Help please. About to give up breastfeeding

[Hillclaire7]

If anyone can give any advice I would be grateful.
I'm a FTM and exclusively breast feeding. My 6 week old daughter has started struggling with feeds.
When feeding she seems to choke/squirm arch back and make loud noises when feeding. She wants to feed but struggles. I'm thinking I may have a fast let down. So this evening I expressed about 2 ounces and the milk was still spraying out. I pumped a bit more then finished. My daughter does tend to cluster feed in the evening and I fed her off the breast I had already expressed from no problem. She started getting a little fussy so I changed breast and thats when she started struggling a lot so I put her back on my expressed breast and fed, she seemed full and content and fell asleep. My question is should my milk be spraying out even after expressing 2 ounces. does anyone have any advice? Do I need to express 2 ounces every time I feed? Thanks in advance

I can't aware your questions specifically (hopefully someone with an answer will be along in a minute) but when I had a few issues feeding my dd I called the breastfeeding national helpline (uk one) and they have me the most fantastic practical advice that was 6 weeks in I'm still feeding my dd now and she's 17 months - can't praise them enough they were fab

I had a similar problem (although earlier on) with my DS. It turned out that he had a tongue tie, which was affecting my supply and the ease with which he could take it. He also did better if I'd expressed first.

Thank you for that! I never even knew such a thing existed, I will call them tomorrow.

She's been checked for tongue tie at birth by the midwife but she said all was ok. Think expressing is what in going to have to do,

I had over active let down I would let baby latch and ad I felt letdown take baby off and catch the seat on a muslin cloth an put baby on when spray stopped.

Leaning back so the milk was going against gravity helped and also feeding laying down as baby would let milk dribble out side if their mouth if too much.

It generally settles doen as baby gets bigger and can cope with flow more easily and your supply settles as your boobs get used to how much milk your baby wants.

Expressing 2oz every feed is a huge amount and not sustainable. Your body will think you've suddenly got twins and you'll struggle to leave the house!

Definitely call a helpline.

I didn't see how long this has been going on. Could it be linked to a growth spurt?i would think if you persevered she'll get the hang of it.

Congratulations!

Expressing first isn't a good long term solution as it'll only increase your supply. Do get checked for tongue tie by an expert (lactation consultant or tt specialist) as DD's was missed by several midwives and bf peer supporters. Struggling with let down was an issue for us

It's been going on for 2 weeks now and that seems like a long time for a growth spurt. Can you feel let down then,,,, because I cant. I don't feel anything!! I just take the pump or baby's mouth away and it's spraying! I was told by health visitor to express for about 4 mins but doesn't make any difference.
Will definitely call the helpline tomorrow.

We try laying down every evening as it's comfortable but that's when she's at her worst with the fussiness,

This is quite common and there are lots of things you can try before quitting

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

Block nursing is probably the most useful thing you can start with - only feeding from one side for a given period of time (e.g. 2-3 hours) to try to reduce supply.

Hey. I've previously posted about this as i have had exactly the same problem since ds was about 5 weeks old. I also can't usually feel my let down very obviously (although I am beginning to a bit more). Ds is now 12 weeks and things have begun to settle down so there is light at the end of the tunnel but it has been a struggle getting here and I nearly gave up on at least two occasions.

What helped for me was feeding in different positions. In the morning (when boobs very full) I feed leaning back as far as I can which means ds gets the milk less quickly. During the day I tend to use what I think is the "elevated football hold" which essentially means ds sits upright next to me to feed. It is also important to stay calm to keep him calm (this is easier said than done). My theory now is that it is better to do half a calm feed and feed again in half an hour rather than a full feed which distresses ds a lot.

I hope this helps.

We had some of the same problems as you (choking/arching back when feeding) and DS was eventually diagnosed at 6 weeks with a posterior tongue tie. Things improved almost immediately after we had it cut (at 7 weeks). So just to reiterate please do get this checked out by a lactation consultant - have you got a breastfeeding support clinic near you? We were also told by midwife in hospital that he didn't have a tongue tie... they virtually never spot posterior ties so it's well worth getting another opinion.

www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk
Details for you hopefully the advice on here and from helpline will help :) good luck

I wouldn't be expressing at all until the letdown issue is fixed as best to keep to supply/demand basics.
If you think she is getting flooded at letdown (some can feel it/some can't) then follow 5mads advice.

It might just be evening fussiness though. Have you tried just taking her off the boob and rocking her/skin to skin with dh/pacing round room? Then trying gain once she's calm. Sometimes they get too wound up/ overtired to feed properly. It's so frustrating because you know that I they just have a feed they'll fall asleep. It's just a phase though.