Superfast let down - any advice? Baby gets upset

[Mamabear12]

I would like to breastfeed more (instead of always expressing). My problem is I have a fast let down. I have all the symptoms, leaking breastmilk in between feedings, both breasts spraying tons of milk out when I have let down etc. My son is almost 3 months old and I thought by now my milk supply would sort out. However, I still spray out my milk whenever he feeds. He pulls off and gets so upset. He does not want to go back on after! I tried to let the milk spray into a cloth or even a bottle (it sprays out over an ounce just one breast! Like a shower head!) I have read about expressing a little before feeding...does that actually work??

How many of you have fast let down? Does it ever get better? With my first, she would get mad after the let down bc milk didnt come fast enough for her lol. Now it comes to fast for my second child!!! When will it come out just right? I hope for the third! :)

Express bit first. I had this DD used to pull off and this helped. Not before she did it in a restaurant where I sprayed my friend on others side of table! Hope this helps.

You could try putting a finger each side of you nipple (in a v shape) and pushing back, just at the start of the feed, also lean back slightly. This will help to slow the flow down at the start of the feed. I have a fast flow and a breastfeeding councilor gave me that advice. I hope this helps.

Iwillorderthefood - how much or how long do i express before feeding?

sunnydaze - do you mean kind of pinching the nipple to stop the flow? or pressing against it? I have tried leaning back and it still shoots up like a fountain. But I will try to press against it to see if it helps.

Mambear I could have written your post a month ago. I was worried I'd put DS off the boob for life shooting my milk into his mouth and choking him!

Firstly I think a bit of the fussiness was due to his age...the other babies in my nct group went through a fussy patch on the boob at the same time, irrespective of letdown speed and I wonder if it's a developmental thing.

Secondly I have found in the last week or two that my supply has finally evened out a bit and is much less 'spurty' (DS is 15 weeks now). I still get spontaneous let-down an hour or two after a feed (great in public!) But I don't get as engorged and the milk doesn't shoot out as fast which means he's back to feeding nicely again.

Expressing a bit did work for me for a bit but my milk would keep shooting out as high speeds throughout our feeds so it wasn't a complete cure. I had a muslin ready at all times and just pulled him off when he started to splutter and caught the milk in the muslin until it slowed down.

Hope it gets easier soon and make the most of your wonderful supply to stock up the freezer!

laid back breastfeeding position is supposed to help with this (also called biological nurturing)

I only learned how to deal with this with my third, sadly. As soon as you get the tingle, just press on your nipple till it settles a bit. You'll learn how works best for you soon enough. I sympathise - I used to squirt all over!

About a center meter east side of your baby's mouth. I don't think you need to press hard just so there is some pressure to the tissue at the start of the feed. In my area there are lots of really great breastfeeding groups that I found really useful when my first was born. Is there something like this in your area?

I also have fast let down and DS2 is struggling to keep up and is very windy as a result. I'll try the finger thing next feed. I did try the biological nursing position but can't get DS comfortable and happy enough to feed like that for some reason.

I'm the same, but dd is nearly 3 weeks,I'm really hoping mine settles as like others I'm worried she's getting frustrated at the breast.
I've found side lying position to be her favourite as extra milk can trickle out the side of her mouth.
Also laid back breastfeeding or just going against gravity helps.
Express a little before feeding but don't express using a pump to empty the breast as you'll just trigger further production. You may/may not also have an oversupply problem (not really a problem...but annoying)
Try block feeding - spending several hours (eg 6) so possibly 2 feeds on one breast. This is more for oversupply.
Rest assured a bf counsellor told me its very unlikely I could drown my daughter in breast milk! Feel bad though when she gets drenched and have to change clothes sewvral times a day...