[nikirj]

So DD is a week old now...

I am having really painful let-down. I had this with my first as well, but not with my second (have no idea why). But it HURTS! Stabbing pain all through my chest, every time I have a let-down.

Anybody have advice? How can I make this not hurt so bad?

 

[Pynki]

It could be a really strong let down.. I have heard of it happening.. I have also heard that it could be a sign of the dreaded T.. Thrush..

I am sure other women will be on with more infor..

Warm Squishy Feelings..

Dyan

 

[trimomma]

Congratulations on the birth of your little girl!

With my dd, I had a very strong let-down also. My forceful let-down was causing dd to gag and choke if I didn't take her off my breast for a few seconds while I was having my let-down. I also began nursing her one side at a time so we would only have to worry about one let-down a session. Her diapers and bowel movements indicated she was getting plenty of hind milk and nursing seemed to be much more peaceful for her this way, so that is what really helped us.

I never found anything to ease the pain other than time. When dd was about two months old, my let-down eased up and I never had a problem with it since then.

Congratulations!
Mary-Jo

 

[sqoya]

I have had the same pain during let down. My breasts start off tingling, then the tingling becomes a more burning sensation, and then just pain overall. In the first 2 months I produced more milk than my dd could ever drink, and my let down was very strong. Now that my dd is 2.5 months old, my supply has decreased, and let down is no longer painful. There are many good threads about decreasing your milk supply (nursing on one side for 3 hours helped for us), but nothing seemed to completely alleviate the pain except for time. Hang in there, and good luck! At least overactive letdown seems better than thrush???

 

[Galatea]

I had intensely painful cramps all around my breasts where my milk ducts are. It passed after a few months. Now it is just a dull pleasant ache when I let-down.

 

[yaboobarb]

I too had painful letdown, this only happened with my second baby (now 5.5months)
At first I worried and felt angry that I was having yet another problem with nursing... ( I had a bad start this second time.. got baaaaad thrush on my nipples and I had to hold my breast with two hands and all sorts of things so she could nurse without my nipple slipping fwd. in her mouth.)

But after I was better and I still had the pain of let down, so I decided to change the way I looked at what was happening.

Now I just look at it as a "sensation that helps my milk come down"
and not as pain. I also rejoice that I can "feel my milk."

I still have and intense feeling at let down, but now I barely notice it.

 

[nikirj]

Thanks guys

Well, I'm thinking this is definately an oversupply/hyperactive let-down (both of which I definately have) issue. I'm thinking...duh...of course...I tandem-nursed when #2 was born, so that is probably why it wasn't so bad with him. I always had DD to relieve the pressure afterwards, and got to start out with a clean slate - I'm not tandem nursing now, since DS weaned when my supply dropped off and shows no interest in starting up again.

We have a nursing pattern now where DD will nurse in little spurts (like 30-60 seconds, so just through the start of a let-down) every 15 minutes or so for about 2 hours, then she'll nurse for about 5 minutes and fall asleep for 4 hours or so. When she wakes up from that longer sleep stretch we switch sides.

My supply is starting to correct itself already but for now let-down is still very painful. I don't think I have thrush, I think you guys are right and I just have to wait it out.

 

[willowsmama]

I hadthat too. Actually it felt like my breast was in a vice and about to pop. I only let ds nurse one side at time. It usually evens out after a bit. I've found a good bra and a loose fitting top make things more comfy.

And during the first weeks I pay quite a bit if attention to nursing. It's easy to slip into bad habits( you're tired and (if you're anything like me) your breast is larger then your baby's head making it almost impossible to see) make sure to check the latch and postioning.