Overactive letdown - Any Tips?

[Kathryn3711]

My baby is now almost 14 weeks old and has been struggling with my very overactive letdown from the start. The past few weeks she’s been very opinionated about how we feed, and insists on only feeding in a side lying position which makes going out a real struggle. I’ve tried the laid back / koala feeding position what feels like hundreds of times and she just face plants into my boob. I can’t get it to work. Has anyone else with an overactive letdown found any solutions to make life a little easier?

I used to just lean back in the sofa so I was slightly reclined or express till I got a let down and then nurse. As DS got older he could handle the let downs better

I never found anything other than helping them to manage it.
Leaning back a bit with them facing forwards into the breast so that gravity is slightly dragging the milk down might work a bit. But frankly if your baby has a preferred position I’d go with that where possible.
It will hopefully only be bad for another few weeks. I had a little baby and was told by lactation consultants that she basically never sees this ‘problem’ with 5 month olds (or older) because their mouths get bigger and they handle the flow better.

@Chocolateaddict999 @Pomegranatemum thank you both! Hoping it gets better soon - baby now 14 weeks and still struggling but I know it’s not forever.

Just one other thing. Is it just the letdown, or is it the throughout the feed? You mentioned it being the letdown but your baby’s preference sounds like it’s throughout, in which case I believe this is technically a “fast flow” issue, as opposed to simply a letdown issue. Doesn’t really help you, but it means that suggestions that relate only to letdown won’t help. Used to drive me mad when people gave me unsolicited advice to just hand express the letdown - it really wasn’t as simple as that!

@Pomegranatemum I think it’s mainly the letdown as the occasions when she does latch on in a cradle hold, she pulls off just as the letdown hits her. I think when she totally refuses from the start, it’s the letdown she anticipates and fears! I often get 2 or 3 letdowns in one feed so, yes, just expressing that first letdown doesn’t solve the problem! X

I found the koala position really tricky to start but after a few days my baby got the hang of it, it’s worked pretty well for a fast let down. You could try pushing down on baby’s bum as that will bring their head back slightly. I find I have to bring his arm on the outside of the boob up to the boob so it’s cupping it and then my arm around his arm to keep him in position. That kind of lifts his head up a bit too. If you have a nursing cover you could also just express a little into a muslin underneath the cover just before to remove the worst of it?