I have a 7.5 month old boy who has always been a fantastic nurser. I had a HUGE supply for months until it regulated around 5 months, and he is/was in the 98th percentile for weight. My supply has been a bit lower as of late because he and his sister have gotten two separate viruses this month, plus he started wanting to go 3-4 hours between nursing sessions. I also an an anxious person and have had let-down issues for a while, but always managed to pull through.
Well, a few days ago the whole family got really, really sick. He was the least affected but has been stuffy/coughing now for at least 3 weeks (don't worry, we have seen the dr several times) but is getting better. I had it bad, with fever, congestion and diarrhea/appetite loss over the past few days. And my older daughter got VERY ill and had to go to the hospital one night, so I have been very stressed. This has all caused my supple to tank so much that my breasts never feel full and I am struggling to keep Rory interested in the breast. I know I am supposed to pump after feeds or if he is not nursing for several hours, but we have found out that he WILL NOT take a bottle or sippy of milk under any circumstances. So how can I pump and then have empty breasts for him in case he decides to nurse at the next opportunity? I can't get my head around this. Also, since I obviously laid down hefty prolactin receptors early in his life, can I expect my supply to rebound pretty well once I am healthy, even if he keeps going 4-5 hours between feeds? Thank you. This has been the worst week of my life.