Looking for advice regarding overactive letdown

[abigail_b]

Hi Mamas,
With my son I went through a period of overactive letdown...I think it started around 1 month and lasted until 2 or 3 months. I didn't know if I had oversupply, since I didn't have engorgement issues, but his poops were green for that whole time so I assumed I had too much foremilk. He gained weight fine- in fact was super chunky. I did fairly drastic block nursing to try and help the problem. It was a really difficult time because he could not comfort nurse. I had to only nurse him just as he was waking up, otherwise he would SCREAM.
I am now 2 weeks post partum and the overactive letdown is happening again. Yesterday my baby was really fussy at the breast for a few feedings. She would gasp, choke, suck hard, clamp down, let go, scream, etc. The same as happend with my son. I really am so worried that this will lead to no comfort nursing again, which breaks my heart. Once again, I don't have engorgment issues, so I don't know that I necessarily have oversupply. Should I block nurse this early? I have already often been nursing only one side per feeding because that satisfies her.

I have read kelly mom...any other advice or words of wisdom?

Thanks!!

[mamacatsbaby]

Oh my yes! The fun of the early days of nursing . With DS I had pretty severe OAL as well as OS (expect the same thing with this baby once he or she is here). Once I figured that out I did like you and blocked, blocked, blocked until my supply stabilized. For the OAL I would lay down with him; when I felt letdown I would pop him off, catch the milk in a PF or whatnot, then relatch him. Really worked out for us. Not sure if that helps at all .

[ashleedio]

We were having a similar problem recently and found that if I reclined back and held ds on top of me (or even in cross cradle if I was reclined far enough), gravity helped with the overactive letdown and he didn't choke or gag. Have you tried doing something like that?

[Super~Single~Mama]

When I had that issue I would nurse in the side lying position - that way Lincoln could just let the extra milk run out the side of his mouth and he wouldn't choke. I don't know if thats an option, but it helped us a ton.

[CookAMH]

I sat ds next to me, facing me, so the milk wouldn't run down his throat. It helped. Likea seated football hold.

[BarefootScientist]

I didn't realize I had OALD until about 3 months so I may not be much help...but I think you can try block nursing at that age, especially since you had this problem already with the first kid and know that it helped. But also, as others mentioned, try different positions. Lying down, nursing in a sling, reclining with baby kind of on top of you - those all helped me at different points.

Did your son never go back to comfort nursing? If that is the case, it may just have been his personality - some kids don't like to comfort nurse. (I have heard anyway. Mine does, although he didn't when we first were dealing with the OALD and block feeding, he went back to it later.)

[BarefootScientist]

Originally Posted by abigail_b

Once again, I don't have engorgment issues, so I don't know that I necessarily have oversupply.

Oh, I wanted to address this too. I never had engorgement issues but I think I definitely had oversupply. I think oversupply can also be related to your "storage capacity" yk? I have rather small breasts and have always had to feed frequently but I also had oversupply and had to block feed/only feed on one side.

Ok, I'm sorry, I cannot get this to make sense, I think I need to go to bed. Maybe somebody who knows more about lactation can clarify the engorgement/oversupply issue.

[mntnmom]

I tend to have OAL in the beginning too. Along with the other great suggestions, consider hand expressing a little before he latches on. That way, the first full blast of milk doesn't choke the little guy. Good Luck. It does get better.

[abigail_b]

Thanks for the replies! I have been experimenting with different positions and sometimes it helps, sometimes not. Trying to catch the letdown and then put her back on doesn't seem to work...I can't feel my letdown, but it seems like it happens very frequently during a feeding, so even if I unlatch her for one, once she is back on I will have another one in a minute or two.
Barefoot- yes my son did go back to comfort nursing as soon as the issue resolved (and was a champion "comfort nurser" up until we weaned at over age 2 1/2 during this pregnancy).
Thanks again everyone.