Oversupply?

[littleraysofsunshine]

He keeps feeding 2hrly in a 24hr period. I think he's getting my body to make more but too much. Then gets fussy at the fast let down. Not finishing feeds either to get "the cream" most feeds.. Or so it seems.

He's gaining lots of weight though. Just drinks, chokes at flow, then fusses to get back on

Plus he's got thrush in his mouth

Ok, lots of things going on here. First, are you sure it's thrush? As in has a HV or GP identified it and given you both treatment? If your lo has thrush, you'll almost certainly gave it too.

Second, what age is your lo? What you describe sounds like normal behaviour for the most part. Overactive letdown can be helped by a few things like feeding uphill, etc. Kellymom has some suggestions.

Yes we both have it and are being treated. It's been about a week now and still present.

The feeding.. He is feeding on demand but usually every two hours but e doesn't finish a feed most times. "That dreamy part".

He will then root around and not want to go back on after the fast let down and cry and fuss. But I know he wants me as he's only had a few sucks. An even those he's taking in so much wind. So I burp but he's still fussing.

He's my third breastfed baby and I'm finding it a bit more hard work this time in regards to feeds. My first I had mastitis, wound and chronic pain for 10weeks. Second a week of pain but this time it's just taking a while. He's five weeks old today.

Also each morning. (Around 4/5/6am feed) he is REALLY fussy and wants a feed but just doesn't latch right or just chokes or takes in all air. It's as if he's forgotten how to feed!

I'm not giving up as I know how beautiful breastfeeding is. We've just got to work it out together

I had a fast letdown and recognize a lot of this. What eventually sorted it out was time (possibly not that helpful, I know): DD is now 5 months old, and either she or my breasts have fully adjusted! So hang in there! In the meantime, I also found that more upright position helped. You could also try expressing some milk first to reduce the initial letdown, and so that the baby gets more of the 'cream'. Is his poo mostly yellow? If so, he is getting enough cream anyway, and I wouldn't worry.

Yes, you need to have pretty serious oversupply for baby to not get "the cream", I think there's a lot of misinformation about foremilk/hindmilk and how long they need to stay on for on each side to "finish the breast", etc. - in most cases it all balances out just fine.

I had fast letdown with both boys (to the extent that they acted like they were being waterboarded sometimes), and again just time sorted it out - either my flow slowed down or they just got used to it. Feeding leaning back helped a lot. Fussiness also might be to do with still having a bit of a sore mouth from the thrush - what treatments are you both using? You could also try some baby probiotic powder for him to help clear it up along with the thrush treatment.

If the thrush hasn't shifted in a week, are you taking fluconazole tablets as well as whatever creams or drops were prescribed? It's a pretty strong anti-fungal but is very often required for bf thrush as the yeast can be deep in the breast tissue.

As an aside, I hate when people (especially GPs writing a prescription) call it "nipple thrush" - it implies only the nips have it, and topical creams will never get rid if thrush from inside the milk ducts. (Ok, rant over now. )

He sometimes doesn't seem satisfied with the feed. Takes in a lot of air and will just need burping.

Poos are yellow but not big ones, he'll have a big poo weekly really.. This is normal though as my girls did this too.

I let him latch and feed, then as soon as I feel the milk coming I let it out into a breast pad (sob, wish I had enough time to store it?? What a waste) (dds had some a few times recently but I forget to get a cup!)

Then as soon as it's calmed down I get him to latch again and he'll feed but also sometimes will not and cry and get fussy. Pull back etc.