long? How often are you nursing at home? Do you nurse overnight? How old is baby? Have you started your period? Any new medications, especially birth control pills, or over-the-counters?

LO is 6 mos. I just started nursing and/or pumping every 2-3hrs at home yesterday. working mom. pumping 3/day at work during the week. Started my period last week. thought it stopped last night, but it continued today. No medications. Saw the pediatrician yesterday for LO's 6 month check up. she recommended pumping/nursing every 2-3 hrs., fenugreek, no caffeine, less stress, mother's millk tea 4/day, more water, 200+ calories/ day. I was night nursing at midnight and letting LO sleep until he woke around 5 or 6am.

I'm already a big water drinker. I have very little caffeine. She asked if I'd changed anything in my diet. When I got home, I remembered I had quite a bit of cabbage this past week, which isn't typical; hence the question.

[@llli*mamat]

i'm getting really worried. LO has had 2 wets and 2 dirties in 17 hrs. Normally has 5-6 wets and 1-3 dirties a day. I'm pumping after I nurse and Im only getting 1/2 oz on each side

I'm nursing and/or pumpming evey 2.5 to 3 hours. Haven't started the fenugreek yet.

I need some encouragement.

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

It's common for supply to drop just before you get your period (in some cases, starting when you ovulate) and lasting a few days into it. Sometimes quite dramatically. So I think that could definitely be a big part of it. Calcium/magnesium supplements may help. But usually supply picks back up again after a few days. In the meantime, frequent nursing is a good idea. Given the low number of diapers you may want to supplement with your pumped milk (or frozen milk, if you're not happy with the diaper output) until your supply picks up again. Which it will! Also, for me, I don't consistently have the supply drop each time I get my period. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Just to say that this may not happen every time.

[@llli*mamat]

My supply finally picked back up. Thanks to everyone for the help and support!

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

Yay! Glad to hear it.