Milk coming too fast

[monkeytoes]

DD2 is 2 weeks old and chokes a few times at each feed. It seems that my milk flow is too fast for her. I figure she will eventually be able to drink faster, but is there anything I can do for now to slow down the flow? I feel so bad for her and am always apologising to her:laughing:

[Herchy]

Use nipple sheilds. I had this problem, it was horrible. Nipple sheilds will slow the flow down for bubs, and your supply will soon slow down a little. ALso, if you are expressing, use a fast flow teat with her from now, so she can try and get used to the flow from your BBs;)
Good luck. It might take a few weeks, but you'll both be right before you know it. I struggled for a few weeks - months with my supply, but we are still going now at 7.5 months;)

[pooks]

sorry im not much help, but a friend of mine had same prob, and im pretty sure her bub just got use to it. maybe speak to a CHN or lactation consultant. good luck

[Herchy]

I forgot to say, if she looks like she wants more of a flow.... poke a few holes in the nipple sheilds... or just in one;)

[ziggie]

I'm pretty new to bf myself, but also had this problem with Lincoln in the first month or so. I used to express a bit out first, to make my breasts not as full, then the flow would be slower. They settled down in no time.

Get lot's of advice before using nipple shields, maybe get in contact with the Australian Breastfeeding Association first, because I'm pretty sure shields can lead to nipple confusion, and are only to be used as a last resort.

Congrats on the birth of your little one, by the way :yelclap::)

[Herchy]

No nipple confusion here. We also used a bottle in the first 2 weeks;)
good luck though. It's a good idea to call the ABA or see a LC.....;)

[Tam-I-Am]

Use nipple sheilds. I had this problem, it was horrible. Nipple sheilds will slow the flow down for bubs, and your supply will soon slow down a little. ALso, if you are expressing, use a fast flow teat with her from now, so she can try and get used to the flow from your BBs;)
Good luck. It might take a few weeks, but you'll both be right before you know it. I struggled for a few weeks - months with my supply, but we are still going now at 7.5 months;)

I'm sorry, but I'd advise strongly AGAINST using nipple shields - they reduce mouth-to-breast contact, which is vital for establishing supply, especially before about 12 weeks of age. They could also be incredibly detrimental, leading to nipple refusal, and if they're affecting your supply but bub won't go back on the breast without them - that's really bad news. Although they've worked great for you Hershy, its not something that I would think is a good idea under these circumstances (sorry to disagree - I'm not trying to be offensive - I'm glad they worked for you :))

I would express until you have a let down to reduce the strength of the let down, and then pop bub on the breast. If she's choking, but coping okay, then its not really a problem and she will, as you've said, learn to drink quicker as time goes on.

Prepare for drips and leaks with plenty of towels, or a terry cloth nappy at the start of the feed.

HTH :)

[monkeytoes]

Thanks for all your advice. I am very familiar with nipple shields as I used them for 6 months with DD1. I never had any problems with milk supply last time, it seemed to be just right. She BF with a nipple shield for 6 months due to attatchment issues then one day she just worked out how to do it properly.

Just a question.........if I express a little before each feed wouldn't that create more of a problem with over supply?

Maybe I should just wait and see if things settle down in the next few weeks and like you said Tam-I-Am I will need plenty of terry cloth nappys to soak up the spills!!

[Roxy]

My milk would spray fair across the room in the first few weeks...couldn't tell you how many times bubs coped a face full of milk! :laughing:

I used to feed laying down on my side - I'd lay on the side I was feeding from, and it would slow the milk flow...I'd put a cloth nappy or towel under us, and bubs could/would dribble the overflow onto the towel and not down my tummy...

At one stage, this was the only way that both of them would feed, which was fine by me because it was comfortable. It takes a bit to learn, but once you have mastered it, it's great.

[jayisa02]

I had fast flow and still do. I actually didnt realise that anything could be done about it and my DD learnt to drink fast i guess. We are still breastfeeding and she still coughs and splutters occasionally but it makes for some really quick feeds at times! :)

[~Bec~]

I remember watching a telly show a few years ago and a woman was experiencing the same thing. It turns out what worked for her was laying on her back and getting the baby to lie across her tummy to feed (thereby using gravity to slow the flow). I have no idea if there are any other implications of this - maybe one of the other bf mummies who have tried this can help??

[Seacretsquirrel]

I had the same prob and used to express a little before a feed which seemed to relieve the pressure, I used to squirt across the room too (DH didn't find it so amusing when he was in the firing line:laughing:). I would lay back in the chair so that gravity was working for us which helped. I also have larger breasts and a midwife at the hospital suggested rolling a face washer and putting it under my breast which also helped. But overall DD just learned to drink fast, or get milk up her nose.

[UmmInayah]

I also have a fast flow. DD is now used to it, though.. although occasionally she will come off and cough, and give me a big grin and latch back on.

I used to have to take her off for the first let down and either collect the milk for later, or collect it in a vomit rag. She coped better when it wasn't coming as fast in the following letdowns.

Oh and I also used to posture feed on occasion.

As Tam said, I am also against nipple shields. I don't think they are the best solution at all.

[SassyMummy]

I only breastfed for 9 weeks, but I had this trouble too.

On advice of the lactation consultant in the hospital, I discovered that if I change positions, it worked better/worse.

For example, the football position made my flow REALLY REALLY FAST.

Laying down on my back, or leaning back, with my baby on my chest/stomach and feeding that way, made it slow down quite a bit.

Perhaps you could try that...? It could turn out to be that simple.

[Jakois]

Hi There,:wave:
I had the same problem with all three of my babies. What I did was let them suck till let down, then let them off till let down had passed. Milk didnt flow so quickly after that. It only lasted for a few weeks till BF was established properly. Then it really settled down. Good Luck...:)

[Feral]

I've only been breastfeeding for 6 months but have this problem still some days, I find lying down on the bed or couch to feed really helps slow the flow.
Sometimes bub sucks till the milk lets down then coughs and pulls off, milk sprays everywhere, on bub, DH but that seams to releave the pressure a bit and bub comes back on and feeds ok.
Expressing first helps or catch a bit in a towel, I have heard that posture feeding also works but I didnt figure out how to feed this way so I lie down. I have also read that putting a bit of pressure on the breast back from the nipple can help slow the flow, not sure if this helps?
I also dont recommend nipple shields, I was given one to use in hospital with my prem bub with no advice from the LC and I think it prolonged some of the problems I was having.
Stick with it, your doing well, bub will learn to cope, my poor bub used to cop it up the nose and everything and I used to feel bad when he coughed and splutted .