Overactive let down? Feel like I'm wasting preciou milk!

[2FarmBoysMomma]

Ok I'm new to this whole actually having baby nurse. I pumped for DS1 because he wouldn't latch on so I never had ths issue. So hear is my issue anytime I feed DS2 which ever breast he isn't nursing off of leaks like CRAZY! It will acutally soak through a breast pad and leak out of my shirt. I feel like I am wasting milk. Its almost like the breast drains itself. I still have milk when it fially stops but I feel like at least half the breast was drained. I'm not sure what to do or if theres anything I can do.

heres a little back ground on our nursing habits. When DS2 was just born and until he was about 2 weeks old he would just nurse off of one breast at a feeding. I was too afraid to break a good latch thinking he wouldn't go back because of having the issues with DS1 latch.

DS2 is now 3 weeks old and I nurse him about 15 mins on the first breast, burp him and then switch to the other side where he normally nurses until he falls asleep whch is probably 10mins on average.

Any suggestions or reassurance is welcome!

[woodchick]

This sounds totally normal (at least from my experience!)   Even at three weeks your breasts are still trying to figure out how much milk to make. It will take a bit longer for things to even out. 

I wouldn't worry about wasting milk. As long as your baby is wetting diapers and seeming content I'd say things are just fine.

I found that I sometimes needed to put something more than a nursing pad in to stop the leaking. Like a prefold diaper! (only at home though!) And I also found that putting pressure on the non-nursing breast sometimes hindered the letdown.  So if it felt tingly, I would press in on it with the palm of my hand and kind of will it to stop.

It sounds like you're doing a great job!

[HopefulJo]

My babe's 4.5 months, and this still happens to me. It's a mess! In the early days, I used a prefold at home, like the pp said. There are actually products for this issue, but I haven't tried it: http://amzn.to/mDhPUp

I agree, it feels like the milk is being wasted but... don't cry over spilt milk. ;-) Your body will produce enough milk for your ds, even with the extra it is deciding to squirt

[Lynn08]

It's perfectly normal.  Heck, with my first it lasted until she was almost a year old!  I can't use cloth breast pads because it leaks thru like nothing's even there. (I don't know why I never thought to use diapers at home - disposable pads are sooo expensive!)

You can also try pumping the other side while you nurse.  That way it won't go to "waste".  But only do this if you need to build a stash or keep your supply up! 

[2FarmBoysMomma]

Thanks guys I feel better now! I was like OMGoodness what is going on. Poor guy I don't know how many times I've squirted him in the face! The prefold is a great idea thanks! I also used cloth with my first and tired this time around nope no go its a matter of seconds and my shirt is soaked! I'm just glad to know I'm not the only one!

[2FarmBoysMomma]

Thanks for the link I may look into these because I am trying to build a supply up and I feel like pumping and feeding is too much multitasking for me

 

Originally Posted by HopefulJo 

My babe's 4.5 months, and this still happens to me. It's a mess! In the early days, I used a prefold at home, like the pp said. There are actually products for this issue, but I haven't tried it: http://amzn.to/mDhPUp

I agree, it feels like the milk is being wasted but... don't cry over spilt milk. ;-) Your body will produce enough milk for your ds, even with the extra it is deciding to squirt

[purplerose]

My mother taught me to hold a cup or something up to the other breast to catch the milk that comes out. She used to do that and saved up bottles for my brother for when she was not home! I did it also. I wouldn't be able to pump and feed the baby at the same time but I could handle catching the other side into a bottle/cup.