Forcefull let down/over supply!! Really struggling to feed my baby:(

[willowsmummy]

Hi everyone.

My DD is 13 weeks old on tuesday and is EBF when feeding she coughs and splutters, pulls away constantly, bites down in my nipple and it is generally a struggle to get her to feed for more than 5 mins. In this 5 mins she is on and off the breast about 20 times her nappys are green and foamy/stringy which means she isnt getting enough hind milk.its really getting me down and i dont know what to do to get her to feed comfortably and to get enough hind milk. Because shes filling up on foremilk her naps are shorter as shes hungry. i know most people are worried about undersupply but oversupply is a topic that is difficult to deal with too

Any suggestions/advice or support would he great

Thank you xx

[becj86]

Oh, honey BTDT, complete with the grassy nappies.

Block feeding - feed off one side for a period of time or number of feeds, then the other side. Basically, that means that one side is full and feeding back to your body that you've got plenty of milk and not make any more - it will downregulate your supply and mean that at least every second feed has loads of hindmilk.

Recline to feed - http://biologicalnurturing.com/ check out the video here. The milk is then going against gravity so  its not quite so forceful on LO's throat.

There are more things you can do, but these are your best starting point. xx

[*happy*]

just wanted to add some hugs....i have really "bad" oversupply too....it really is tough going & the otuside world/general public don't seem to acknowledge it at all for some reason?!those are really good ideas ^^^ i only ever fed from one side at a feeding & if i felt that she hadn't drained it i would start the next feed from that same side.i found too that there were a few days every so often that she would bounce on & off constantly, crying when she tried to latch etc...it may have been developmental because i didnt do anything differently but she just kind of righted things herself!!!HTH!xxx

[willowsmummy]

I have only every offered one breast, except in the early days/week So i feed off the same breast for two feedings? Or until i feel emptied? She is much better with expressed bottles as i suppose she gets lots of hindmilk (so naps better) and can control the flow better!! But i dont have the time to express that often and then i may end up with the opposite problem of a low supply!! bit of a vicious circle!! Lol its nice to know im not alone and your right, most people think its brilliant to have ample breastmilk but its just as stressful as not having enough!!
 

[*happy*]

i think it's more painful too!!!although i could be wrong & just feeling extra sorry for myself cause i'm having issues at the other end of it!!!!my LC told me to feed until you empty the breast...so i guess that would mean feeding from the same one twice in a row, ya....but i'm no expert!it took a few days of that at the beginning & gradually my body seemed to tune up to her needs & i would only need the one breast for a feed....HTH

[willowsmummy]

I will try it and see what happens its very painful, even more so now as shes sleeping 7/7 with no dream feed and also just moved to 4 hour easy so now my boobs need to realise this and stop making So much milk!! Hope improvements wont take too long!! Hugs to you!! Have you read up on herbal suplements? X

[shivi]

huge hugs,

I had OAL and OS with both of mine but DD was less able to cope - DS was a very "co-ordinated" feeder and so never seemed to have major issues with it all....

I second block feeding, feeding while lying down with baby on top, letting the first spray go into a muslin rather than into baby's mouth (MY DD would get shocked each and every time).

I was really in the OS-US cycle with DD (was back in work at 7 mths and it would go from one extreme to the other very often). It really is a pain, esp when people don't understand it and when baby is not "enjoying" feeding with the chokes and splutters.

S x

[willowsmummy]

i like to express for my OH to have that special time with her too, but again over stimulation = more milk. I hand expressed the first oz today before feeding and it seemed to help ihad this too with DS and ended up with blocked ducts and tons of anti-biotics that i was allergic to so ended up in hospital anyway today has been massivly better with 20-25 min feeds and 2 x 2 hour naps amd a 45 mon cat nap happy baby makes for a happy mummy

Thanks for advice ladies xx

[*happy*]

wow,i am so impressed by your giving it a go when you had such an awful conplication the last time around.seriously inspiring!fair play!(ps...im drinking sage tea as i type....pretending it's hot choc!!!)

[becj86]

It may not be the 'right' way, but I found to express without stimulating the areola, I would just express enough to get a letdown, then squeeze the breast itself (a bit like breast compressions) and the milk would just flow and I'd get ~200mL in 5mins or so and there'd be a feed in a bottle.

Also, if you steer clear of things that increase milk supply, that can help - so no oats, etc.

[willowsmummy]

Yea i do breast compressions although i just feel like a milk machine lol Today has been a good day too in terms of feeding. We have been out so naps havent happened as usual, but were home now so LOis feeding then going up for a nap nappys have gone from yucky green to yellow so a good sign of things improving SAGE TEA?? euggggh lol xx

[*happy*]

the things we do for our LOs eh?!hope the feed goes ok.xxx

[willowsmummy]

Thanks hun!! Think my boobs are gettin the message lol