Wonky letdown, sleepy baby, help!

[WindyCityMom]

Our baby is 9 days old
Hi everyone I'm happy to report that after meeting with a LC at our family doctor, my nipple soreness is nearly gone, and we've discovered the cause of our bad latch- baby has her bottom lip curled in instead of out. And man oh man is that a tough one.. most of the time I cannot even get it out, but I've managed to nurse with it in place without her smashing my nipple (for the most part) so it is working out well. Perhaps when she's a bit bigger her lip will be a bit easier to pull out.. but I don't want her to get too comfy with it in. Anyone able to offer up some ideas or support on this?

I'm also wondering about my letdown.
We are feeding from both breasts per feeding. We feed on demand, which for baby has been about every 3 hours (give or take a half hour). This was going great for a few days. Yesterday, she suddenly began taking one breast, then only starting on the second breast. She then falls asleep and has no desire to nurse nor wake up.. I've tried everything to wake her, and she doesn't. I allow her to empty the first breast, so she'll get the hindmilk. The second breast.. well, I'm not sure if she's getting anything out of it, other than what's in her initial few sucks. (Note: this happens with both breasts, so it's not necessarily one or the other that is the most tricky). So, if I leave her be, I end up with a hard, full, painful breast. I've tried expressing milk afterwards or to get letdown going, and nothing really happens. I'm usually terrific at expressing my milk. Do I pump if she doesn't fully empty the second breast? I'm really lost. I know that was confusing but I hope that you can get the jist of it. I'd also like to note that my letdown in my left breast is rather normal, whereas the letdown in my right breast is super fast, and causes her to choke at least 3 times during the feeding. Even when I'm laying on my back. So.. what can I do? Do I just leave my unfinished breast be? Would that hurt my supply? Does my body just not letdown in that breast because it "knows" that baby has had enough? Thanks in advance.. it's just so tough to walk around with one painful boobie! It was soo much easier when she'd take both and finish.

Her weight gain is good, birth was 7lbs, 2 days was 6lbs8oz, 6 days was 6lb15oz, and 8 days was 7lbs6oz

ETA: I have also wondered about oversupply. I was engorged at 3 days but it went away with in 24hrs. at 9 days, my breasts are very full, painful, and leak before feeding time (usually). Should I be waking baby to feed more frequently than her decided 3 hours? Or should I continue this and let my supply even itself out?

[Llyra]

Have you tried applying heat, before trying to express from the full breast? The first few weeks with the twins I had the HECK of a time expressing milk, even when I was rock-solid full, and even though I'd had no trouble pumping and expressing for DD1, and the only things that helped were either doing it while in a hot shower, with the hot water running over my breast, or putting microwaving socks full of rice, and putting those on just before trying.

I don't think I'd leave a painfully full breast alone, if you can possibly get some milk out. You don't want mastitis, or even just garden-variety plugged ducts, complicating the already challenging newborn period. If baby doesn't want the second breast, I'd try pumping or expressing enough to relieve the pressure, but not emptying the breast entirely, of course, so you don't accidentally wind up with massive oversupply.

I don't think there's anything wrong with waking baby, either, if you're full and uncomfortable and want some relief. My kids usually responded well if I laid them down in my bed and slid in next to them, and offered the breast that way.

The early weeks are so frustrating sometimes, aren't they? It will all even itself out eventually, but I think that relieving the pressure a little when you're uncomfortable is a good idea.

[WindyCityMom]

Thanks. I'm just not sure on what the opinions of pumping at all during this stage are. I've got a manual pump for "just in case" kind of things. Not sure why expressing is tough sometimes, and other times it isn't.

I just attempted to feed her 2 hours after she began to feed last (I initiated it, she didn't). (first feed was around 10am, second feed was around 12pm). She did great for the first breast, which was my painfully uncomfortable one that I had offered second last time. As for the second breast, she was way too sleepy and it was a pain to get her to start. After she did, she got a good amount out and I heard her gulping.

Should I just begin waking her every 2 hours and try to establish a pattern that way (so that she'll eventually want to eat every 2 hours)? She was eating at a fuller breast, probably filling herself up more, and eating every 3 hours per her demand. I'm all for feeding on demand, but she just doesn't empty the breast fully. She'll do the first one, and the second one still remains mostly full.. especially when let-down is lagging. Is there any harm in waking her every 2 hours to eat? Or should I let her choose her feedings and just pump a bit to relieve the extra? This is all so confusing..! I'm worried that I'll end up depleting my supply if I just leave her be.