Please Help!! Why has my let-down got so slow??

[JennyOwens]

Please help me! I've been breatsfeeding Dylan since he was born but in the last week I've noticed the let down reflex on one of my boobs taking longer and longer. Its got the point now that LO just gives up and thinks he'll just wait for the other one to fill up again. It does still exist as I have been expressing the milk from that boob - because I have the patience that LO is lacking and I know there is milk there. It takes a good 10-15 minutes to get the let down, whereas when I express from the other boob it takes just 5 minutes max, or 1 minute when feeding LO direct.

I've tried thinking happy baby thoughts and making sure i'm relaxed but nothing seems to be working... it just seems to be getting worse and worse.

The problem is that before bed Dylan always takes 2 whole boobs but now he falls asleep trying and is waking up all the time at night. He's not a big fan of the bottle in the day and trying it at night when he's tired would just be asking for trouble!

I did have very badly split nipples for the first 3 months but they have healed and have been no problem for weeks and weeks... and it was on both sides.

Has anyone else heard of or experienced this? Please help - I'm so tired from his constant waking that my sanity is in tatters!

 

[shanegem]

Hi

 

[shanegem]

By the way, I've just noticed our babies were born on the same day!!! xxx

 

[JennyOwens]

Thanks for replying - what a strange coincidence with the birthdays!

There is a breastfeeding group near me on a thursday so if its not improved by then I may give it a try. I don't think I am putting pressure on myself but perhaps by trying to force myself to relax about it I'm actually making it worse!...?? My head hurts!

 

[Samantha675]

Found this on Kellymom
https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/letdown.html

 

[JennyOwens]

Thanks Samantha675 - thats a really useful article. Its good to know that it's not just me and that, perhaps, I'm just imagining it and what I thought was LO getting bored and deciding to wait was him actually having had enough and me not realising.

Thanks for the article.

 

[marley2580]

It's funny, I had an over active let down for ages but a couple of months ago it all changed and now Kaya has to wait for a min or two before any milk comes. It's strange what our bodies do. Good luck anyway.