Supply Regulating

James hit 13 weeks last Friday, and seriously at right around that time, I noticed a serious drop in how much I was able to pump.

My normal pump times had turned into 11/12 pm (after his last feed at 8 or so), and in the morning, after he ate from one breast, I would pump the other one. Sometime in the middle of the night he would also eat (from one breast).

Now lately he's been waking up more often for a last feeding between 9-11, and so I haven't really been able to pump in the evening, and almost overnight I am waking up with just the right amount of milk for him and not much extra.

At first I looked at this supply drop and I worried that my period was going to show up, or that something else was wrong, but then someone suggested (and I think they are right), that my supply is finally just "regulating".

What this means is that my amazing breasts now "know" that James doesn't eat much between 8am and 8pm. So just like that, my body is now making (for example) 20 oz of milk during the day but only 5-10 ozs at night.

Now this would be awesome (and it is actually awesome not to wake up to two rocks on my chest), except that normally I would be able to pump and freeze about 6-9 ozs of milk a day, and now it's been probably three days since I froze ANYTHING.

I know that I need to stick with it and just continue to pump in the evening and morning, even if I don't feel "full" or only get an oz or two a day. Eventually my body will get the signal that I still want a little more milk during those times.

Buuuut, I'm about to hit the road for my parents house for a few days, so I probably will just worry about it when I get home. ;-)

I'm still so impressed with how "smart" breastfeeding breasts are, though! It is the same concept that can help some working Moms breastfeed their baby during the evening but not have to pump during the day while they are at work. Your boobs just learn when your baby will eat and make milk then and only then. Pretty amazing!