Issue breastfeeding 3 day old

[momma2alauna]

My daughter latched onto my breast right away and has breastfed wonderfully right from the start. Our problem is, is that my milk came in yesterday afternoon and ever since then every time I feed her she coughs and gags throughout the feeding. What is going on? Is there something that I can do to help her not gag on my milk? I feel so bad for her. I noticed that her stool has changed in color from a yellow like to green, as well. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

[PatioGardener]

Mine was like that too!  Try nursing lying back (semi reclined) with baby on top of you.  Also you can pop baby off when the milk flows too fast and leak into a cloth.  nursing lying down may help too.

there are some good pics here http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html#help

congratulations and to mdc!

[Llyra]

It sounds to me like she's dealing with a bit of oversupply. It sounds like she's overwhelmed by a very fast flow. That's very common, in the early weeks. Most mamas find that the supply regulates itself in a few weeks-- six weeks is what I hear most often. In the meantime, there are some strategies you can try to make her more comfortable. (The green poop is a common sign of oversupply-- the earliest milk that comes out first is very high in lactose and low in fat, and if baby gets too much, it can cause the green poop. What you want is for baby to be getting more of the fat, which will turn the poops that lovely yellow color. We do that by reducing the oversupply, so baby isn't getting full on just the lower-fat milk, and nurses long enough to get the richer milk.)

1. It may help, with the choking, for you to let her nurse until you feel the letdown. Then pull her off briefly, and let the biggest part of the spurt run off into a towel. Then put her back on to finish it off. It'll likely make her pretty mad, for the minute or two she's off, but it should let her nurse more comfortably once she's on.

2. Avoid pumping. You'll just aggravate the oversupply by telling your breasts to make even MORE.

3. If things don't settle down in a few days, try block feeding. It's a technique for reducing supply.

You feed only from one breast for a block of time each day. Start with three hours on each side. So if baby feeds, offer only one side. Then if baby wants to feed again during the three hours, offer the same side again. Don't offer the other side until the block of time is over, then only offer THAT side for the same amount of time. If three hours doesn't seem to be reducing the supply enough, go to four hours. It may take a few days to a week to see results. In the meantime, if you MUST express some milk from the "off" side to relieve discomfort, only express a tiny bit, just enough so you don't feel painfully full. (See #2!!!!!) Don't do block feeding if you have any reason to suspect baby is not getting enough milk (I'm putting that in for the sake of a disclaimer, really, not specifically for you!) Stop block feeding if baby seems to stop gaining/pooping/peeing as well as previously.

4. Some mamas find baby is more comfortable in positions that let gravity work in slowing the flow down. Try leaning back in a recliner while baby is nursing, for example, so that baby has to work against gravity a little to get the milk out.

Good luck!!!! And congratulations on the new baby!

[justKate]

Definitely pop her off and let the fast flow spray onto a cloth or whatever, then latch her back on.  Maybe try block feeding, if her poop is green you may have a touch of oversupply.  Kellymom will have info on that too. Congrats on your new baby!

[momma2alauna]

Thank you so much for your responses. I will certainly give some of the ideas a try.

One question in regards to the let down. I don't remember feeling a let down while I'm nursing. What does it feel like?

[Llyra]

Originally Posted by momma2alauna 

Thank you so much for your responses. I will certainly give some of the ideas a try.

One question in regards to the let down. I don't remember feeling a let down while I'm nursing. What does it feel like?

This early, you may not have a sensation yet. Some mamas never do, but for most of us it feels like an intense tingling sensation that happens a few seconds or minutes after baby latches, or sometimes before you latch, if you're very full. You'll know it's happening, because baby will begin sucking and swallowing more rapidly, in a very rhythmic way. (For you, it may be that you're so full that she's swallowing rapidly from the very first second. In which case, it might help to try taking her off about twenty or thirty seconds after latching. This can unfortunately be a real PITA with a newborn, who is often difficult to get latched properly anyway...)

[neonalee]

Originally Posted by Llyra 

Originally Posted by momma2alauna 

Thank you so much for your responses. I will certainly give some of the ideas a try.

One question in regards to the let down. I don't remember feeling a let down while I'm nursing. What does it feel like?

This early, you may not have a sensation yet. Some mamas never do, but for most of us it feels like an intense tingling sensation that happens a few seconds or minutes after baby latches, or sometimes before you latch, if you're very full. You'll know it's happening, because baby will begin sucking and swallowing more rapidly, in a very rhythmic way. (For you, it may be that you're so full that she's swallowing rapidly from the very first second. In which case, it might help to try taking her off about twenty or thirty seconds after latching. This can unfortunately be a real PITA with a newborn, who is often difficult to get latched properly anyway...)

Yep.  I usually feel the first letdown, it's a little painful actually.  The ones after I never feel but if I'm paying attention I can tell he's having trouble keeping up.  Not that that stops him from trying LOL  Then when I finally notice and take him off I usually end up spraying him in the face