Is this nipple confusion or oversupply or both?

[ktcl]

DD is 10 weeks. I've been full time back at work for a few weeks now. She seems to take bottles just fine. Occasionally she'll refuse nursing. I'm so confused by her, though. It seems like when she rejects nursing it is either because she isn't getting milk as quickly as with a bottle OR because the milk is coming too quickly because of my very intense let-down. Given that these are essentially opposite problems, I don't really know how to help her. As a working mom, this is one of the most depressing things! All I want to do when I get home from work is nurse and cuddle my baby girl, and she just doesn't seem that into it. Her best nursing is in the middle of the night. And while I am glad she's doing it then, I don't fully enjoy it given my exhaustion.

I guess I"m just looking for any thoughts/ideas/comfort....

thanks!

[ariatrance]

Just thinking off the cuff here:

She probably does prefer a slightly faster milk flow that she gets with the bottles but still is too young to handle an overactive let-down. She can control the bottle flow but not your breast....yet. As she gets older, she'll be able to handle the overactive let-down, either drinking quickly (as my daughter does) or popping off until it's over - assuming the let-down hasn't resolved itself in a few months. My OALD only resolved at 14 months but I think that is abnormal.

I believe the given timeline for the breastfeeding relationship to hit a comfortable working pattern is about 3 months. You are almost there! So in the meantime,

*keep nursing!
*do not switch from slow-flow nipples on the bottles (use the slowest flow possible for your bottles).
*when you feel the let-down coming, pop her off and let it spray into a towel, then re-latch once it slows to a drip.
*try side-lying for most feedings. OALD is 'better' (for some reason) in that position. It worked really well for me and my daughter and may be why your night feedings go well.
*nurse in as quiet and distraction-less place as possible so you can observe anything else going on with her during these 'fussy' nursings.

Good luck! You both will get there!

[ktcl]

Thanks for the thoughts. STrange thing... I do think I have some degree of OALD, but the milk only comes if she sucks. In other words, it doesn't just spray out unless she is sucking. However, when she sucks it comes hard and fast. I do think she is starting to get better at handling it. I've noticed more popping off and then relatching. Up until very recently, she would only relatch after I gave her a pacifier.

I will definitely hang in there. I'm just super frustrated.

[ariatrance]

I think all mommies get super frustrated with working out the nursing kinks! You are doing great so far!

I agree with your thought about degrees of OALD. I have listened to other mommies at La Leche describe their OALD much like yours, only when the baby is actually at the breast. There are others, like me, that have to deal with 'boobs going off' at all sorts of random times.

When she pops off, does your milk spray out? If so, I definitely think you are on the right track. You might try block feeding for a week or two to see if that can even out your OALD.

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