let-down problems

[vejables]

hi ladies,

just wondering if anyone has any advice about how to speed up my let-down? over the past few weeks it has been taking me longer and monger to let down. sometimes it takes up to 5 minutes!!!

sage gets really mad sometimes when my milk doesnt let down and keeps pulling off, making it take even longer!!! help!!!

 

[Margerle]

Start the process before you let her latch on. IOW stimulate the let down 4 mins before you let her latch on, if it takes 5 for it to happen. You can also use warm compresses, warm shower etc.

You're in one of two MAJOR milk production changes. Though this one is the more minor of the two. The other will happen again in 3 months (right around 6 months).

Your milk is changing production and chemistry to suit baby and her growing needs. Your breast needs to be stimulated MORE to make more milk, which is why the long let-down.

Baby will be frustrated, but just keep at it. You may try supplementing with fenugreek at this time, though if you've been at it this long, I'm sure just having baby suck more (even AFTER feeding) you'll get production up and the letdown issues will go away.

Any major changes in BF are usually seen within 3-5 days (7 at the most) so you don't have that long to endure her being on the booby a LOT.

 

[vejables]

oh so this is normal? awesome!!! i thought i was screwed!!! (and would have to deal with it for the next year)

 

[Margerle]

Yep, quite normal. Here's some more information for you:

https://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppbreastfeed/?msg=10852.2

 

[Margerle]

Something else to consider:

The feeling of fullness (sometimes even engorgement) that nursing mothers notice during the early weeks of breastfeeding is really not the norm at all, but means that mom's breasts haven't yet adjusted to the amount of milk that baby needs. At some point, typically around 6-12 weeks (if a mom has oversupply it may take longer), your milk supply will begin to regulate and your breasts will begin to feel less full, soft, or even empty. You may stop leaking, you may stop feeling let-down (or feel it less), and if you pump you may notice that you're not getting as much milk. This doesn't mean that milk supply has dropped, but that your body has figured out how much milk is being removed from the breast and is no longer making too much. This change may come about gradually or seem rather sudden. Many people are not aware that these breast changes are normal because so many mothers stop breastfeeding early on and never see this change (or mistakenly interpret this change as a sign that milk supply has dried up and wean because of this change).

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/breast-fullness.html

 

[vejables]

hey ladies, im still having this problem. is there anything else i can do to speed up my let down? i cant even get a let down with a pump anymore!!!

 

[vejables]

please someone help me out, im really frustrated!!

 

[Margerle]

What makes you think you are having a problem?

Sage is still getting frustrated on the boob?

How are diapers, does baby have enough?

Is baby growing well?

The only other thing I might try is warm compresses prior to nursing (like a trusty little heating pad over the breasts for 5 mins or so prior to trying to nurse.

Other than that, I'd call a local lactation consultant or a breast-feeding friendly midwife

 

[Margerle]

You can also learn more about let-down on the following link, it has great information and some suggestions for slow letdown.



SO SORRY!

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/letdown.html

 

[vejables]

i think the link is missing...

 

[Margerle]

Updated my post, and here's the link again

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/letdown.html

 

[vejables]

thanks! i will try to do that. i have been getting a let-down today, but it still takes a while. also, its seems that i only have one let down in each breast. is this normal? just doesnt seem like i hear her swallowing as much and she gets fussy about 5 mins after the let down. do you think she is just emptying my breasts faster or something? (i try to manually express when she gets fussy, and sometimes i still get a stream... whats going on???

 

[Margerle]

I see shes about 3-4 months old... at that age she's likely to start to be very interested in the 'going's on' around her. IOW she may distract easily. She doesn't want to have to eat - there's too much cool stuff going on!

I don't know if this is the situation, but as babies grow and change on a DAILY basis, we have to take almost everything into consideration...

Also she's getting to an age where teeth are starting to descend. Some babies teeth erupt at 4-6 months of age, (Most coming at 6 months). Maybe one of her teeth are coming and it's a weird sensation for her... :: shrug ::

Just hang in there, don't get frustrated, be a calm mama for her. You are doing great!

Sounds like you're making enough so don't worry about that. Just try to get her to focus back on feeding (you can wear pretty breastfeeding beads and things that bring baby back to the feeding rather than the 'rest of the world'.

Keep us updated on how you're getting on!

 

[vejables]

she does look around more and get distracted easily ie- hub comes in and talks to me, and she stops and looks at him.

maybe this is all it is. i sure hope so! i love love love breastfeeding and really would like to be successful for a whole year.

 

[marley2580]

Kaya can be a nightmare to feed during the day, sometimes she'll only feed for a few seconds three or four times a day! By the end of the day I'm close to bursting (milk sometimes even sprays out when I undo my bra!). Try to find a quiet place to feed and minimise distractions as much as possible.

 

[vejables]

we're doing a little better today. so hopefully this will continue