Forceful letdown - does it ever get better?

[Loops81]

I've been struggling with a forceful letdown for the last month or so. My now 9-week-old chokes and splutters on the breast while she gets a facefull of milk and, lately, sometimes refuses to feed at all after that trauma, so it's stressing me out quite a lot. I did have an oversupply problem and people just told me this would settle on time - it has now adjusted to her needs, but the spray letdown is still happening and actually seems to be getting worse. Anyone else who had this problem - did the letdown correct itself in time along with the supply? If so, when?!

[Smellyjo]

Hi Loops, I had the same issues and I don't remember exactly when my daughter stopped choking, that was maybe a few months in, but I'm afraid my oversupply wasn't sorted until 13 months when I night weaned. The difference was amazing, I'd read about when your supply regulates and your breasts feeling soft most of the time, which was not my experience- I frequently got engorged, sore, recurring mastitis and blocked ducts. And then the night feeding stopped and it all changed. Still feeding a little now at 22 months so I made it through all that but I'm sure this is not what you want to hear, sorry. It wasn't actually until she was around 6 months that I discovered the spraying letdown wasn't normal, my milk shot across the room at my bf group and one of my friends was shocked! I think my daughter just learned to cope with it. And was always a 98th centipede girl with it.

I'm guessing you've tried things like catching the start of the flow in a Muslim, feeding whilst lying on your back to slow the flow?

[Daffydil]

I had a really forceful letdown with DD. I used to let it squirt into a muslin before feeding her to reduce that face full at full force problem.

It definitely calmed down, but I have no idea when, I'm sorry. I can't remember.

[Sashkin]

Mine definitely settled - I think it was around the 3-4 month mark. I still get a bit of dripping if DS comes off early (he is now distracted by everything, and keeps stopping for a look around) but nothing like it used to be. No dripping from the other side now either which is a relief.

Have you tried block feeding? (Feeding from one side only for three hours, then switching for the next three). That definitely seemed to slow things down, but then my oversupply meant that DS never wanted two sides at one feed anyway.

[MyAmTrying]

I really suffered with this with my daughter, mainly because it was extremely painful for me. The NCT helpline suggested pumping for the first little bit, and that changed my life. It didn’t hurt, and the baby was happier. I can’t remember when exactly it settled down (a few years ago now!), but it definitely did. Good luck.

[Biboundeo]

DS1 got the hang of it by 4 months and DS2 got it straight away it seemed, even though the actual let down didn’t get better before 6 months ish.
Did you read the Kellymom article on it? I had to do the full drainage thing every couple of weeks but it worked for me kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/ good luck

[SemperTemper]

Same! I'm 14 weeks in now and after a few weeks of baby sleeping through the night (and me waking up with very full boobs) my oversupply is improving. My letdown is still forceful but she's coping with it better. She still occasionally gets a squirter, which makes her cough and splutter, but it doesn't upset her the way it used to.

Avoid expressing if you can. Good luck!