Thanks to empowering movements that have brought the act of breastfeeding out in the open and onto the public "stage," there's a slew of information about breastfeeding. It's kind of awesome, especially for new mothers. However, when it comes to dealing with undersupply, it feels like there's less information readily available, unless you're looking to buy teas and cookies. Sadly, the things no one tells you about undersupply are, arguably, the things every new, breastfeeding mom absolutely needs to hear.
I'm one of those weird cases that actually went from oversupply to undersupply very quickly, due to my daughter's poor latch (the first time around). It was frustrating and shocking, to go from one extreme to another. On top of that initial shock and frustration, my daughter was dropping off the growth curve dramatically and for no apparent reason. I tried everything, and eventually settled on taking the maximum dose of Domperidone, a drug that was actually designed for stomach issues, but doubles as a galactagogue. It's a drug that is readily prescribed by doctors in Canada (at least in Toronto, where I'm from) for undersupply.
In the end, I got off relatively "easy," and was able to boost my milk supply successfully. I know lots of moms who ended up supplementing with formula, though, and the guilt and anger that these women experience (because they feel external pressure to live up to certain expectations the establishment has on how to feed your baby) is enormous, to say the very least. If you're struggling with undersupply, know that you are not alone. Remember that you're doing your best, and your baby will still grow into an incredible human being, no matter what the outcome of your breastfeeding experience is. So, with that in mind, here are 10 things no one tells you about undersupply, but I will: