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Infant feeding

Over supply & painful let down

5 replies

GreyMorning · 02/12/2017 10:09

Help! DC2 is 5 days old, milk came in on day 2 and hasn't stopped, she is feeding Well, lots of wet and dirty nappies and only 3% weight loss 2 days ago. She feeds regularly day and night. But, my let down is toe curling and makes it hard to deal with the toddler as it takes me breath away, I've been pumping to take the edge off and already have a stash in the freezer, I look 70mls off one side this morning and she's fed from it for 20mins and it still plump but not rock hard full.

How on earth can I slow down my supply? I could probably express enough for the next year over the course of the next few days.

I've been trying to take as little off with the pump as possible and have been applying ice packs to make them more comfortable but unless I start feeding other people's babies to deal with the supply I have no idea how to manage this!

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1stTimeRounder · 02/12/2017 13:57

kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

Sounds like fast let down... Kellymom has lots of useful info for.you. good luck x

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minipie · 02/12/2017 14:06

Try not to pump! it only stimulates more demand. If you need to express to release pressure, just hand express (in the showwer or bath works well, if you get a chance) and focus especially on any hard areas and lumps.

Massage boobs while feeding, this should stop lumps forming without stimulating extra supply too much. Be careful about how you sleep (on back ideally) and what bras you wear.

Tip on feeding, not so much on supply but the actual feeding - I had fast let down (fire hose boobs!) and feeding lying down really helped, it slowed down the flow so dd could manage better. I did side lying as couldn't get on with reclining but either works.

Your supply will regulate itself pretty quickly if you keep feeding but don't pump. the main thing is to avoid getting lumps and blockages during this brief exploding boobs phase.

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GreyMorning · 04/12/2017 11:41

Thank you for your advise, I've decided to express until my supply stops as the pain is so bad I can't talk, I can't parent my toddler and feed it's that bad.

I think the issue is flat nipples, whilst this one is well enough to latch she can't pull them far enough into her mouth to get them between tongue and soft pallet, I had used nipple shields with my first but found it soul destroying being covered in milk 25/7.

A shame because it's so handy breast feeding but she'll get as much goodness as she can from a few weeks of my milk.

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minipie · 04/12/2017 12:11

Has she been checked for tongue tie?

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GreyMorning · 04/12/2017 13:28

Definitely no tongue tie, I was told with no.1 I have unusually small flat nipples so they physically aren't going to sit in her mouth where they should. I had hoped it would work but the pain of feeding, added to the pain caused by the actual birth and a toddler is too much.

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