DS sucking really hard, then crying because he's drowning in milk - what's going on?

[Thinkstoomuch]

For the last two weeks or so, DS2 (13 weeks) has been starting most feeds by sucking REALLY hard on the boob, then soon after is awash with milk and comes off choking. Nearly all our feeds are ending up a big milky mess, with soaked bra and breast pad, DS2's tshirt, etc. He also pukes up a bit, whereas he wasn't pukey at all before this. He's now starting to get quite upset about feeds.

I'm guessing my let-down is a bit full on and he's getting too much at once. But then this evening he was only popping on for one suck at a time and even that was making him cry and gag. Eventually got enough into him by lying down and talking to him soothingly to get him to keep going and not gulp too much.

I BF'd DS1 for 18 months and never had anything like this. Any ideas what's going on and what I can do?

Ds2 has similar sometimes. I let him chomp on my little finger first and that seems to calm him down so he can feed a bit more calmly. V frustrating though!

Anyone else? He's not particularly ravenous, he feeds so frequently it's not as if it's out of desperation (so not sure offering a finger first would help, but I'll certainly try it). In fact the best feed he's had in days was today after a three-hour nap, when you'd think he'd be especially hungry but in fact did a lovely, calm, long feed.

He's chewing on his fist a lot so possibly teething, although no other symptoms - not sure if that's anything to do with it. Could swallowing by painful for some reason?

This is getting me down now.

I had a similar problem, too much milk and ds gagging and choking.

I found single side feeding helped. Basically feed from the same side for each feed within a 3 hour time period and then swwitch sides and do the same for 3 hours.

I had to do this for a couple of days to sort it

Sounds like an overactive letdown. If he's had a growth spurt your milk supply may have increased?

lots of good info here

www.kellymom.com/newman/02colic_in_bf_baby.html#fastletdown

feeding from one side at a time helps, as does trying different holds

Excellent link, thank you. Am going to try the Kellymom suggestions and hopefully it'll settle down soon. Thanks CT too.

Just another thing. It might sound crazy, but if you are drinking or eating fennel tea, fenugreek and some other herbs, it can encourage more milk and perhaps fast let down. Good luck!