Overactive letdown

[WantsALittle1]

So I have a very strong letdown. I have tried all the tricks for dealing with this problem--pumping for 3-5 minutes before feeding, laying on my back while feeding (with DS laying on his stomach on top of me), stopping and starting the flow with pressure.

I pumped 3 oz just before feeding DS right now, and when I put him to the breast and he initiated the letdown, he pulled away quickly and when he did, I noticed that the milk was literally spraying out, in a jet. It hit him right in the eye and he started crying.

If I pump anymore than I currently do, this problem will only get worse because then my supply will increase. I was told by a LC that laying on my back would fix this but it does nothing. My milk is like spring-loaded…

Any new ideas/tricks I could try?

 

[Sarah125]

I had a really strong over active letdown. Honestly nothing helped apart from waiting it out. As you said you don't want to pump too much as it will just make things worse.

It probably took a month for it to balance itself out. I don't know about yours but mines was agony but I just grit my teeth and carried on.

My LO wasn't too bothered by it but she used to pull off sometimes if it was too much. She didn't bother with the milk spraying in her face though. Maybe just make sure you're ready to redirect it somewhere else?

Hopefully something may have helped someone else but that's just my experience. It will end though

 

[WantsALittle1]

I had a really strong over active letdown. Honestly nothing helped apart from waiting it out. As you said you don't want to pump too much as it will just make things worse.

It probably took a month for it to balance itself out. I don't know about yours but mines was agony but I just grit my teeth and carried on.

My LO wasn't too bothered by it but she used to pull off sometimes if it was too much. She didn't bother with the milk spraying in her face though. Maybe just make sure you're ready to redirect it somewhere else?

Hopefully something may have helped someone else but that's just my experience. It will end though

Oh yes, mine is painful. When I start to let down, I usually have to take a couple deep breaths to get through it. It feels like my boobies are about to explode under the pressure

I will try the rag trick, but it just seems like so much work to have extra rags nearby, pull DS off during the let down (he has the strongest latch in the world!), and then put him back on. He has a really hard time latching, but once he does, he really won't let go until he's passed out. Sigh!

 

[misspriss]

Pumping is probably making it worse, I always just let it spray into a burp cloth. Having a burp cloth handy is way easier than pumping first, IMO.

It gets better with time, and your LO will get better at handling it. It should get better between 6 and 12 weeks.

 

[Girly922]

I don't have much advice other than to say try and have a muslin or pad ready to catch the flow if LO pulls off. I also have a forceful letdown, and letdown hurts! It feels like my boobs are contracting and of course they both letdown together!! As my supply has regulated the only time my letdown is too forceful for DD is her first morning feed. However, the letdown pain is still present at every feed.

 

[eve89]

It's good that you have a lot of milk. May be you can try some pads also.

 

[Noo]

Nothing helped me but time and by GOD I thought I was dying every single time it let down. I cried! It finally sorted itself out around 8-10 weeks pp.