cluster feeding/ comfort nursing leads to projectile vomiting... what do I do?

[caitlyn2009]

My DS is 3 weeks old today. He has always cluster fed for 5 or so hours in the evening. Usually from 5p-10p. I don't mind it at all because he is probably my last baby and I treasure the cuddles and closeness. He does get very gassy in the evening as well and spends his non - nursing time (which isn't much) crying. I have been giving him gas drops and that seems to help. The problem is that I have a pretty strong let down and no matter how many time I take him off and burp him and try to make him take a break he always eats so much that he vomits it up everywhere. It isn't really spit up but large amounts of milk that sprays everywhere and makes him heave. I am at a loss of what to do because I can't really deny him the nursing but I hate him being sick.. any advice??

 

[noon_child]

Hmmm that's a difficult one because if you want to follow his lead your stuck in a rut of him overeating and then being sick to get rid of the excess. Would he take a pacifier at all? If you know he's overeating then it shouldn't hurt your supply. Especially if it's just at that point in the evening when he's tired and wants to comfort suck and at all other times you let him nurse. The only other thing I could suggest is a laid back breastfeeding position. This might stop him getting so much all at once because gravity will help stop the letdown being so forceful.

 

[LeannieB]

Hi my little boy is exactly the same. He is now 5 weeks. I dont mind the comfort nursing but like you it leads to lots of wind and him being sick lots. He is putting on weight great and health visitor suggested trying dummy but i havent as yet xx

 

[Princesskell]

We have comfort feeding here too. My little man is 2 weeks today and is wanting to feed all night, but I think its just to help his wind, but then it seems to add to his wind!
Tonight we are having sleep slots of an hour before he's up to feed again he sleeps quietly for about 30 minutes then grungy strainy sleep for another 30 mins before crying starts. Not mch sleep for mummy!
I'm trying to resist the dummy as I did with my dd.

 

[purplecupcake]

You can either pump or hand express a bit before you offer him the breast so your letdown isn't so fast.

 

[NoodleSnack]

Do you change side? If you just give him the one side the whole time, would it help?

 

[Snufflepop]

We had this. I had a really strong letdown and huge oversupply for quite some time. Dd would feed and feed and comfort suck but then throw up huge amounts of milk because she had taken so much. Then because she had been sick she would want to feed again. I remember it being such a frustrating cycle , we went through so many clothes changes and muslins in the early weeks. Dd refused a dummy so unfortunately we just had to wait for her to outgrow the cluster feeding and then things calmed down a lot. I would say by about 12 weeks she was much better at regulating what she took and my supply calmed down a bit too. Hang in there, it will pass!