Breastfeeding & the Flu - Dip in Milk Supply

Usually about 3 days or so. Good luck

I was once so sick all I did was take the baby from someone and hand her back. I would continue to nurse as often as possible, stay hydrated and try to get some rest. Supply = demand, so increase the demand. Hope you feel better soon. When you feel up to it, try oatmeal. I used to eat oatmeal cookies. I drank Mother's Milk tea several times a day instead of the pills. Added benefit is the liquid you seem to need right now.

I had the worst time. I made drops with my first child and took prescription pills to boost. Nothing. I finally called a spade a spade and making less than an oz for a day after 6 weeks i gave up!

Second child I started drinking Mothers Milk Tea (which I liked the taste of diff teas) and I could make a oz each time I pumped and my daughter would get some direct. But again after two weeks these breasts just would not make.

Later I found out that high stress durring pregency (move, marriage, death, loss of job, first child) all of which I experenced with in a year or having a large baby (my son was 9lb 1oz) could all be factors towards a woman not producing. Later finding out that one could exculsively breast pump.

I have also heard avoid mint(pepermint) but do eat lots of oatmeal and drink beer.

I just keep nursing my baby through a 10 day bought of the flu. She never caught it either and my milk supply just kept going and bounced back fine. Keep on nursing on demand and drinking lots of water.

I had this happen and then had to go back to work and start pumping 4 days per week. my ped told me to drink 2 milkshakes a day until my supply was back up - woo hoo! kidding aside, it worked - I kept my supply up and breastfed for many more months.

your body needs the calories and the liquid to make sufficient milk.

good luck.

It will take a few days for your body to really rehydrate. Keep drinking water and nursing and you'll be ok. It shouldn't take more than a week to get back to normal, if you are still taking any meds for the flu (antihistamines, sudefed) it will take longer. Glad you are feeling better!

If you are still taking decongenstants, that will supress your supply, too, so if you are taking, or took any, it will take a few days to get out of your system.

Also, it actually takes quite a few calories to fight off the flu. Not to mention, the 500 or so calories a day it requires to breastfeed. Add to that, that no one feels like eating when you've got the flu, and you've got a bit of a perfect storm, so don't neglect your fats and proteins over the next couple of days, in addition to paying attention to your water intake.

And personally, I found that blessed thistle worked better for me than fenugreek, anyway. Plus, I didn't smell like syrup anymore. (Fenugreek is the "natural flavor" in artificial maple syrup.) Some women also report that they seem to build up a tolerance to either of these, so I would start slow and build up.

I found hot cocoa helped my supply. Good luck!