I had my second baby 2 weeks ago and have been BF him since, it took some time for my milk to come in but now it is and I feel like I have to much. I end up pumping one side because he doesn't seem to like it as much as the other. While pumping I realized that the milk comes out so much faster from that side than the other. I had this issue with my first child, we tried BFing her but ended up having to stop after only a month because she wouldn't latch on anymore due to slipping off. My newborn is doing better than my first but it is very frustrating having to keep putting him back on and having to hold a burp cloth over it while milk leaks out, this is not fun during outings. I'm wondering if maybe my milk supply will even out a bit more as I feed him, or how long it takes to get established with just enough that he needs. I try not to pump because I don't want my body to think I need any more extra milk but it gets hard because I am already making to much and my breasts will hurt until drained. If you have any advise it would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you
Daughter Madison is 2.5 years old
Son Luke is 2 weeks old
I was able to slow the production in the overproducing breast by only feeding on one side the night after I read these responces. I hand expressed some milk from the other side just to be comfortable and that was all it took! 1 night. I thank you all so much for your advice!
It sounds like you have a heavy/fast letdown, so I'd pump or express a little bit out of the side that's giving you "trouble" before latching the baby on.
I had an overactive letdown and it was like feeding DD from a firehose. Block feeding helped the OALD for me. Look it up (kellymom.com, for example) or talk to an LC. It DID even out and I was able to nurse DD til she was 2.5 with few other issues. I used to nurse DD with a towel in hand for when she took a break and it squirted everywhere. It'll get better. Really.
Congrats!
1- Consult an LC. Medela's website offers free LC advice.
2- Yes, if you're overengorged, baby will have a hard time latching on. Either pump for a minute before nursing, or manually express a little milk.
I had that problem with my older child at first. (My husband called me "Rocket Boobs," such a charmer, that guy!) Anyway, what helped me was before I fed the baby I'd go into the bathroom and hand-express some milk into the sink. Just enough to soften things up and make it so the baby could latch on easier. My body seemed to think I was feeding quadruplets or something. Anyway, after a few weeks of this, my milk supply adjusted and it was no longer difficult for her to latch on right away.
Pump off an ounce, then block feed on same side for two to three consecutive feedings. Pump other breast and save it! I have a 4 month old and it is much much better! Stick with it and don't despair.
.
I spent a lot of time in the lactation clinic and overheard the prescribed method for overproduction is to do two feedings per breast before switching to lower your production. But I would recommend you see a lactation consultant. Since you really want to get on the right course of action since it really takes about 72 hours for you milk to respond to attempts alter production.
Hi there!! first of all congrats!! I exclusively BF DD3 and what I reccomend is that you do what I did when I was weaning her from breat to formula which is....let your over producing breast fill up as much as you can take it without expressing or pumping......when you start to feel really uncomfortable then go ahead and either pump or hand express just enough to feel better, but don't take out tooooo much! what this will do is make your body think that it is producing too much milk (which it is) and since it's sitting in the breast unused it will cut down on production. I was able to wean my baby from breast to bottle without getting engorged by doing it this way. i hope this helps and pls let me know if it works!!
Hi--
If you can stimulate that breast and let the initial rush rush out at first, then put him on. As he gets bigger he'll be able to swallow faster and your breast milk will also even out. It doesn't take too long. I had the same problem with one side letting down much faster than the other. It's been nearly four years now, but I think by the time both of mine were around a month old everything had worked itself out. Oh, and with both of mine I only fed them on one breast at a time until they were much older and needed both sides. With the first I pumped and it made me miserable. With the second I gritted my teeth and my breast milk production evened out after two or three days. So my advice is don't pump. Get in a hot shower and that should stimulate the breast enough to let down the milk that is making you super uncomfortable for those couple of days.
Good luck and congrats!!
J.
Hand express some when they get painfully full. Just enough to relieve the pressure.
When I was trying to even out my oversupply I block-fed. She fed only on one side. If necessary, I would hand express a little from the other just to feel better. Never pump the other side. It didn't take but a few days for my body to recognize that she would only be eating from one side each time.
I also hand-expressed a little bit from the side she was nursing on to ease the let-down (so she wouldn't choke). That may be why he's "slipping off" and you have to use a towel - the let down is too forceful and to avoid choking he's simply pulling off. Try starting out by hand-expressing just until the flow slows some, then put him on.
I know how frustrating an oversupply can be. My little girl had reflux because of it. Not everyone gets that it can be a problem... glad to see you're only getting helpful responses instead of "if ONLY I had that 'problem.' It's way better than not having enough..."
I am currently breastfeeding my first baby and I produced way too much at first too.It is at the point now where one feeding consists of me feeding her for five minutes on one side and that is all she needs, anymore than that and she'll spit it up. And one of my breasts produces more than the other as well. So my advice is to hold your breast firmly and help him to latch on and continue holding it through the entire feeding so that he's not working to suck, swallow, and stay attached all at the same time (one thing at a time, he'll learn). My baby had trouble latching and would get so frustrated that she would scream and then not eat at all, I dreaded feeding her for those first couple of days because all she ended up doing was screaming her head off. And if you need to pump the other side so that it doesn't ache, just pump enough to where it doesn't hurt anymore, don't try and completely empty it or that will throw off the whole demand and supply. That's just my experience and advice, use what helps and disregard what doesn't. Best of Luck :)
