Fast let down making feeding a nightmare!

[Shmerlock]

Hello! Hoping for some advice/words of encouragement/general experience of Mum's who have/had fast let down.

It's causing feeding in public to be a nightmare!! I can manage it better at home but when I'm out it's horrendous. Baby girl is fussing and crying before I've even got her latched, almost as though she's expecting it to be difficult! She screams, hits and pulls at my breast, chokes and coughs leading to her ultimately pulling off and my milk going everywhere - all over her, me and the shawl I usually use as a cover. She then ends up screaming the place down as she's freaked out, and usually still hungry!!

I'm finding it anxiety inducing now as it's such a stressful time just trying to feed her when I'm out. She kicks and wriggles too meaning I'm finding it hard even getting the positioning of feeding her right - I end up uncomfortable just as much as she is! I don't think I've mastered the art of supporting her during feeding, at home I use a feeding pillow which she finds much better but I don't have that when I'm out and neither of us are used to the feeding without it. My boobs exploded once my milk came in (went from a DD cup to a G cup) so I have to help her out as otherwise her poor little nose is smothered by boob 🙈. So it's another thing I find tricky when out as I need one hand supporting her and the other holding above my nipple down otherwise she can't breathe whilst feeding.

I try and express in to a muslin beforehand, but this doesn't seem to make a difference. As soon as she latches the letdown starts again and it's just as forceful! It really shoots out!!

I'm not sure what the solution is!? Does it get any better!? Baby is 10 weeks now and I've had this since her first week!!

Apologies if this is very rambling and thank you if you've made it this far!! Xxx

Apologies if you have tried this, but I found leaning back helped with my fast letdown (although doesn't sound anywhere near as fast as yours). The midwife recommended it as it can help reduce some of the force of milk and they can pop off easier if it gets too much.

@StarDanced thanks so much for replying! I'd heard that too, have tried to lean back but doesn't seem to make much of a difference unfortunately . I often find that a lot of places, cafes for example, it's tricky to lean back or get that sort of positioning. I'll keep trying it though! Really hoping it'll ease!!

Sure someone else will have more recent experience but a few things you can try:

Practice without the pillow at home - if you start left side use your left forearm to support your baby from underneath (just so they don't roll forwards) - it will leave your right arm free to help them position/cover up/mop up. I saw someone do one armed feile they were chasing a toddler and it twigged that it was possible!

Try to feed as soon as your boobs chime - they'll start to tingle and then you're not at the spray-leak before you start.

This is very "non" with some bf advocates but if you're stuck, a pinky will give you child something to suck on if they're upset and you're trying to get everything rearranged.

@Toomuchis that's a great tip with the pinky, will try!!

You're right, I definitely need to practice without the pillow - I just find it so stressful battling it when I'm out it's nice to have that when home. But I'm just making a rod for my own back.

See when I get that tingle feeling my boobs are immediately leaking 😫 I think I have oversupply as well as fast let down as they leak a lot!!

Thank you for your advice 😊

I had oversupply and a fast letdown so know exactly what you are talking about. I researched block feeding and decided to go for that, which made a big difference.

Lots of ideas to help here kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

@HungryHippo11 it's a bloody nightmare isn't it!! Thank you so much, I'll have a look into this!

Have a look at block feeding on kellymom, or at the La Leche League page on over supply. Block feeding helps with over supply, and once that’s sorted the letdown is still strong but (IME) it’s easier after the first rush without the weight of over supply behind it.

I had fast letdown and found that side lying feeding was brilliant

Leaning back didn’t really work for me but side lying definitely helped

Not really possible out n about though unless you are at someone’s house and can use their sofa/floor to lie on. Tbh I didn’t feed out n about until DC was older

As they get older they can cope with the letdown better

Be careful about block feeding or anything else to reduce your supply as you may not have oversupply. Do you get hard sore boobs between feeds or in the morning?

As a mum of a 12 yr old, try and also see the funny side of leaking milk everywhere. My breasts were like showerheads in the early days :)

I know lots of posters have give you good advice but I just wanted to reassure you that will all settle down, try to think of it as a little puzzle until she latches - it's not a big deal, noone will look at you in public if they can see youre feeding. You are doing a great job xxx Enjoy your baby :)

Ps side lying feeding will only work if there is a decent latch - I couldn’t manage it with my first as she had a tongue tie. If your DC can only latch in very specific positions and if they slip off (even after the initial let down) or make clicking sounds or your nipples look squashed then do consider tongue tie

@AnUnlikelyCombination thank you, just having a read now and hadn't heard of block feeding before - sounds like it could work!

Yes, apologies, I rather assumed over supply but that was just my own experience. You could explore it as a possibility, though.

PPS if your DC has choked and spluttered from the fast let down, do wind them before continuing the feed, as otherwise they will be full of air and it can be hard to get that air up at the end of the feed if it’s got a load of milk on top of it iyswim

@minipie she likes side feeding and does seem to manage the letdown much better! Like you said, it's just difficult when out and about. I wish she would let me not feed her when I'm out to be honest haha!! She's a greedy girl and usually wants feeding every couple of hours!! How old was your baby when they were able to cope with the fast let down a little better?

My boobs are usually hard and heavy- feeling by morning. And if she's give longer between feeds!

@minipie

PPS if your DC has choked and spluttered from the fast let down, do wind them before continuing the feed, as otherwise they will be full of air and it can be hard to get that air up at the end of the feed if it’s got a load of milk on top of it iyswim

I hadn't thought to do that!! Thank you!!

Hmm I’m trying to remember when she got better at dealing with the fast letdown. Definitely by 4/5 months. Might have been earlier. Sorry it was 6 years ago!

@R0tational thank you so much! Me and my partner laugh as if he's too close he usually ends up splattered in it too 🙈😅. I've found sprays of it on the remote, my mobile even the back of the car when I've fed her there!!! It's unbelievable how far it bloody travels sometimes 🤣

@minipie fingers crossed then! She's nearly at 3 months so hopefully will get a little easier!! Thank you for all your advice xxx

TBH winding them when they are still very hungry is difficult! Sometimes better as a compromise to give half a feed, then wind, then the rest.

You could consider feeding a little more often - she won’t be as hungry so might be more patient, and the let down won’t be as fierce ? Just saw you are already feeding every couple of hours though…

Yeah we called it “fire hose boobs”!

@minipie yeah she is a pretty regular feeder already to be honest! Especially now, the witching hours usually have her on the boobs hourly some nights 🙈.

It's mad isn't it!? I had no idea this was a thing until I had a baby 😅 (FTM - although I'm sure that's obvious from this!!!)

Ah, Shmerlock, reading your posts brought back all my memories of fast letdown (and the intense feeling as it happens). Have you tried a rugby hold ('clutch' hold)? At 10 weeks baby may be big enough and it is a good option when out and about. Also feeding with you lying on your back and baby over your boob (on top of your boob) can help too. Rest assured it does get better and in time you'll relish being able to feed quickly knowing baby they are getting a good feed. Getting there isn't always easy but every day baby is getting bigger and more able to cope. Both my kids eventually managed with the fast letdown and DD1 used to take the fast rush to help out DD2 as a baby!! I'm not a medical professional but am a qualified peer-to-peer breastfeeding councellor.

@fivepies we did try the rugby hold the first few weeks but she really hated it - I found it tricky too. But in saying that she was tiny, she was only 5lbs 8ozs when born so a small baby! Maybe now she's bigger and stronger (she's 11lbs 1oz now) it may be easier? Thank you! And good to know for any future babies that she can help out!! 😄 xxx

I had this issue with DS4. I would latch him on, and as the tingling started, took him off and popped a muslin over the spraying boob till it stopped or eased and then popped baby back on.

Don't be waiting till she's so hungry she's mad. She will be giving you plenty of cues prior to that .. turning her head, rolling her tongue, mouthing her fists

I'm the same OP. I found it so stressful when out and about using a Muslin as a cover. I ended up buying a nursing cover (like an apron) which means all of front is covered and if I do have the odd squirt no one can see! Most have a boned neckline too so can see what you're doing without getting in a flap (which I used to do) leading to a calmer experience for all!