let-down

[YummyYumYumMama]

when nursing on one side... is it normal to let down on the other?

does it mean the side nbeing nursed isnt giving her enough milk? or anyting like rthta?

[Code Name Mama]

My LC told me it's normal. I have a slow consistent leak coming from whichever boob is not being used. I should find something useful to do with it.

[starry_mama]

Yep, totally normal. I used to have to hold a prefold over one side while my babies were nursing on the other side, cause when I would let down, it would spray everywhere.

[zjande]

I often let down on both sides as well & leak everywhere.

[Ms. B. Sprout]

Yes, totally normal.

[Surfacing]

Not in your ddc but thought I'd chime in also that yes, it happened to me too. Except that it used to be while I was pumping - so I'd just put a little bottle under the nipple to catch whatever ran off. 'Dems precious drops to me at that time with my low supply!

[ivymae]

Normal and damn annoying. :P I am a leaky gal lately, and Alice and I have to change our clothes a couple times a day just from the gallons of milk that soak through all my hemp BFing pads. I think I remember the oversupply evening out somewhere around a month (maybe two?) but watch out - just when you think you can go out without your breastpads, you will be in the supermarket and hear another kid cry and WOOSH - boobs to the rescue.

[YummyYumYumMama]

we go through several changes a day too. there's always milk coating her face and diaper at each feeding, poor thing.

thanks for putting my mind at ease, ladies. my MIL and aunt both said something that made it seem like the milk flowing out of the other side means it's not flowing out of the side being nursed. ordinarily i would ignore them because they say all kinds of weird things (my MIL is convinced that sex causes ovulation, for example, and my aunt... is a whack job in general, though i love the hell out of her) but since they both said it within a day of each other i worried that it might be a sign from above that my boobs are problematic. lol.

i usually catch as much milk as i can in my hands and rub it into the spraying nipple/areola.

[VickV]

Happens here, too ... I consider it a sign of just having a wicked good supply

And there is NO way hemp nursing pads work for me at this point in the game - I swear by Lansinoh disposable pads ... that's the only way I can wear one shirt all day long!!

[kittywitty]

Mine always do that.

[guest9921]

Oxytocin release in your body stimulates letdown on both sides.

Its the worst at night, we used to have to sleep on piles of clean diapers.

[lisarussell]

oh goodness, what silly advice. I'm so glad you didn't listen to them And also glad you shared with us!

I sleep with a tank top and I "stuff" it with a receiving blanket folded into like 1/8ths so it stays in place loosely and catches those drips.

if you're in public and don't want to get wet, depress the nipple or bend it (like you're pinching off the garden hose) it's not terribly comfy, but it will keep you dry.

[wife&mommy]

is it normal for it NOT to happen? mine dont do that this time but did with ds

[guest9921]

^ yep.
I've been told that a lot of times women do not leak (or as much) with subsequent children.

[YummyYumYumMama]

Originally Posted by VickV

I swear by Lansinoh disposable pads ... that's the only way I can wear one shirt all day long!!

I have a ton but find them uncomfy. They stick to my nipples weirdly.

[minsca]

Mine let down as well... just wondering how does the let down feel for everyone? It was described to me (before I ever experienced it) that it would be a tingle. For me however it's very painful. My mom says it was the same thing for her. Does anyone else have painful let down?

[guest9921]

^ I had a fairly painful letdown. It continued until my son was about a year old, and then when he started eating more solids at this age, it was far less frequent.

All I can say is, you get used to it.

[AGlimmeringHope]

Totally normal. I use the Avent breastpads- they don't tend to stick as much as the others did for me. I leak constantly, and will probably wear nursing pads until we start solids.

And letdown is painful for me, as well. It's almost that sharp, stabbing pins-and-needles feeling like when your feet 'fall asleep'.

[lisarussell]

painful letdown- yeah, mine is like a boob contraction. boobs.


sticky nursing pads- squeeze out a little lanolin on the surface of the pad before you put it on. ORRRRR make sure the nipple dries completely before covering it up AND don't try to remove the pad until it's been soaked already. The lansinoh is nice, I think the pads should come pre-lubed with it. That's why I bought the lansinoh pads.