Help! My letdown has let me down!

[r3dh3d]

Very odd. DD is 3 1/2 months. Never really had a problem with letdown as such. But in the last 24 hours it's failed more often than not. Milk still seems to be there, it's just not keen to come out and play.

What is happening? I'm not particularly stressed (well no more so than usual!) and other than that I can't think of any reason this should happen.

Could it be that you're not feeling it so strongly as before? I can't remember when, but this definately happened with me. How is your DD? Satisfied after a feed?

Alas, no. She carries on doing that "hurry up and give me some milk" frantic type sucking for a few minutes and then screams inconsolably. No swallowing is happening. :(

Oh dear Sorry if you've already done so, but could you try 'priming' your breasts when you think she is likely to want a feed - warm flannel, a few strokes as though you would be hand expressing, to encourage a let-down more quickly once she starts to suck.

I'm sure an expert will be on soon with better advice!

Could it be that she has changed her feeding pattern over the last 48 hours?

I used to find that with all three of mine as the settled around 3-4mths that demand would go up and down. Was told that the body takes around 24hrs to adjust, so if she wasn't quite as hungry yesterday that would explain the excuse clogging today.

Agree with Racers prim yourself make sure you use a flat hand working from the armpit forward or you could end up really sore.

Honestly though I've got three youngest 9 mths stopped feeding 4 wks ago and it does settle down and is definately worth it!

I get this a lot. I think it's either...

when I'm physically tired
when I'm in a hurry
or when DS is tired he doesn't suck as efficiently

No answers, sorry but you're not alone. my DS is 8 months BTW.

It's damn strange. DD chose last night to sleep through for more or less the first time. How my boobs could tell this was going to happen I don't know.

Still, it's a bit concerning. 3 "failed" feeds in 24 hours and now demand is going down as well. Is it possibly something to do with this thrush thing? I've had it for about a month now, and it's in the milk ducts - I'm worried it's damaging them in some way. :(

What have you taken for the thrush?

The usual stuff. Canestan (self and DD) and now Daktarin (self and DD). Am demanding systemic flucanazole(sp?) but GP wants a milk sample first because he's not convinced it isn't mastitis. Will try and drop that off today but not expecting a result back for about a week - meanwhile boobs dysfunctional. Though they might be dysfunctional anyway iyswim.

Hmm.....I think you need to discuss this with someone who knows what they're talking about and who can see you feed, red.

I deffo wouldn't assume your 'diagnosis' of dysfunctional let down is the right one.

There are other, frankly more likely, explanations for your dd's behaviour, for example, a baby who is off-colour and fighting a virus.

Other possibility - yes, reduced supply, but only if you have over a few days reduced your frequency of feeds.

Yet another possibility - sore mouth on baby, as a result of thrush, possibly.

Don't know what the GP expects the lab to find with a sample of your milk - culturing a sample for thrush is very unreliable, and they are almost certainly going to find bacteria in it, which would 'confirm' mastitis, but actually only reflect the fact you have normal bugs on your skin.

Whatever - you need to see someone, I think.

Thanks Tiktok.

The other reason I think it's "dysfunctional" is I can't get letdown when I express. Which, again, has never been a problem. The amount I get out has varied, but it always arrives.

Alas, my only local access to a bf counsellor (in the flesh, not on the phone) is the Weds am clinic. Though it is a bit better over the last few days so hopefully we can hang on for the rest of the week. DD is feeding very erratically - is perfectly OK in herself (cheerful, alert, etc) but eg fed every 5 hours Thursday and every 2 hours today. So maybe something to do with it. I don't think the thrush is causing her discomfort as she's always been symptomless and isn't showing any signs of discomfort at the boob. But then again - babies .... odd things .