Fast milk flow-baby can't feed

[Srx1]

Merry Christmas 🎄

I have a 5week old baby and recently we have been having a feeding problem. I seem to have a fast milk flow which then makes causes problems when he tries to feed, he chokes, coughs, splutters milk, cries and rejects the boob. I tried everything recommended. Tried expressing a bit before, tried different positions.. nothing helps. Sometimes he manages for a bit but other times he can't and it is so stressful. I tried pumping and giving in a bottle but he soon started rejecting the bottle. I am so desperate, did anyone have this? Thanks

So sorry that you haven't had any replies @Srx1. Does what you're experiencing sound like this article from Kellymom?

@PritiPatelsMaker thank you very much for replying! Yes that is spot on! It's a very useful article, I tried most things mentioned but I will try again with some adjustments, like cold compress.
It is so frustrating! I feel it's often like a lottery, sometimes he manages to feed for a bit but if he does, he often swallows a lot of air and is then very gassy which is another problem we struggle with 🙄 like a never ending cycle!

I think the thing that can make things more difficult is that a forceful letdown can present with similar symptoms to Tongue Tie.

How is the weight gain?

Yes, he was kinda checked for tongue tie during one of his checkups but he's been now referred for proper assessment to rule out posterior tongue tie - but that is mid Jan so a while away...

He had excellent weight gain so far but we weighed him few days ago and he should be 100g more according to his growth line. So we'll try again in few more days to see if there's been any progress

If you think that it might be TT, have you tried a Tongue Tie Practitioner?

They may be able to see you sooner although some do charge.

@PritiPatelsMaker oh no I haven't, I didn't know about this option thank you! A place nearby pooped up so I will give them a call, that would be great!

A place nearby pooped up so I will give them a call, that would be great!

That's good, I hope it's as easy as getting a TT divided.

Don't forget that you can always call the BFing Helpliness* and talk to a fully training BFC if you've got a problem

Sounds like tongue tie. My baby was the exact same, he choked sooo much it was horrible. I did have a good milk supply and flow but he just struggled to coordinate his sucking swallowing and breathing with having the tongue tie. Things improved gradually once it was cut and even more once my supply regulated and it wasn't as forceful.
What use to help was getting the "let down" first and letting some spray off so it takes away that initial force.

I have a very fast let down, first baby was tongue tied and second baby wasn't. Both at five weeks really struggled with the force of the flow so I really feel for you but as they grow they manage it better. 8 weeks was a real turning point and then again at 12 weeks. At four months it really wasn't an issue any more so I would say just keep going it really will improve. I fed a lot to try to reduce a lot of milk building up but obviously you can only feed as much as your baby can drink. Getting everything covered in milk was really annoying but it really does pass with time x

@PritiPatelsMaker thank you! I already spoke to someone from nct and la leche league...and others.. i feel like I'm going around in circles now..
Place nearby not doing TT so we have to wait 2weeks😑

@lottie198 a few people have said the same but i just don't understand, if this is the case, how does he sometimes manage to feed ok? And how come it all started few weeks ago and not straight away after birth 🤔 It would be good if it is that as at least I would know the reason and then deal with it. Every time I'm about to feed him i think ok what's it going to be like now...? It's like lottery.

Also what confuses me is that for example last night he fed beautifully in the middle of the night from a breast that was fuuuuuull. I thought now way is this gonna work and it did. Like there's no rules at all. To add few more things, he swallows sooo much air, has wind, maybe reflux as he vomits.. it's like a combination of several things😩

@MattieandmummyandIs interesting! I wish it improves but can't cope for that long, we're really struggling and now have to wait 2weeks for TT assessment.

Totally normal to feed beautifully at night - both mine did that and occasionally during the day they would just knock back a whole boob and I was left, like you, thinking so why can't you do that all the time then hey? A lactation consultant told me that if they are ssleep or sleepy when you feed them then their suck is more relaxed and they would have been taking less from the breast.

But honestly after the first developmental leap they do they seem to better manage breathing and feeding. Don't forget every day he gets a bit bigger and has more practice at feeding. Keep going, you are doing brilliantly.

Ah also on the growth lines, no baby grows in a linear fashion with the same weight gain every day. It is totally normal to gain very little for a while and then bam do a massive growth spurt so please don't worry yourself too much over it. Plus it's also totally normal to drop a whole percentile before anyone even starts to be concerned. Make an appointment with your health visitor if you are worried but I very much suspect it's going to be fine, honest.

@MattieandmummyandIs Yes my thoughts exactly 😆
Thank you for the support and encouragement 🌺

I feel like it would be so enjoyable to breastfeed without all these issues! Not having to dread each feed...

He's been weighed today and the Gp was happy so hopefully it continues like that 🤞🏻

To me this sounds very normal. Are you pumping? My little girl really struggled with my flow while I was pumping but once I stopped she was able to manage it because it was less aggressive. This part gets easier but the bfing challenges continue :p we went through a biting phase, a "it's too exciting in the day, I don't want to feed unless it's night and boring" phase, a "I want to eat 24/7 then throw it back up" phase, all sorts!

@Srx1 good, I'm glad. Once you both get the hang of breastfeeding, it's very easy and I personally really enjoyed it.

If you have another baby it is much easier with number 2 because you have the confidence of having done it all before.

@goodmorningsunny when he randomly started choking on milk about 2weeks ago it seemed like it was only happening on the right breast ( which I had mastitis on initially) so out of desperation i bought a hand pump and tried pumping on that one and feeding on the other. Then after 2 days he started rejecting the bottle of course so i stopped that and started feeding on both, and the flow issue is now on both. So now I only express a little bit if my boobs become engorged if he's struggling to feed, just a bit to relieve them but hoping for this to regulate itself? What a mess! Today again he had a couple of okayish feeds and some messy ones again. I hope we just get better at this, I don't get it.
A lot of people say it's all normal but when it happens and I can't feed him, I don't know how can it be..

@MattieandmummyandIs I can imagine it being totally enjoyable when everything is working well !

I had a very heavy letdown from one breast which caused my children to splutter and choke and become very gassy - no tongue ties. I used to have to quickly unlatch and catch the initial letdown with a hakaa then relatch after. I did this until around 10/11 weeks.

@Somethingvague see I don't understand how do people 'catch the letdown'. I don't think that would help us out as he sometimes struggles in the middle of the feed. And sometimes he's fine and feeds ok and then next time isn't. It's so random and makes no sense and so frustrating. I feel like there's no helping us 😑 I spoke to so many people and still don't get it.

Ok so that suggests it's not just the let down. I used to be able to feel my let down and it totally poured out. If it was just the general flow then by about 2 months then baby would most likely be coping ok, unless particularly small. Probably best not to pump or express any more as that will only increase production. Do you have any breastfeeding cafes or children's centres near you so someone can have a look and help?
Also bearing in mind that sometimes they're just fussy little creatures at this age and it's something they grow out of too.

@Somethingvague turns out he had tongue tie so we're now hoping things will improve- we're doing some tongue exercises to learn how to use it properly. 🤞🏻 but I also have a strong flow, hopefully he will get better at coping with it...