Stressed mom= no breastmilk?

Hi my daughter, Emma is 6 months old and she was born 5 weeks premature. I had to pump for her first 2 months because she couldn't latch on. Then she was doing fine...her growth was steady and on track. This Monday she had her 6 mo check up and she had lost a pound in the last month.Her head circumference had increased slightly and her height had stayed the same. When I got home I started thinking about what could be the problem then of course after I left the doctor : ) I thought of all the things I should have mentioned. Her diapers weren't needing to be changed as often, she was sleeping quite a bit, and she wasn't smiling/talking as much as she had before. I did what the doctor recommended and breast fed her then offered her a bottle afterward. The first time she drank a 9 oz bottle right after nursing! I couldn't believe it! So I have been giving her bottles and yesterday she drank 9 6oz bottles and I only nursed her once. She has perked right up and turned back into her self. This morning when I woke up I was not engorged or feeling like I had any milk. I am afraid that my milk has started drying up over the last month and a half because of stress. I called my Doctor again and told his nurse all of this. She suggested pumping every two hours and using fenugreek. I am just wondering if there is anything else I should be doing? Also do you think that I need the fenugreek if I lessen the stress in my life? If my milk has been lessening over the last month or so (she was only having a jar of baby food otherwise) is there anything else that I should do? I really want to continue to breastfeed her and with out supplementing formula if I don't have to. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

Millie
Answer from the lactation consultant
I apologize for the delay in response, for some reason I did not get notification of this question.

I am so sorry for what you are going through. Sounds like everything was going wonderfully before this. I can only guess that perhaps it is hormonal as to why your milk supply has changed recently. Or could you be pregnant? Your doctor gave you very good advise. The only thing I would suggest is to nurse the baby first, then supplement, then pump, in addition to taking the fenugreek. If that regimen does not work, then call a local lactation consultant who can work with you through this. Hang in there!

Liz Pevytoe, RN, IBCLC