wrt the carbs: Paleo is not by definition low carb. I'd add some "safe starches" a la Perfect Health Diet - around 400 cals per day (ie 100-150g carbs)

WRT the nursing: What behaviors is she displaying that cause you to think she's not getting enough? How is her growth? Any chance there is a tongue tie? Have you seen an IBCLC? Could she have an ear infection, be teething or have reflux? Those can all look like "I'm unhappy at the breast".

Some basics:

Nurse more frequently. Superswitch. That means that as soon as she's finished with the letdown on one side, switch her to the other side. Go back and forth like that as long as she'll let you.

Try to spend a couple days at home with lots of skin to skin - or at least carrying her in a sling so that she can nurse on cue...again, frequently switching sides.

Work on her latch every single time. Really go for a deep asymmetric latch (see Jack Newmans videos) as it can make a significant difference in milk transfer.

Be sure you're not getting excessive protein from muscle meat. Try to switch out some of the muscle meat meals for offal (brain, sweetbreads, liver - once a week would be ideal for all of them. When you do eat muscle meat, go for brisket, tongue, high fat ground beef, fatty fish.

Try to add a couple of cups of bone broth per day for the glycine and other nutrients.

Yes. I am currently nursing a 15 month old and have lost 134lbs (still going). I did notice my supply lowered with this child more than the others around 7-8 months (he's my 3rd) but I'm starting to think that's a natural decrease because they need less milk and it's more of a comfort thing. Allows them to have a greater desire for solids maybe?

You can read from a few posts I wrote at paleoparents.com - but the simple answer is, eat right and all will be OK. If you must there's natural supplements to increase your supply. But, at that age with introducing solids just give your baby paleo super-foods like liver and avocado and enjoy getting to sleep through the night. The 5am nursing can provide just as much milk as the 1am and 3am combined - your body will adjust as baby does.

p.s. don't complain about no period! I didn't get my period until a year with my first 2 but then got it at 3 months with my 3rd baby - no fair!

Stacy paleoparents.com

I started LC and then paleo (on and off 80/20 ish) when my DS was about 6 months old. He's now 2.5 - and he still feeds a LOT - He has a feed about 11pm/12am and then wakes at about 5am in the morning for one - daytime feeds are as and when requested (unless he's asking constantly, which he does!!!).

To the supply issues though... I seemed to have oversupply issues when he was first born, so, no, I've not noticed that diet change was an issue. I've asked him if there's still milk there and there is (I've seen the evidence occasionally).

I think that rather than issues with supply, we need to consider whether we as breastfeeding mothers are receiving the right amount of nutrition that we should be. Personally, I had some nutritional issues during pregnancy with my DS and post natally too.

I think I still have some, so take supplements to counteract this.

I see you've mentioned a recurring ear infection too? Could the problems you're seeing be anything to do with this rather than supply?

Robb Wolf's podcast recently mentioned inflamation in the sinuses and ears due to certain foods (was a question asked my Stacy and Matt actually ;-). Is there anything in either or your diets that could be causing the inflamation?

And FWIW, I got my period back as soon as we introduced solids - bang on, every month, regular as clockwork... I was hoping for a longer LAM time!!!

I had low milk supply too, I only made it to a year breastfeeding my daughter (I pumped during the day, BF morning and evenings). I had to eat a sweet potato almost nightly for dinner or some quinoa or brown rice, I did also eat fruit. But it seemed that keeping my carbs up helped my supply along with Mothers Milk tea (Fenegreek). I still had to supplement though with formula once a day. At 8 months old I added some whole raw milk very slowly, half milk half water, 3 oz a day increasing to 6 oz half water half milk eventually. I used this to replace one feeding of formula. She started to thrive on this, and a bonus, her excema cleared up! If you can get raw milk, be sure it is from a reputable farm (I use organic pastures) and once opened, use it within 5 days.

I am exclusively nursing my 3 month old and been eating paleo for 3 weeks now. I have only noticed a supply decrease when I don't eat enough calories. My recommendation would be to focus on what is going into your body: lot's of sweet potatoes, fruit, rather than cutting any calories. Supply is directly related to calories you are intaking. If you cut calories to try to lose weight, your supply with decrease. Breastfeeding mothers are burning 500 calories a day from nursing, so EAT EAT EAT!