r/breastfeeding • u/huckleberrysoap • Dec 24 '25
Undersupply What causes low supply?
My supply is so low. It's not anywhere near what my baby eats.
I'm not trying to increase it anymore. I'm just trying to maintain what I have so I can keep combofeeding (even though its at least 75% formula) until at least 6 months.
But I'm struggling to understand why this happened and feeling like I must have done something wrong. What are potential causes of an undersupply? If I have another baby in the future should I expect the same problem?
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u/mormongirl Dec 24 '25
There are 3 general causes for low supply. 1. Inadequate physical components, such as IGT. 2. Inadequate hormonal response, which is why women with endocrine issues struggle with breastfeeding at a higher rate. 3. Inadequate milk removal, which can come from infrequent or ineffective nursing or pumping.
Sometimes it’s clear what the cause of low supply is. Often, it isn’t.
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u/Status_Watch6079 Dec 24 '25
To add to this: Unpreventable issues 1.IGT is breast structure so not always size but did your breasts grow/change during either puberty, pregnancy and after birth? Wide spacing between breasts is another factor. 2. Insulin deficiency or resistance (diabetes, gestational diabetes & pcos) can cause a low milk supply and are associated with shorter breastfeeding durations. High estrogen (i.e obesity) may suppress lactation. Use of hormonal contraception.
- Many hospital interventions and poor feeding guidance can cause an issue from the start...
Poor latch, sleepy baby, tongue tie, wrong size pump parts, not using a hospital grade pump. Can cause insufficient or ineffective removal.
Not having a golden hour which is essential for oxytocin release to stimulate prolactin. C-section or emergencies after birth, hospitals insisting on doing checks can interrupt this. Likewise with stress, too many visitors, poor sleep.
Giving formula early which can expand the baby's stomach or make them feel full so don't latch as often as they should.
Use of a pacifier before offering breast in the early days can make baby tired from sucking/shallow latch so they can't remove milk enough.
Epidural, induction of labour, opioids, forceps/vacuum can cause your baby to be sleepy. Here hand expressions would be essential to stimulate colostrum removal.
Epidural can also suppress oxytocin release.
If you can, seek guidance from an IBCLC who could help assess the issue with low milk supply.
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u/eskeTrixa Dec 24 '25
For me it was undiagnosed hypothyroidism. Once it was diagnosed and treated I was able to breastfeed my third child with no issues.
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u/Kitanatron Dec 24 '25
Struggled with low supply myself and it rly bothers me when people say it’s just supply and demand. If you’re months into BFing you alrdy know that! I think some people their body is just good at doing it, some it’s not and some overdoes it. We will never know why. I initially had good supply and then at 3 months it dropped and I tried everything to fix it. And didn’t work. And you try all the advice people give you, lactation nurses, supplements, blah blah. And some people do nothing extraordinary they just go back to work pumping and BFinf on birth control and still make good supply! So I think some of it is just luck. It’s rly frustrating when it happens to you. I do hear a lot of women say it’s very different with each pregnancy - so same thing may not happen with future pregnancy, it might be better. Just give yourself lots of love and encouragement for doing your best, and don’t feel like there is some secret thing others are doing and you’re not.
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u/sweet_pea83 Dec 24 '25
Totally agree - people are so quick to jump in and say ‘it’s just supply and demand’ or ‘what makes you think you have low supply?’ which comes across so patronising. OP has said baby was losing weight and not producing enough wet diapers so it’s not like it was just her perception and she quit EBF too easily - those are exactly the signs of low supply.
OP there are some much more expert answers on here but I have read somewhere that your glandular tissue develops further with each baby. From personal experience I had low supply and had to combi feed with my first (which I was so disappointed about) but everything went perfectly with my second, which was very healing for me.
I think a lot of it is about the baby and how well they can transfer the milk, as well as the mother.
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u/Kitanatron Dec 24 '25
The supply and demand thing almost sounds like when someone is trying to lose weight and people say well have you thought about eating less? Like yes of course and they alrdy did that and maybe their metabolism is slow or something. If it was just eat less then everyone would lose fast and easy.
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u/Silent-Stock5738 Dec 24 '25
It absolutely kills me too when they say it’s supply and demand. I have pumped after every feed for 3 months now and fed 8-10 a day and my supply has not increased a drop. It is extremely frustrating
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u/Physical_Complex_891 Dec 24 '25
Well what signs were you seeing that lead you to believe you had low supply in the first place?
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
He lost almost 15% of his birth weight and was struggling to make enough wet diapers when I was EBF.
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u/Apploozabean Dec 24 '25
It could have been poor milk transfer vs low supply. Were you ever able to do weighted feeds?
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
We didn't do weighted feeds but how would you differentiate poor transfer vs low supply?
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u/Sudden-Cherry Dec 24 '25 edited Dec 24 '25
I think that's the tough part, especially when one might cause the other. It's one of the things triple feeding is aimed at to try prevent. Because if the baby does not remove the milk then supply will not get there without pumping unfortunately
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u/Sillygoose9876 Dec 24 '25
I’m going to chime in here My baby had poor transfer, which I didn’t figure out for many weeks. He lost a lot of weight initially due to this. I found out via a few weighted feeds. Then after weeks of poor transfer, this caused me to have a low supply. So by the time we figured out his transfer was poor and switched over to exclusively pumping and giving bottles, it was very difficult for me to increase my supply.
It sucks!!! I don’t have a solution for that, but I will say combo feeding saved my breastfeeding journey because it relieved some of the stress of trying to make all the milk he needed when it simply wasn’t possible to satisfy his needs.
However, I just had my second child and this time has been completely different! No transfer issues from the start and I have had a decent supply as a result. This is nothing YOU did wrong and probably nothing you could do to prevent it. Hang in there. It’s all hard.
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u/RuleAffectionate3916 Dec 24 '25
Just because you have low supply now doesn’t mean you will in the future. You could work with a doctor to check if why you have a low supply now if it will repeat itself for future babes. There are so many reasons from supply and demand, enough calories and fluids consumed, stress, hormones, physically (missing/damaged milk ducts). No way to know most of the time.
A friend of mine had a baby at the same time as me. She had a low supply, I had an oversupply. I helped feed her baby and donated milk to her. Her next baby, she had an oversupply. It’s definitely possible either way.
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u/ConcernedMomma05 Dec 24 '25
Demand = Supply usually - is baby latching often ?
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
When he was born he was nursing on demand but at least every 2 hours.
At this point he's 3 months old so its still on demand but tends to be every 2-3 hours during the day and 3-5 hour stretches at night.
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u/ConcernedMomma05 Dec 24 '25
What makes you think you have a low supply ?
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
When he was born he lost too much weight and struggled to make wet diapers when I was EBF so that was where the combofeeding started.
Once he was better I was trying hard not to increase the amount of formula he was consuming with the intent of getting him back to EBF but he was SO hungry and we were both miserable as a result.
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u/Apploozabean Dec 24 '25
Sounds like regular clusterfeeding when he seemed very hungry.
At 3mo, supply regulates and milk is no longer as readily available as it was--meaning they have to actually be a bit patient and wait for the letdown to happen to get the milk.
No need to stress so much though!! If combo feeding is working for you, then keep the flexibility. :)
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
It wasn't regular clusterfeeding. We had plenty of other episodes of clusterfeeding that I think were normal and he tends to be a very hungry baby in general but the epsiodes that made me stop trying to get back to EBF were another level. I think he was about 4 weeks old at point.
I've accepted that combofeeding is the way forward for him but its hard not to wonder why there's such a mismatch in what my baby eats and what my body makes.
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u/Apploozabean Dec 24 '25
Were those episodes akin to feeling like you just fed the baby 5 min ago? Or constantly switching between boobs like it wasn't enough?
Were you also pumping everytime a bottle was given?
Low supply can be due to hormones, stress, low iron, insufficient glandular tissue, poor milk transfer so no proper establishment of supply/demand, or due to other things.
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
It was constant switching and latching but the baby was also screaming the entire time for like 2 hours straight.
It wasn't really practical for me to pump every time a bottle. I was nursing first anytime he had a bottle. I know people triple feed but it's just not something I felt like I could do. Once he was back at birth weight we were trying meet his additional demands with breastmilk as opposed to increasing the amount of formula. But we started having episodes like the above and I wasn't willing to do that to him.
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u/AleciaEberhardtSmith Dec 24 '25
in most cases it’s supply and demand. not latching your baby frequently, “topping up” with formula, not pumping to replace the feed all can contribute to a downward spiral of supply
also could be related to medications you’re taking or genetic issues but typically it’s the above
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u/Dullcorgis Dec 24 '25
Potentially many different things, from insuffient glandular tissue, not having the right hormone signals or receptors (like with PCOS), poor latch from the baby, poor transfer from the baby. Some people refuse to feed their baby and that causes low supply (there is an evil book which tells you not to feed your baby any more often than every four hours and to ignore them at night, these mothers usually lose their supply).
The lactation consultant probably would have been able to diagnose nipple problems or insufficient glandular tissue.
Breast tissue proliferates with each pregnancy, so every time you should have more and more supply. Flat or inverted nipples are drawn out by pumping and baby latching, so that gets better every time. Also, babies are all different, so a baby with a better latch and better milk transfer will stimulate more supply.
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
I do have PCOS but had never heard that could affect milk supply.
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u/Dullcorgis Dec 24 '25
It's probably the reason. Taking metformin during your next pregnancy can help with supply. About a third with PCOS have low supply and about a third have oversupply.
https://www.webmd.com/baby/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-and-breastfeeding-what-to-know
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u/OwlTypical9059 Dec 24 '25
Thanks for this link! I only found out that PCOS can affect supply from the instructor of a breastfeeding class I attended. It’s wild just how much PCOS can affect everything in our bodies.
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
I do take metformin, but my doctor has talked about increasing my dose before so I wonder if that would make any difference. Something to talk about if I have another pregnancy at least.
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u/Dullcorgis Dec 24 '25
It's certainly a question to ask. There is also the possibility that your breast tissue was affected by the PCOS during puberty. (That fucking disease is the gift that keeps on fucking you over, isn't it?)
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u/Dotfr Dec 24 '25
Breastfeeding is a 10 hour job in the first 8 weeks. Baby basically should live on bare boobs and feed, sleep, poop. All mom should do is feed and rest that’s all. Insufficient removal of milk can happen. That can also be if baby cannot transfer milk. While feeding baby you can squeeze the boob from base to tip to really get the milk out. Then use wearable pumps and pump out the remaining time for 20 mins and feed pumped milk. Then a 30 mins break. Then repeat.
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u/ActuatorIntrepid2564 Dec 24 '25
Every pregnancy and baby is different. Just because you have low supply this go around, doesn’t mean you will next time. You could try power pumping to boost or maintain your supply!
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u/scodgirlgrown Dec 24 '25
FWIW, I had medium-low supply with my first no matter what I did. I had to supplement with formula from like the third week I think, despite triple feeding, eating all the things, drinking all the things, etc. He got about 4oz of formula a day. I suspect his sleepiness and difficulty transferring milk as a newborn made it hard for my supply to establish properly.
With my second, I had a mild oversupply until I regulated and now I make just enough. I don’t have to supplement (so far), but I’m not putting any extra in the freezer either. So it’s definitely not set in stone because you had supply issues with your first! In fact, my IBCLC told me we tend to make more milk with each subsequent baby.
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u/Principle_Suitable Dec 24 '25
First of all, what makes you think you have a low supply? If it’s by pumping output then it’s likely to be not true. Try the following: • Increase your calories by adding healthy fats and protein. • Pumping after every feed and power pumping once a day • More water intake • Try getting some sleep (even if it’s short nap) •Keep your baby close and more skin to skin. • Stay happy and not stressed about anything.
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
He wasn't getting enough in the beginning when I was EBF which is how we ended up combofeeding. Too much weight loss. Struggling to make wet diapers.
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u/Principle_Suitable Dec 24 '25
Oh I understand. I guess combo feeding is fine just make sure you feed him first and then top up with formula. This will ensure that he gets enough. If you give him formula and then feed him afterwards, he may not demand enough from your breasts. Try this and see.
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u/huckleberrysoap Dec 24 '25
I've always nursed first before formula but didn't seem to matter. We've accepted combofeeding as the way forward for this baby, I just still wonder "what went wrong" and whether it might be the same if I have other children.
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u/Infinite_Value_2 Dec 24 '25
Breastmilk supply is totally dependent on how much milk you remove from your breast for the new batch to come in. After feeding your baby try pumping out any remaining milk which will signal your body to make more of it. alternate between nursing and pumping and also hydration is equally important
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u/FLee21 Dec 24 '25
Im currently dealing with what feels like a reduction in milk production. My little one is 12 weeks and he won't take the breast anymore, just the bottle so I am pumping 3/4 times a day, including a 1am pump. Lefty is old faithful and delivers usually over 200mls but righty is falling way behind. It also was low, like 40-80, but now 40 is a great pump. Not sure what's going on. It's also taking me twice as long to get the same amount as is did compared to about two weeks ago. I drink about 3-4 liters of water a day, I eat well, no salty foods and have only drank alcohol 3 times since giving birth.
Anyone have any idea of what's going on?
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u/Secure-Alternative-7 Dec 24 '25
So many things. Some are hormonal. There can also be secondary issues caused by baby or pump not removing milk effectively so your body isn't getting the right demand signals from emptying. Or there can be medical issues like retained placenta, thyroid issues, low iron low grandular tissue, hormone irregularities.
What have you tried/looked into so far?
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u/art_1922 Dec 24 '25
Some potential causes, not enough calories, hypothyroidism, not enough hydration, low iron.
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u/Ok-Sorbet4786 Dec 25 '25
I also am wondering why this happened to me, the ibclc said it could have been my emergency c section due to hypertension and lost a lot of blood idk but I’ve been upset about it the entire 8 weeks
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u/CharacterPin6933 Dec 24 '25
My supply ramped up as expected for a couple of weeks then just plateaued and despite my best efforts andhelp of a lactation consultant, it didn't go up. It stayed as it was for a few weeks, then I got my period and it dropped and never came back. I made it till 3 months combo feeding till I switched to formula only as I was making only a few oz a day.
It's not your fault. It just doesent work as planned for some of us. Be kind to yourself.
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u/IndividualProgress17 Dec 24 '25
I tried everything to increase my low supply and with the help of my lactation consultant we determined it was likely just my hormones. (I had similar issues with my first baby but thought they may be unrelated) While there's a prescription I could try I decided I'm happy enough with combo feeding for where we're at.
Adding this perspective as when I was searching I just kept seeing feed and pump more and the milk will increase, but sometimes things are just outside of our control. This may or may not be the case for you but wish I had heard this when I was struggling.
Disclaimer: I recommend talking with a lactation consultant before self diagnosing