Crying while breastfeeding

[Richie'sMama]

Hi.

It seems that every time my three week old DS breast feeds, he eats a lot then he screams and cries (sounds like a rooster!).

He has gained quite a bit of weight (at least 2 pounds since birth, thank G-d) and I have an ample supply of milk. He does seem gassy (pulling legs) though. His poops are very loud and liquidy. I've been avoiding milk products, too.


I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience, if you think it's just gas or if you think it might be something else that I need to look into.
Thank you for your help!

[doerksend]

could be foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. it happens when you have an overabundant supply of milk. baby has to gulp and gets drowned. Try nursing with him above you (you on your back) so that you are avoiding gravity. Also try feeding only one side per feeding to level off your supply. or call la leche league. good luck,
Catherine

[Susuhound]

ITA with doerksend. Sounds like hindmilk/foremilk imbalance. It's not a 'problem' in that it will 'harm' the baby or anything. Sometimes (especially with first time mothers) the breasts over supply more than usual and the baby gets a bellyful of lactose-rich foremilk very fast. It settles down after afew weeks, maybe 2 or 3 months or so. There are lots of tricks.
Feed leaning back/lying down to slow the flow.
Express before a feed, just until the first letdown has finished.
Let baby feed off one side only for a couple/few feeds. I used to use one side for about 4 hours before changing over,. Remember to express a little from the non-used side to relieve engorgement (you shouldn't need to worry about supply dropping as they will both get used about the same in 24 hours)
I had a really strong letdown and foremilk imbalance but in the end I only did these things when I could be bothered, they all helped a little, but when all was said and done we both grew out of it after a few weeks without any dramas.
I was told that if the baby only feeds for short periods in the first few weeks (due to the fast letdown) that milk supply can fail after about 3 months due to not enough of the ducts getting stimulated properly, so I was more worried about this and was paranoid about keeping her on the breast for at least 1/2 hour each session.
She's 2.5 and still nursing strong

[Rio Mama]

I'm glad this topic was discussed - I'm having this same issue! Thanks!

[starry_mama]

Those are all great suggestions, and I have one more! I have the same problem and after nursing for a minute or so when my milk "lets down", and starts spraying (out of both breasts not just the one he's nursing on) I take my son off the breast and let the milk spray into a diaper, cloth, etc, and then latch him back on when the tidal wave is over LOL.

[earthmama369]

Awesome. We're running into the same thing too (ds is 3.5 weeks old). I really like the spray-into-a-cloth idea; I've tried just about everything else and it's helped, but not completely. Draining some of the foremilk sounds like it might carry us the rest of the way.

[Richie'sMama]

thanks for the advice.

after afewdaysof following your suggestions, we had a much beter day yesterday, hoping iy continues...

also check out

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/oversupply.html

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/foremilk.html