Breast feeding moms

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anonymous user
Registered: 12-31-1969
Breast feeding moms
Sat, 08-25-2012 - 8:28pm
Do you wait for your baby to finish one side before offering the other or do you time it? I think I'm experiencing overactive let down and in researching it, I've seen 2 different philosophies...just wondering which works for you ladies. I was told to time it and that hindmilk actually comes throughout and not at the end, but there is so much out there saying hind milk comes at the end. Sawyer has had painful gas and very fussy at the breast and I was reading it could be too much fore milk making his tummy upset..anyway, thoughts?
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2007
Sat, 08-25-2012 - 10:53pm
Just to let you know, there is a Breast feeding support board, if you want to cross post to get more info :smileyhappy: Sorry I don't have the link handy, I'm on my mom's laptop.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-14-2011
Sun, 08-26-2012 - 8:25am
Honestly, it sounds like you're over-thinking it. I would just relax and not worry so much. As long as he is eating and gaining weight all is well.
Expecting baby #1 August 8th 2012! It's a girl!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-16-2007
Sun, 08-26-2012 - 12:00pm
I'm visiting from the July board. With my first two, I tried to nurse until I emptied, but I can never feel my boobs full, so it was a guessing game. My first two never would let go or indicate that they were done ,so I timed. With my 3rd, she lets go when it is empty it seems so i don't have to time. I generally offer both boobs at a feeding. I think a feeding should last at least 20 minutes, whether that is 20 minutes on one side, or 20 total, that is up in the air! good luck

December Gumdrop 

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-23-2007
Sun, 08-26-2012 - 10:43pm
Welcome to the overactive let-down club! Heh heh. Just kidding. It's a pain in the butt! I had it with my first and have it again with this one, as well as some over-supply issues. This LO is experiencing the same things as yours, and it's very frustrating. I have been working with my local LLL chapter, and I have to say, it's helped a TON. Just going to the meeting was so reassuring, because there were 3 moms there who had the same experience, plus trained leaders to help me.

What worked best for me in terms of the let-down was to try to anticipate my let-down, pop baby off, and express some of that foremilk into a towel. Then when it stopped gushing, I put baby back on, and she was happy, with less gulping (gulping air causes huge tummy troubles for us too).

For over-supply, the best thing has been block feeding. It's where you feed off only one side for an extended period (3-5 hours). And then if you can help it, you don't pump the other side. After a few days or a week, your body gets the signal, and you stop producing quite so much. This is also good because if baby nurses close together, he is more likely to get hindmilk.

Finally, a word about timed feedings/switching sides: there is no right amount of time for a baby to nurse. DD#1 could empty a boob in about 5-10 min by the time she was a month old, partly because of my overactive let-down (she learned to deal with it), and she never nursed longer than 15 min on either side. She routinely only needed one side, because she was drinking somewhere between 3 and 4 oz (that's based on how much I'd pump when she didn't nurse), which is pretty much a full meal.

Trust your baby. He'll tell you if he wants the other side! if you try to force it, or time it, you'll just get frustrated or you'll be covered in spit-up (that happened to me too). If he stops sucking or falls asleep on the breast after one side, chances are he's done. If he stirs, offer side 2, and if he doesn't perk up and latch on, odds are he's full. :smileyhappy:

I can't recommend La Leche League highly enough--it's the best resource. Start on the website--there are a ton of great articles--and then try to find a meeting near you (or just contact a leader--one came to my house and helped me out!).