Talk to me about overactive letdown...

[babygirlsmama]

I've read about it, and never thought I may have that problem...if anything I thought my babe complains because the flow is too slow. Lately, however, she has started crying (seeming scared) within about a minute of latching on. This has only happened in the morning hours. Sometimes she chokes and sputters a bit and backs off. Thus I suspect overactive letdown.

How do I diagnose it? When she does that, there is no milk squirting out of my nipple. However, if I try to hand express some, I do get many jets of milk squirting out. Could she be complaining about that?

She also tends to complain sometimes during the end of feeding sessions when I suspect the flow is too slow. Maybe girlfriend is just really demanding and knows what she wants, and is eager to tell me about it if the flow isn't quite to her liking?

She also does this thing, usually toward the end of feeds, where she sort of twists her head to the side and down, as if she is trying to burrow into my lap (but with the nipple still in her mouth). It is very adorable, but I wonder what that means?

Anyhow, talk to me about overactive letdown. How do I tell if I have it? I would love some specifics, please! Also, how do I handle that. I don't want her to get freaked out by repeated bad experiences at the breast. Right now, she's 9 weeks old and I want to continue EBF for a long time yet!

Thanks! Any insights are much appreciated!

[MyLittleWarrior]

First of all, hugs, and stick with it. I had horrible oal with DS2, in addition to a huge oversupply and a fore milk/hind milk imbalance. Poor babe would only nurse when he was famished, and it was always a huge ordeal with lots of coughing, sputtering, latching on and off, and crying. I finally was able to deal with the over supply by block feeding on huge blocks. Like 12 hour blocks, I'd nurse one boob most of the day, and nurse the other boob all night. Nursing one side until it was soft left the otherone painfully engorged, but that sends the negative feedback your body needs to tell it to produce less milk. Do your breasts feel really full before you start nursing? Can you feel your milk letting down? OAL and over supply often go together, but not always. If you're not dealing w/over supply then the block feeding is not necessary and could hurt your supply. If you can feel your milk let down (anything from a light tingle to a vice like squeezing pain) you can unlatch dd and catch any letdown in a towel or diaper, and then latch babe back on once the flow is slower. Also you can try nursing in a semi reclined position with babe laying on top of you so the milk is flowing uphill and gravity is helping babe out.

Fussyness at the breast can also be a sign of baby reacting to something in your diet. The most common culprits are dairy and gluten, but it could be anything. How are her stools? Normal and yellow, or green and frothy or mucosy?

Some other mamas may have some more info, but good for you for noticing a problem and doing something about it. FWIW, DS2 nursed for 18 months, despite his rough start, and finally weaned when I was ready. He would probably still be nursing today if I was up for tandeming.

[prothyraia]

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

It's normal to get jets when you hand express. The choking/sputtering could indicate OAL, though.

For me, my son would try to comfort nurse, pull off the breast when he got a letdown, and scream while milk shot all over his face and up to a foot away from me.

[nertsmommy]

I had OAL with DD. She would choke and sputter and let some spill out of her mouth. She also would spit up a lot after eating. I had to pump some before I nursed her and that seemed to help her a lot.

[pumpkinhead]

Could she be stuffed up? You might try some saline or breastmilk in the nose and use a bulb syringe to get out what you can.