Signs Your Milk Supply Is Dropping (Real And False) And How to Restore It

It is difficult to find a breastfeeding mom who has never asked herself this wrenching question: is my milk enough for my baby? Indeed, what are the signs of insufficient milk production? The problem of a low milk supply is real, and some moms wish they had panicked earlier and hadn’t starved their little ones by standing their “breast is best” ground. The good news is that the actual low milk supply is much less common than the perceived one. Often, moms lose confidence in their milk supply after hearing other moms’ breastfeeding failure stories. Or they may get nervous about returning to work and continuing breastfeeding. Whatever your case is, sound knowledge is always better than overthinking. In this post, we will look at some actual and false signs your milk supply is dropping to help you reclaim peace of mind and make informed decisions.

Do you really have a low milk supply or are you just overthinking it?

Women are emotional creatures, and breastfeeding makes them even more so. Natural and intuitive, breastfeeding often goes smoothly until someone third intrudes into the harmony. Say, you hear that a fellow mom is struggling with a sudden decrease in milk supply at two months and has to supplement with formula, and… it shatters your bliss.

What if you miss something out, and your baby is constantly undergetting your breast milk? How can you be sure your milk is enough and your baby develops as they should? 

Low supply anxiety may prompt mothers to supplement too early when the child doesn’t need it. This jeopardizes the much-desired exclusive breastfeeding. The mom appears in the top-up trap when she has to top up with formula more and more for every feed because her milk supply decreases in response to the baby’s lower demand due to supplementing.

Breastfeeding is a tough journey with its ups and downs. Sometimes milk rivers dry out indeed, and supplementing is the best option for your baby while you work on restoring your supply.

These reliable signs your milk supply is dropping will help you keep a cool head and act in your baby’s best interest. After all, fed is always best.

2 real signs your milk supply is dropping

While you may find varying information, the assumption of low milk supply should be based on these two factors only:

Sign your milk supply is dropping #1: Weight gain

A baby gains less than normal or loses weight (after the initial loss that usually happens after birth) AND the issues hindering breastfeeding (such as a bad latch or tongue tie) are eliminated. 

Here’s how you can know the problem’s in the latch:

Sign your milk supply is dropping #2: Diaper count

A baby makes less than six wet diapers a day (poos and pees). Other signs of dehydration that may point to the milk supply problem are the baby’s dark urine, dry skin/mouth, or fast (shallow) breathing. 

If both signs are present, a weighted feed method can be used to validate the assumptions about the decreasing milk supply. The method involves weighing the baby in a clean diaper right before and right after breastfeeding. The difference shows the amount of breast milk a baby consumes in one feeding. 

The weighted feed is an accurate method. Still, it is a snapshot of only one feeding and not the whole breastfeeding situation. Therefore, it should be used only in conjunction with the main two signs your milk supply is dropping (weight gain and diaper count). 

False signs your milk supply is dropping

We refer to these signs as false because they MAY or MAY NOT indicate milk supply insufficiency, given their highly individual nature.  

These symptoms are not to be ignored, though. They are for further analysis and discussion with your doctor or lactation consultant. We only emphasize that they are insufficient for the decreased milk supply assumption.

1. Baby’s irritation and dissatisfaction after nursing

Such behavior is usually treated as a sign your milk supply is dropping. If a baby cries and fusses after feeds, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are hungry. Other reasons for fussy behavior can be teething, colics (which by the way may be caused by overfeeding), or caffeinated drinks the mom consumed before feeding. You must be 100% sure it is a hungry cry to assume a drop in milk supply.

2. Low pump output

The amount of milk you can extract by pumping cannot be a supply indicator. Pump output can be scarce for other reasons, such as the wrong pumping technique or a weak response of a breast to pumping, which is normal if your breasts are new to pumping. After all, pumping is not the same as a baby’s sucking. You need to teach your breasts to respond to the pump first.

3. Shorter nursing

If your baby spends less time on your breast than before, you may suspect a drop in milk supply. However, fast nursing can also be a sign that your infant has become a more efficient eater (the latch improved, the breast is better stimulated, so the milk flows faster). 

Different babies have different sucking “tempers”, so the time spent on a breast is very individual. Some babies would suck for ages getting very sleepy at that while others would eat fast and then stare at you like asking, “What’s next, mom?” My fourth baby would usually eat his portion of milk in four minutes, and he gained more than normal.

4. Soft breasts

When the post-birth engorgement is gone, moms may think they stopped producing milk. That’s not true. 

If your breasts become softer (less full), it usually means that your lactation is in its mature stage. Your body learned your baby’s needs, and now it produces the right amount that accurately meets your baby’s demand. 

What is more, most of this mature milk is being produced while you feed as a response to the let-down reflex, so you don’t have to carry all the milk in your breasts all the time. Isn’t this great?

5. More frequent nursing

If your baby wants to be fed more often, this can be due to the growth spurts when a child requires more food to keep up with their body’s growing demand. The breasts normally react to a higher demand (more frequent stimulation) with a higher supply. 

Some babies may use their moms as pacifiers. In this case, frequent requests for comfort feeding shouldn’t be interpreted as a supply issue.

Should you take the signs your milk is dropping seriously?

Knowing the actual signs your milk supply is dropping saves you from panicking too early and harming it with a premature intervention.

However, if you really think your milk supply might be in trouble, read my post on the sudden decrease in milk supply where I explain what causes it and how to restore your breast milk production safely and naturally.

If you loved this post about the signs your milk supply is dropping, more breastfeeding inspiration awaits:

Sudden Decrease in Milk Supply: Why It Happens And How to Bounce Back

Cluster Pumping Guide: All You Need to Know to Unlock Abundant Milk Flow

8 Powerful Drinks to Help Milk Supply Naturally (#1, 4, and 6 Are Mom Favorites!)

Stressed Out Mom? Try These 9 Simple Mindset Shifts for Inner Calm and Outer Order