Newborn baby sometimes chokes while breastfeeding

[Onaloop]

My baby is just over 2 weeks old. I've been breastfeeding him and things were going well. He's always been a guzzler and drinks as if he thinks it's never coming back, but over the past few days he's started choking sometimes during feeds and I've had to lift him up and pat it out. Usually he is fussing around, coming off and on again when the choking happens, whereas when he just latches and is calm he doesn't choke.

Someone mentioned my let down might be too fast and I've tried reclining to get gravity to help, and expressing a little before (but not much comes out) but he still is choking sometimes (not always). I don't feel anything like a let down so not sure if it's that or if my baby just drinks too fast? Has anyone else experienced this?

Is it actual choking(not able to get air in and changing colour) or is it not yet having mastered swallowing/intake?

Sometimes your boob spurts out a shed load and it can make a baba splutter and it takes a few seconds for them to cope with it

It is very normal to have a baby splutter, look very surprised and maybe spit up a bit of milk.

Maybe a fast let down as you said. Would it help to hand express a bit first?

Yes I had fast let down, poor babies were not able to manage. Gravity helps, yes , you can also help manage the milk flow by squeezing behind you nipple to compress the milk ducts and literally staunch the flow of milk.

@lilmishap yes I think it's more like something going down the wrong way when you eat, that kind of choking where he goes a bit red and tries to cough it up.

@Rrrob thanks, I've tried expressing but it takes ages to come out and comes out very slowly (I have to give him vitamin D tablets crushed up on a spoon with some breastmilk and it takes ages to get the few drops for that too)

Also he fusses, comes off the boob, back on, off again over and over - is this a sign that too much is coming out?

Annoying I live abroad and all the local breastfeeding groups are not happening due to covid

Does he choke less in the side-lying position or the laid back position? In the side-lying position he can let milk dribble out of the corner of his mouth if it comes out too fast. In the laid-back position gravity slows the flow of milk.

@seaborgium yes he chokes in side lying and laid back, although if I'm really laid back he can feed without choking but it is painful for me so probably not sustainable long term unfortunately

I have a fast let down too, I’ve breastfed two babies (18 months with DC2 and currently at 8 weeks with DC2). I find they do get used to it after a little while and it’s not as bad once your supply settles. Laid back/side lying and expressing a bit as you have been advised I think are the best ways to manage it in the meantime. I also sometimes just stop the feed for a few seconds to give him chance to breathe if he’s gagging and then start again.

Also he fusses, comes off the boob, back on, off again over and over - is this a sign that too much is coming out?

Are you giving him a little air so he can breathe through his nose when he's feeding? You might have to.hold your boob out of the way in front of his nose.

I had this. I found it really terrifying the first few times, in the middle of the night on my own. DD coughed and spluttered so hard and seemed to really struggle to catch her breath and then projectile vomited on a few occasions with it too. As a nervy first time mum I went to the GP who told me "yeah, babies do that sometimes". I learned that I had very fast milk and I too tried the lying down and laid back positions but didn't find it helped much. However after a week or so it all settled and baby just seemed to learn to manage the flow better. Still happened on occasion but not so violently as the first few times. Hopefully the same will happen for you as your flow adjusts to baby and baby adjusts to your flow. Hopefully feel reassured though that it is definitely a thing that happens to some babies. Key to always remember (even though unpleasant) is that if they are red and coughing/spluttering it's all OK. It's if they go quiet and blue then they're in trouble and need help xx

Sounds normal to me. Down to let down or having fast flow that baby can't keep up with. Imagine someone pouring a drink into your mouth and chi to gulp while it's pouring. If you time it wrong you'll splutter and cough.

Still happens to my 11 month old sometimes though it's normally if she's starting to fall asleep and allows her mouth to fill up with too much.