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Infant feeding

Oversupply making bf’ing miserable!

11 replies

Lazinganddazing · 12/04/2018 16:35

I’ve been having ‘issues’ with the amount of milk I produce since it first came in but I assumed it would have regulated by now (he’s nearly 3 months) but it’s starting to really make us both miserable.

I have a very forceful letdown and then my breasts continue to literally spray three long lines of milk forcefully throughout a feed and for about a Minuit after. Baby chokes, splutters, and then will eventually pull off leaving the milk squirting everywhere. I need 2 Muslin cloths per feed, a top and bra and breast pad change and usually he needs an outfit change too!

He’s put on a lot of weight (90th centile line) and poos every nappy change so is obviously taking more than needed despite only managing a few mins at the breast.

I feel like I’ve tried everything! I feed laying back, have him upright, I’ve tried pumping a bit first. We don’t change sides (never feed for long enough to do that anyway!) so he’s only ever feeding on one breast per feed.

To be honest it’s making me miserable, I don’t go out for more than two hours because I can’t bare the drama that comes with the top changes and milk everywhere. I can’t get him to take a bottle either to stop.

Does anyone have any further tips? If not, any tips on how to get him to take a bottle? Have tried TT, medela, nuk so far.

I feel ridiculous, I was so upset that I couldn’t breastfeed my first as strangely my milk never came in so feel stupid complaining about too much milk but I really don’t enjoy it and neither does my son!

Sorry for rambling. Thanks in advance

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eggofmantumbi · 12/04/2018 16:40

You poor thing. I had a really forceful letdown too. As I felt it about to happen I unlatched baby and shoved a muslin over my nipple until it stopped. Baby got used to it and it did get better.

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glorious · 12/04/2018 16:41

Oversupply can be more distressing and challenging than people appreciate. I totally understand why it's making things tough. Flowers

You're doing a lot of good things already. The next thing people often try is block feeding (one side for more than one feed), but you do need to be careful with this as you risk blocked ducts, mastitis etc if you go too far.

If you call one of the helplines they will be able to talk through your options with you. Do you have the numbers? kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

Anecdotally I've also heard of mums with oversupply finding their supply settles a little later than other mums, so it may yet call down.

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glorious · 12/04/2018 16:42

*calm

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MeeWhoo · 12/04/2018 16:48

I had the same problem, so you are not alone.
I don't know what you have tried already, or if you've had a look on kellymom, here kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

The advice is to nurse for a certain amount of hours on one side only and then swap sides.

I started doing this, I think it was 4 hours before switching sides, but depending on naps, etc sometimes it meant only 2 feeds on a certain side before swapping. What I did then was to make sure I fed 3-4 times on the same side until swapping (what I considered 3-4 full feeds, not a 1 min "snack" here and there). After that it became a lot easier, both for ds and myself. Obviously you have too be careful that the other side doesn't become endorsed, especially the first few times. When it starts feeling overfull, you can express a bit manually (if that's difficult just put that breast under the shower for a bit while you press gently), but only enough so that it's not uncomfortable for you, you don't want to encourage more supply.

I still leaked for a some time and had to make sure to carry breastpads with me just in case, but it doesn't take long for the feeding experience to improve and for the baby to have a much easier time of it!

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Mrstumbletap · 12/04/2018 16:52

I was the same, it used to go everywhere all over DS’s poor face and make him cry then he would be too stressed to latch. I would also wake up soaked in milk, it was horrible.

Pumping seemed to make it worse and it all became just too much of a faff. I switched to formula.

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Loops81 · 12/04/2018 22:00

I had the same problem, it was miserable. I did all he things you have described with mixed success along the way - block feeding did help, but only temporarily. It’s great that your baby is putting on weight well - we had the opposite, baby didn’t gain very well because she was getting too full up on foremilk (lots of green poos). I could handle the faff but I didn’t like that, so switched to formula when the supply STILL hadn’t settled at 5 months. I still feel very sad that I had to stop, but have to keep reminding myself how stressful it was. I hope it gets better for you!

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villainousbroodmare · 12/04/2018 22:09

I had the same but DS was very colicky with explosive green frothy nappies due to excess foremilk and lactose fermentation. He wailed constantly. I tried everything and eventually saw a very wise paediatrician who advised an old-fashioned 4hrly schedule. A bit of judicious pre-pumping initially and a soother for comfort in between. Everything improved within 1-2 days and I bf till 14mo. I know everyone will tell you that you cannot bf too often, but you certainly can if you genuinely have hectic oversupply.

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MrsG01081401 · 14/04/2018 22:32

Formula feed, why put yourself through the hassle. Formula isn't poison.

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Lazinganddazing · 15/04/2018 14:29

Thanks everyone so much for suggestions I’m trying the 4hr thing as that’s the only one I hadn’t tried but he won’t take a dummy in between so keep caving in!
mrsG I did say in the post if no tips to make it easier does anyone have tips for getting him to take a bottle. I would happily give formula but he will not take a bottle!

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Battenburg1978 · 17/04/2018 22:45

I had a lot of success with block feeding - I also had a fast let down, over supply and large boobs to store a lot of milk in. I started with 2 feeds on each side then 3 feeds on each side (I just did a certain no of feeds as was too tired to keep track of the hours)! - no pumping as that will stimulate more production. If the full boob got too uncomfortable then I hand expressed a little on a muslin. I did this at around 2.5 - 3 months and what I found was that I had to do it a few times as the supply crept back up again when I went back to 'normal' feeding. I did find it really helpful though - my DD was getting stomach cramps/green poos from too much fore milk and this solved that issue. After a few rounds of block feeding my supply settled down enough for me to be happy and I've just stepped BFing at 16 months.

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Battenburg1978 · 17/04/2018 22:48

Oh! Just remembered thatbinwould also hand express a little before feeding and I have always only given one breast per Feed - that's totally normal m, just depends on the individual and their supply c

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