Oversupply/spit up/pumping question

[maybebabybee]

DS is 12 days old. BF established well - he has a good latch, feeds often, lots of wet and dirty nappies (correct colour etc). Generally does a longer stint of sleep - 4 hours or so - at night but last night we swaddled him for the first time and he did six. Might have gone longer had we not woken him for a nappy change. When I woke this morning my boobs were engorged and painful, presumably because of lack of overnight feed. So I fed off one breastfeeding, he fed for about 20 mins and was full, refused the other one so I hand expressed some to relieve the engorgement. However he then proceeded to do a massive spit up that came out his nose as well as his mouth and was somewhat projectile. So - questions:

1. I know projectile vomiting in newborns is bad but if this was a one off and he has no other symptoms do I still take him to the doctor? It wasn't hit-the-wall-opposite projectile.
   
   
2. I know spitting up is normal but if he does it loads is this an oversupply thing?
   
   
3. I want to express milk so DP can give him one feed per day. How/when do I do this without increasing my supply?
   
   
4. If he does another long stretch of sleep like last night should I express in the middle of the night? I really don't want to wake him to feed given his weight gain is good and he's weeing and pooing and feeding loads in the day. But need to deal with engorged boobs!
   
   Sorry for all questions, clueless ftm here.

[Junosmum]

I wrote a long reply then lost it!

1&2. Projectile to a Dr means hitting walls with force. My DS spat up a lot, was due to gulping loads of air to deal with my over supply and fast let down. I used gripe water/ infacol to help bring up wind and reduce pain but with you DS it could be reflux- look up reflux symptoms and if they ring true go to the gp.

1. All expressing will initially increase supply, but it will regulate eventually. I'm a milk donor. I ebf my son and express 500ml daily. It's no longer an issue.
   

1. If DS continues these longer streaks your milk supply will self regulate, expressing at night to ease the engorgement will delay this so only do it if you have to (expressing in the day is fine- I find 9am and 4pm most productive).

[Junosmum]

DSs spitting up has recently eased, he still does it obviously but not such large amounts or with such force (if layy down it was like a mini volcano), I think he's managing my fast let down better. He's 12 weeks.

[maybebabybee]

Thank you! He's been a bit grouchy after feeds the last few days as well so I wonder if he's windy. I do have some infacol so may try that and see if any effect.

[mrsjskelton]

The first time DD slept a little longer I was absolutely rock solid in the morning and in a lot of pain! I always feed from one side in the morning because there's so much there and express the other side which helps my milk storage - but this will actually be encouraging milk rather than calming it down! If you want it to naturally get more comfortable then you'll just have to put up with it for a few days until your supply comes down to just what baby needs. I'm still very engorged on a morning but that's because I encourage it so I have enough to store from pumping. It's very normal for newborns to be sick because the valve that keeps milk in their tummy is very immature. If you produce a vast amount then he's likely to keep doing this until he's a little bigger. It sounds perfectly normal to me! Try feeding him for a little bit, taking him off and sitting him up for a little burp and then resuming the feed. You might spray a little so keep your muslin close!

[KP86]

It might help to hand express for a few minutes before feeding if it's an oversupply issue (which is what it sounds like to me). Even taking 50ml off will help DS.

The other option is that you do express overnight but who can be bothered?

[KP86]

I give the above advice as someone who expressed full time for a year due to oversupply/reflux issues and had enough to feed my DS and another child through donation with some spare for the freezer.

[maybebabybee]

He seems very uncomfortable/grumpy after every feed today so a bit worried. Am burping him but doesn't seem to be helping much.

[Dixiechick17]

I found dentinox better for wind, infacol takes a few days to work. If you have a good supply it can sometimes mean the milk comes out too fast, so he may have had a bit too much in one go. When mine were engorged I would expresa a little off before the feed, also laying down to fees when particular full can stem the flow slightly.

There are also some good baby massage techniques for wind, worth checking to see of there is a local sure start massage class or one you can pay for. I used to cycle the legs to help too.

[Dixiechick17]

Excuse my typos! Typing too fast on my phone

[maybebabybee]

I have another question. In the evenings DS is quite fussy like a lot of babies. He wants to feed but does so for a few minutes, then pulls off and grumbles. So I wind him, he burps and I put him back on but the same thing happens but he still gives feeding cues. I switch him from boob to boob but he carries on getting annoyed. So I usually stand up and rock him for a bit and give him pinky or dummy to suck then he falls asleep. But I'm worried he's hungry! Is this also an oversupply thing perhaps?

[Dixiechick17]

It's difficult to say, my DD used to do this,sometimes it would be down to the oversupply and I would then have to lay down, other times she wanted to boob for comfort but got annoyed when the milk came with it.

[maybebabybee]

Yeah I think it might be that, he's wanting comfort but not milk. It seems to be every evening when he's overtired.

This board is great, really good to hear from other mums. So much conflicting advice out there.

[Junosmum]

In the evenings your supply is at its lowest so it may be that he's fussing as the supply isn't what he's used too.

It could also be 'sundowners' a fussy period common to all babies. Sounds like you are doing a fab job.