Oversupply and forceful letdown HELP

[fionnthedog]

Hello,

I've posted before about the problems I've had feeding my ds who is now 11 weeks. He feeds for only 5-7 mins at a go, chokes and splutters and screams pulling off the breast and sometimes refusing to go back on.

After considering many possibilities I now think I have an oversupply of milk and forceful letdown which is at the root of all the problems. Things which make me think this are:

1. Choking seems to be the major cause of DS's upset at the breast
2. I leak ALL the time
3. I can pump 4-5oz at 10pm which I thought was normal but I now think is quite a lot.

Do people agree? And if so can anyone offer any tips on how I can make this better for us both?

Xx

You could try unlatching when you feel the let down, let milk spray into a muslin, then relatch. Or block feeding (only offer one boob for a certain time window - you can google this).

I am leaky too, but it has settled down a bit now (5 months) - but I can still fill a breastpad with one let down!

Other things:

1. Beware thrush. Leaky boobs = damp bedding/breastpads = thrush. Change pads every feed and keep an eye on ds tongue/your nips.
2. Tongue tie? Might affect your ds ability to cope with let down.

I had this all the way up to 4 months then things just seemed to settle down. My boobs weren't constantly full anymore and I could only pump 1 oz in the eve the other night! Still have a forceful let down but my baby (5 months) seems to cope now. I assume I'm still making enough milk as he seems fine.

Oh and lansinoh breast pads if you haven't tried them

I had this too. I found feeding lying back as much as possible helped with the choking, use gravity to help if you see what I mean. Also agree with pp about squirting into a muslin. I also had some breastpads which you kind of stick on to your boobs to apply pressure, rather than being absorbent. The absorbent ones filled up too quickly!

www.kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

Really good advice on Kellymom

Hello and thank you!

I fed only one side this morning and lying back as much as possible and it was much calmer. Still fed for only about 12 mins but happy and content so have to assume he got enough.

Milkjetmom - ds had a tt which wasn't cut til 6 weeks afters which I got mastitis so we've had a very shaky start. I think he still has a lip tie but it not obviously causing him problems like the tt was.

Pieceofthemoon - can you remember what the pads were called? I hate how the absorbent ones end up (like wearing a sanitary towel on your boob!) but I really do need the leakage protection when I go out!!

I think they were called lilypadz and I got them from good ol' Amazon

I had quite a strong supply for the first few months (it completely settled down at about 4 months).

I would express about the same amount as you at about the same time. (Careful with expressing though because that will increase your supply).

And my baby has always fed for no longer than ten minutes before being full, so perhaps he's just pulling off because he's full up.

I LOVED breast shells- they sit in your bra and collect the milk that leaks on the opposite breast while you're feeding from one side. (I found that during feeding was when I leaked most), then after you feed you just cool it in the fridge and add it to a pot in the fridge. I found by the end of a day or 2 I had 5oz which is the perfect amount to freeze to give at a later date. Plus I hated breast pads so they stopped the need for them. Magic!

fed dc1 till 15 months and had over supply the whole time pretty much. i still leaked very badly at 15m!!
ds is now 5 months and same issues. for me, block feeding is the only thing that really helps. i often go 8 hours on one side before switching. i make sure when i do switch its when ds is properly hungry as its milk city when i switch. i do express a little bit off but try to avoid doing regularly to not make things worse.
if i am.leaving ds for a bit and i do express a bottle for him i can easily express 6/7 oz each side within 5 mins!! crazy!
i also feed alot lying down.

oh and at night i often use nappies down bra rather than pads!!

I just wanted to update this for anyone else who has this problem. Things are not ideal but a combination of lying back and ds just getting the hang of it is really helping to calm things down.

This morning he fed for only about 8 mins before projectile vomiting. He seems fine and I think he just overfed - the reason I mention it is that it showed me just how much milk he is able to get into him in such a short space if time! It encourages me not to try and force him to feed for longer as my mega supply means he gets lots in a v short time!

My son has always fed really quickly. People are always surprised but I see it as much easier. Only now I've discovered that over supply can be a symptom of an overactive thyroid. Might be worth checking if you're worried?

I second breast shells!! Medela do them and they are an absolute life saver!!! Get them asap!! I also found pumping increased my supply.