Another Breastfeeding Question

[hanno]

Maybe we should have a sticky so that all the experienced moms can help us newbies?

I think I might have over supply in my right breast. It sprays out hard pretty much on its own. The baby with give it one suck and he'll have to come off because it's spraying at him (sometimes from more than one duct) and filling his little mouth. It's pretty funny to watch him try to catch it as it gets all over him and me and everything else but I wonder if it might be unhealthy. Plus, it frustrates him. The left one is just fine. It leaks a little when he's eating from the other, but no spraying. I didn't even know this could happen. How can I slow it down without slowing it too much. With moms having under supply issues I feel like a bit of a jerk even bringing this up.
Also, I wonder about latch. Does his latch have to be absolutely perfect? If he has a lot of areola in his mouth, he can't stick out his bottom lip unless I hold it there but if he takes in a smaller amount he keeps it out just fine and he uses a motion similar to a manual pump. Is all of this okay? It's not hurting me and the pain from the thrush is almost gone for both of us.

[MonTana Mama]

OOO, we had thrush for 3 months w ds1. YUCK!!!

I too have the spraying problem. I attribute it to one side being smaller. Which I have heard is quite common. Your body will adjust in time. Mine took months! Anyway, try a little hand expressing before latching babe on the rt. side. That really helps. And if he gets too frusturated, let him suck on your pinky while you express and then he will calm a little. Also w my ds1 I would sometimes nurse on my larger (slower) side for a minute or two while getting the milk let-down and let a bit spray out from the other side, then latch babe on on that side. It is easier if you aren't too full. ie-nitetime

Good luck! Keep at it! I am amazed at how much easier #2 has been this time around.

[dimibella]

I'm not in your DDC but saw this on new posts. I had super strong let downs with both my kids, DH used to make fun of me and call a human squirt gun, I could just stand there and streams of it would shoot out ( multiple ducts ). Both my babes adjusted within the first month. Some people suggested to me to nurse lying on my back,which took a lot of practice for me, or just waiting for a few seconds to let it slow down. As far as his latch, if it works for ya'll then it's fine. Good Luck!

[treemom2]

I totally spray everything in the room when I let down. When DS was born he would choke and gag because my let down was so forcefull. Around 6 weeks old this stopped and he was better able to handle my letdown. What helped for me was to break DS off when I felt the letdown getting ready to happen and then to spray into a towel--that way he wasn't gagging. The tips at Kellymom.com really helped too. About the latch, I could never get my DCs to take a whole lot of areola. . .I figured as long as they weren't just getting nipple, it wasn't hurting, and they were getting milk it was okay.

[krismarie]

i sprayed ds1 a lot...he would end up gulping air and getting fussy. i found that laying down to nurse helped to slow the flow a bit.



if he is getting a lot of the nipple in his mouth and you aren't hurting...his latch should be fine. i find that i'm really sore right away if ds' latch is bad.