Baby refusing breast & slow letdown- Help?

8 replies

JoBaz · 08/09/2006 11:54

My DS is 11 mths old, I have posted on here before so some of you may remember me. Am still Bf him, however, wednesday evening (in the middle of the night~) he woke up for some milk & was suckiling, but my let down never came? he must have suckled for about 5 minutes & nothing happened & then he just went back to sleep. Again in the morning he latched on, & I was sitting there, trying not to be tense & dont think I was & my let down came, but did take alot longer than normal...since then I have definetly noticed its taking longer to feel the letdown, maybe 2-3minutes when it used to be about 30seconds-1 minute max. When I looked down at DS i must admit he didnt really seem to be suckling as hard as usual, more of a pathetic attempt to get the milk? Then last night, he had a very restless night...& last had BF at 3am, but didnt have much & wasent sucking very hard so letdown took a while again.
he then went down for his nap this morning & ALWAYS has a BF, both breats..however he initially latched on,sucked for about 3 minutes but not as powerfully as he normally sucks & so I did not feel my letdown, he then unlatched, wouldnt latch onto the other breast either & got quite upset I was trying to feed him?

Now Im really worried, he has been acting a bit weird for the last 2 days also, like hes going to come down with somthing, very grisley & just not himself. He has never been a booby child where he grabs at them & wants them for comfort, but he has always enjoyed his Bf's & I have never had any actual BF problems... There is also the obovious problem I have today, which is im like JORDAN!! someone get this milk out! Pumping dosent work for me, I dont get my letdown, did in thr real early days, but since about 3 mths I just cant get it with the pump... only DS can get the milk & he dosent want it??
I have always had a funny letdown (as cant get with pump & even my hubby when I was once engorged tried & failed!! yuk ay !) but DS has always been able to get it in under 1 minute?

Is there somethng wrong with my letdown, have maybe my hormones started to fail me or is it ds just not latching as normal for the milk? is it is DS why would he be doing this?

Thank you

Joanne xx

OP posts:

duvet · 08/09/2006 14:39

Hi my dd is nearly 11 months and last week was just as you describe your ds re b/f, and crying lots. However stuck with it, gave calpol and after few days she was fine again. It's a bit stressful though isnt it, my dd wakes in the night occasionally recently but not interested in b/f and so I check she's okay and put her back down. Wierd. I dont always feel my letdown so maybe it happens or maybe it doesn't, sorry that's not much help but just bear with it for now and see how it goes.

princessmel · 08/09/2006 14:58

Hi, Sorry I don't have any advice but thought I'd post to bump it up as maybe someone else can help.
Are you sure he's not just losing interest in bf? Maybe starting to self wean, slowing down amount and length of feeds etc. Does he seem like he's cross that he can't get it as easily or not that bottered?

Original poster

JoBaz · 08/09/2006 18:01

bump

OP posts:

Original poster

JoBaz · 08/09/2006 22:36

He eventually fed late this afternoon, so thats good.. however my letdown is still taking longer than usual & hes getting angrey... what could be causing this? is it my hormones? why after 11 mths of feeding would this happen?

Thanks for any help
x

OP posts:

mears · 08/09/2006 22:47

JoBaz - the more uptight you get, the less likely you are to let down milk. To be honest I think you are overanalysing things. Your breasts know exactly what to do as you have breastfed for 11 months. I hardly ever felt let down in the latter months of feeding. If you are anxious that will pass to your DS who will also feel anxious. Try and relax - your breasts won't let you down

Original poster

JoBaz · 08/09/2006 23:10

thank you mears. I am tryin to relax,& I think I am... but to be honest, I think on the back of my head I can hear my mum saying, have you run out of milk yet?..she always says my milk may run out soon & do I still have alot of milk & then look at me all susprised.. maybe thats in the back of my mind!
I have a very powerful letdown, I feel it very strong when it actually comes.. & am still feeling it.. but its definetly taking 4 or 5 times longer than normal... I feed DS in the night & so am half asleep & certainly not tense or even thinking about it, & the last couple of nights the letdown is just taking so long... I am worried its going to get longer & longer & not come atal? what would I do .... I hope my Boobs dont let me down as you say, but im beginning to wonder?

OP posts:

Original poster

JoBaz · 08/09/2006 23:10

OP posts:

mears · 08/09/2006 23:24

JoBaz - you will never 'run out of milk' at this stage unless you stop feeding. Breasetfeeeding is the signal to your body to make milk. Honestly, your milk will not just disappear, certainly not after 11 months of feeding. Don't over analyse whayt you are doing - just feed a snormal. It will sort itself out.

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