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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Struggling with oversupply

16 replies

emmam25 · 29/12/2011 19:10

My little one is three weeks old and bf is a nightmare. I have massive oversupply which midwives and lactation consultants have said is "great" but it's making feeding really difficult. Im reaching the point if giving up as every feed is like a battle between me and screaming lo. Latch is "perfect" (lc words, not mine) but he struggles to stay on for longer than a few seconds at a time. When he comes off he gets a face full of milk and whatever I'm wearing gets soaked through so I can't feed outside of the house unless I take a complete change of clothes. I have to use a collection shell on the non-feeding breast and can collect 2-3fl oz in one feed. Yet he never seems satisfied, normally he falls asleep through sheer exhaustion of fighting and screaming. I've tried in the last few days to block feed to reduce supply but it doesnt seem to be doubg anything. Lc advised laying back when he feeds but as soon as I do he comes off, starts screaming and won't latch back on unless I sit back up. Feeds take well over an hour, sometimes nearer 2 by which time he's getting hungry again. In honesty I am struggling to find the motivation to keep trying. mil bottle fed from 3 days and keeps saying how much easier my life would be if we switched to bottle and oh has been and brought the formula ready for when I give in. Should I keep trying even though it's clear my baby hates breastfeeding?

OP posts:

suzikettles · 29/12/2011 19:19

Poor you - I've been there and it's truly sucky.

Ok, things that worked for me were:

the initial fast letdown, use a muslin to catch the spray and don't latch ds on until its calmed down a bit.
Use only one breast per feed if ds seems satisfied (definitely don't switch breasts until he's completely finished with one as frequent switching is a way to increase supply, so don't follow any out dated "rules" like only feeding for 15 mins per breast for example)
Be very cautious of expressing. I found that my supply was crazily responsive to expressing. On the one hand I could get 8oz in about 5 minutes, on the other hand I was very prone to mastitis if I didn't express every day which was a pain in the arse.

I haven't bf for 4 years though so it's all a bit hazy. www.kellymom.com is excellent for evidence based bf advice and I'm sure more up to date/knowledgeable people will be along in a bit.

The good news (and I know nothing seems good at the moment) is that in the long run (I'm talking the next couple of weeks here) it all calms down hugely and a very responsive supply probably helps with growth spurts in that you catch up to demand quickly.

Good luck and congratulations on your ds

suzikettles · 29/12/2011 19:21

Here's a direct link to the Kellymom section on oversupply

roz1982 · 29/12/2011 19:44

I had a bit of a problem with oversupply in just my right breast, seemed to produce loads more milk, really engorged and fast let down...it really helped me to express a little bit just to take the initial flow away and make it more comfortable for me and easier for ds to latch on...without dong this it must have been like trying to suck a football! I was careful just to do it a little bit though and never needed to switch breasts, there was more than enough, and made sure I alternated between breasts so that they became a bit more even. I also agree with catching the initial fast flow with a muslin, this helped sometimes too.

KnitterNotTwitter · 29/12/2011 20:01

What they said... plus you need to tell your OH to tell your MIL to bugger off... doesn't even have to do it nicely... You don't need her hanging around undermining your efforts while subconsciously trying to justify her parenting decisions.

I had a fast supply - would hit the walls if DS pulled off mid-feed - I'm not kidding.

What really helped us was not swapping sides mid-feed.

On the other hand if you want to be super-altruistic you could pump some off and donate it to the local milk-bank... I never managed to express much although I know there was plenty in there so it wasn't an option for me... DS was the most efficient milking machine once he got the hang of it!

The other thing to do is to start finding the funny side of this... honestly... it'll help you relax and IMO slow the milk down :)

Good luck and congratulations...

TinyDiamond · 29/12/2011 20:23

I have been there too you're not alone. My oversupply kicked in at about 2 weeks and got progressively worse for a while but it DID GET BETTER.
Keep with the block feeding, now, I'll be honest here and tell you that it did take almost 3 weeks for it to get my boobs under control but it was worth it in the end.
I started off using 4 hour blocks but to make a difference I ended up having to use about 7 hour stretches for each side.

I really feel for you with the getting soaked thing I was the same, literally baby's face ended up covered and her spluttering/refluxing and screaming and me feeling like I'd had a shower in breast milk and smelling sweet and sticky all the time!

It does get easier and settle down it just takes determination. If you want to carry on then that's great. Plus, I had the same from my mil so I know that can be really tough too.
Remember it is your decision not hers.
You're doing a bloody brilliant job!

TinyDiamond · 29/12/2011 20:26

Ps, your baby doesn't hate breastfeeding. Save the 2-3oz you get in your shells and pop it in the freezer it all adds up and in the future when you feel ready to pop off somewhere nice for a couple of hrs then someone can give a bottle of that milk if need be

BuffyFairy · 29/12/2011 21:23

I had problems with over supply and found block feeding did help on time. Have you tried feeding lying down? Dd could let the excess dribble out the side of her mouth that way rather than it choking her but it was harder to latch her on do young. A cranial osteopath might be able to help with the reflux. Well done for persevering, it will get better and he'll settle more at feeds

Original poster

emmam25 · 30/12/2011 00:21

Thank you for the advice, it is nice to not feel so alone with this issue, particularly the breast milk shower which I really can't stand! I'm not sure the breastfeeding advice/help available is really geared up to help with oversupply. I will persist with block feeding and think I'll up the blocks and see if it's more effective. Mil has best intentions at heart but I can't justify to myself deciding not to give my baby the best start in life just for my own short-term convenience. I have been saving the milk I collect in hopes that oh could do some night feeds and let me get some sleep! Guess its just one feed at a time for now.

OP posts:

nearlyreadytopop · 30/12/2011 12:22

I had this as well, for quite a while. Using one side per feed helped, I stopped pumping milk and using the breast shields as needed to limit any nipple stimulation/milk production.
Its not nice I felt yuck. Taking baby off when let down happened and catching excess in a muslin might make it easier on him. I also found I couldnt miss feeds without feeling very uncomfortable. And another vote for feeding lying down or laid back.

CollieandPup · 31/12/2011 07:56

I'm struggling with this too. It kicked in at about 3 weeks, ds is now almost 6weeks. It's worse in one breast but suffer with it in both and like you we both get soaked if my breast gets even a little full between feeds. Ds has got a cold too and has been projectile vomiting once a day bringing up jus entire last feed- I'm. It sure if this is because if my fast letdown. Whilst he's all stuffy he is only have 2-3 mon feeds too and fighting me much more on the breast as he choaks alot and them gives up. I've seem some of the upright positions on kellysmum for feeding but just can't get them right!

Iggly · 31/12/2011 13:48

I've been having the same issue and now do 4 hour blocks (or 3 feeds in a row) which has helped after 10 days or so.

I also read a link provided by a mumsnetter which suggested expressing both boobs as much as you can in one sitting then put baby on the boob immediately afterwards then block feed. Here it is

TruthSweet · 31/12/2011 14:17

Just as a warning - the link Iggly posted is a last resort if everything else (block nursing, nursing against gravity, hand expressing a little, etc) not the first thing to try as it could really knock your supply on it's head especially if you do it quite early on into bfing.

If you do decide to try it, please speak to a BFC/IBCLC first to make sure it absolutely is necessary and there is no other reason for baby's behaviour at the breast (for example, TT symptoms can mimic oversupply symptoms due to the clamping down on the nipple, fussing at the breast, 'messy' eating with lots of milk over baby/mum, popping on and off the breast...).

Block nursing can be done up to 24hours (i.e. nursing on the Left on Monday and Right on Tuesday) if you have a very large supply but is more commonly done in 4, 6 or 8 hour stretches. You may find you need to start block nursing for an increasing amount of time to start with before you find the time that starts decreasing how much milk you have, then the blocks can be reduced slowly.

Iggly · 31/12/2011 15:10

Yes I should have said that Truth! I must point out I hvent tried it and I was advised to speak to an experienced BF counsellor (not a MW or HV) if things were unmanageable after using blocks.

Foxinsocks · 31/12/2011 15:20

It's difficult. Mine had reflux too so the extremely fast and furious let down really didn't help

In the end I embraced it and stored loads of excess milk and gave some of it to the milk bank. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

TruthSweet · 31/12/2011 15:31

Just thought I'd clarify in case anyone reading thought that was an alternative to block nursing not the final solution....

Fiolondon · 31/12/2011 19:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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