Oversupply/losing latch repeatedly

[jenfl]

Before my milk came in, DS and I were doing great with the breastfeeding.

Then my milk came in something fierce. We have a lot of the symptoms of oversupply -- rapid weight gain, short and one-sided feedings, fussing at the breast, lots of air intake during feeding requiring multiple burpings, and large feedings as measured by an LC. Worst of all, DS pushes my nipple out of his mouth repeatedly -- every suck or two. Ouch!

The LC suggested pumping/expressing off some before the feeding, but I know that can actually increase supply.

DS is now 2 weeks old. In the last two days, one breast has decreased significantly and DS is having an easier time -- although still losing the latch multiple times. At least he stays on for a more reasonable feeding length (more like 10-15 minutes than less than 5).

Now he seems to be having an even worse time on the other side, crying and losing his latch every suck or two and pulling away from my breast while still latched on. Ouch!

Has anyone else gone through this? Any ideas on reducing the supply in the second breast?

[Ambystoma]

Hi--I had this same problem (and occasionally still do) when my milk first came in and for a couple of weeks. He kept unlatching because of overactive letdown (I think) and would cough because of all the extra milk. What worked for us was to get in positions that kept the milk from flowing too fast downhill into his mouth. I had him nurse vertically (got him sort of in a football hold but angle him to sit up while eating) or by me laying down or leaning back and putting him on top so he was on his belly. This made it easier for him to control how much came out. That also helps with the de-latching.

We're 2 months out and my supply is evening out (but he eats often) so I'm not engorged as often. And, he can handle the faster letdown. So, I'm assuming it will get even easier from here.

Not sure about decreasing the other breast, sorry. But I'm sure other mamas have good advice!

[MEcatlady17]

What helped me in the early weeks was block feeding- feeding one side for multiple feedings, then the other. The first day or so you will feel some engorgement in the breast not being used those hours, but then your body will compensate. This is a supply reducing technique, so you want to make sure you really have oversupply so you aren't causing low supply. We got to a place where I was doing intervals of 6 hours per breast and DD had less spitting up and gagging and better looking poops (they were getting foamy and green until I block fed). I still have OALD and produce milk like crazy But at 12 weeks I have worked back up to just switching back and forth one breast per feed (about every 3 hours during the day). DD has adjusted to the OALD and I think actually prefers it (won't take the bottle, but that's a whole other issue...). Oh, and I did pump off engorgement occasionally, but just an ounce or two which is what I would get from just a few manual pumps and setting there to collect the let down... Now I have a bunch of 1-2 ounce portions in the freezer which is nice. You are right though not to pump too much as it can increase supply, but you also don't want to get painfully engorged and sometimes pumping a couple minutes can help in those days and weeks. Good luck!

[ShwarmaQueen]

Can you see an LC soon? It's hard to give advice after going through what I did with DS and not suspect tongue-tie (his biggest issue). Losing latch, pushing out breast, crying, swallowing air, gas, etc can be caused by so many things...

[TzippityDoulah]

I've had oversupply three times now... here some quick tips I've learned.

expressing a little off wont increase your milk much... PUMPING frequently will.

you can start expressing/pumping before a feeding just enough for letdown and then stop the pump immediately and let milk naturally drip/spray until the gush from the initial letdown is passed, then hook on baby. (it wont increase you milk. but it will prevent some gassiness and overfull baby issues)

wear cabbage leaves in your bra. it works WONDERS.

It is totally normall to have more milk in one side than the other. one of my breasts makes milk 3-4 times faster than the other. it always had. the left side is *almost* normal... the right side is insane. I could feed a village.

even in worse cases, it does et SOME better after 2-4 months and the again at 3-6 months. so expect some relief

feed baby so her head is higher than your breast. this takes trick maunuvering for sure, but it's wortht work! babies like to suck to pull milk out, they wont just drink from a free flowing cup. so if you have milk just shooting into her mouth gravity is going to make it worse, then the sucking will give her way more than she can take and she will pull off repeatedly/choke/reflux/vomit.

[TzippityDoulah]

P.s. have you been to kellymom.com? they have great info...

and I forgot to add, sometimes foods we are intolerant to will make us making too much milk (it sounds odd but often allergic reactions to food will mess with our glands and the breast is a gland...) when I went off of gluten and dairy my whole breastfeeding world changed!!! it was amazing! wish I had tried it sooner.

[Juvysen]

I've been block feeding since my milk came in. He's gaining like crazy, but at least his poo looks normal...

[andlee]

I have a similar problem, my breasts have gone from a not-quite-a-B to a DD! Also, beeb has gained over a pound in a week. When I put him to the breast, sometimes he just hangs out and seems like he's eating, with the jaw movement, etc., but there's no suction when I check. This means it's an improper latch, right?

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I was just about to ask pretty much this same question.