Why have I got REALLY delayed letdown with ds at 8.5mths?

[madamy]

It's seriously annoying both ds and myself! On a few occasions, it's taken nearly 15 mins to let down, by which time he's beside himself and there's me trying to keep calm and visulising everything from rivers of milk through to remembering those first feeds!

It's worse if I feed him overnight - he's starting to wake less overnight, down to just once every other night or so, but id also happening sometimes in the day.
I seem to have plenty of milk and once it starts letting down, ds has a really good feed.

He's eating really well and seems happy and settled in the day. I bf him about 4 times each day.

Sounds like you are getting really stressed about this which inhibits letdown.

Do you know in advance when he will wake? You can try warm flannels on the boobs to stimulate letdown, or perhaps on one, offer the other and then switch once you feel milk start to come in.

Is he feeding efficiently. Have you tried the rugby (underarm) hold? You might find that speeds things up - in my case too much and DD used to gag but sometimes it can help.

Also are you getting enough rest and food (of course not you are a mum - how silly of me ) but perhaps that would help.

Finally try and consciously relaxing your shoulders and your neck when you feed.

I am stressed about it but try sooo hard to relax when it comes to feeding him. I guess my body still knows though!

Good idea re warm flannels - he's old enough to wait a bit for a feed so can quickly stick a couple under the hot tap when he wakes.

I might try the rugby hold - I've not used it for months - does it still work with a wriggly older baby?

Mmm - rest and food - can def say neither too good! Have dd1 4.8 and dd2 2.4 also and going back to work in 2weeks so all a bit mad!

The other thing is, at eight and a half months he probably doesnt need the nutrition of the night feeds (not a criticism, DD has only just been persuaded to stop nursing all night and she's 15 months). So perhaps a little water from a sippy cup to quench his thirst and then a nurse after that?

You need lots of cushions for the rugby hold when they are bigger. I find lying down works well too.

how do you know when let down happens?

Liz: When it happens for me, I feel a big tingle, for about 15 seconds, in the nipple I'm not feeding from.

Apparently not everyone can feel their let-down. But you can see the difference in sucking - fast to start with, until the let down happens, and then longer and slower sucks once the milk starts flowing, along with visible/audible swallowing. Some say you can see the ears move when swallowing but I've never been able to.

Madamy: I'd second the recommendation to actively relax (not always easy to do!). Close your eyes and rest your head backwards if you can (have you got a nursing chair with a tall padded back? Or prop up lots of cushions behind you?). Breathe long and slow. Feel your shoulders in your mind, and then deliberately relax them. Same for back, neck and anywhere else you might feel tense. It's amazing how clenched my muscles get without me realising it until I do this relaxation. Then do the flowing milk visualisation thing once your body is more relaxed. This is what I do when it feels like the milk is taking a while to come, and it works for me. I hope it helps you too

Liz97 - When I first started breastfeeding I would feel pain on letdown, sort of a warm stingy sensation. But that was just because my prolactin levels were through the roof. Now it's a sort of warm full sensation. If you hold your finger really tight so it goes numb and blue for a minute or so, then let go and feel what it's like when the blood flows back into it - well it's sort of like that -only in your norks obviously, not your finger.