Do you have a forceful letdown? That can cause problems in your breastfeeding sessions. Your baby may choke or gag on the milk that suddenly rushes out of your breast. This can prolong sessions and prevent your baby from getting enough milk to become full. Allow us to help you overcome this challenge. Continue reading to learn how to fix it and how to help your baby learn how to deal with it.
What Is a Fast Letdown During Breastfeeding?
Forceful letdown is also called the "milk ejection reflex." It happens when milk comes out of your breasts quickly and forcefully. Your baby may not be able to handle this quick flow, and so they may choke or gag.
How Do You Know If You Have a Forceful Letdown?
The cause of overactive letdown is still unknown, and some women who have it don't feel anything unusual. Thus, identifying you have it is not easy if you are not observant. You need to pay close attention to your baby while they are feeding in order to know.
If you have a fast letdown, your baby may cough, choke, or quickly gulp while they are feeding. That will make them uncomfortable, and in an attempt to slow down the flow, they may clamp down on your nipple. They may also pull away from your breasts.
When you notice these happening, observe your own body. Does milk squirt out of your breast when your baby pulls away? Does that nipple feel painful? How about your other nipple - do you notice excessive leaking? If your answer to these is yes, then you have a forceful letdown.
Will Forceful Letdown Affect Breastfeeding?
A forceful letdown makes a baby drink too much milk too fast. As mentioned earlier, it makes them uncomfortable. This may make them not want to feed. As such, an overactive letdown can affect your baby's growth.
You, the mother, will also be affected. Your baby may change the way they latch to ease the discomfort caused by a forceful letdown. It can hurt your nipples, and that can influence the next feeding session.
Also, since overactive letdown can cause excessive leaking on the other breast, it affects how much milk your baby gets in each session.
How To Fix a Forceful Letdown?
There isn't really a "cure" for overactive letdown. However, there are things you can do to make breastfeeding sessions easier. Below is a list of said actions.
Use a Breast Pump
Forceful letdown happens only in the first letdown. That said, it is wise to express some milk first before the feeding session. With that, your baby will not have to deal with the fast, b rush of milk. We recommend expressing milk for 1 - 2 minutes. The Momcozy M9 breast pump is the best tool for this. It allows you to set reminders, which you can set 1-3 minutes before a feeding session. Then, it allows you to select from different settings to express milk efficiently and comfortably.
Break Suction Immediately
Some women have multiple letdowns. So, the first solution may not work for everyone. In that case, you need to watch your baby carefully when you start feeding them. As soon as they start coughing or struggling, break suction. The milk may spray, as mentioned above, so prepare a towel or washcloth to catch it to prevent a mess.
Use Your Hands To Slow Down the Milk Flow
You can use your hands to slow down the fast milk flow caused by forceful letdown. To do so, you can press your hand into the side of your breast. Holding your nipple between your index finger and middle finger is another way to do it.
How To Help Baby Deal with the Fast Milk Flow
You can help your baby deal with fast milk flow by changing your feeding position. Here are the two best positions:
Football Hold
As the name implies, in this feeding position, you will hold your baby like they are a football.
To position your baby:
- Rest their back along your arm while supporting their head with your hand.
- Support your breast by placing your thumb on top, away from the areola, and your fingers underneath. Keep your fingers well back from your baby's mouth.
- Your baby should face you with their mouth at nipple level. Their legs should be tucked under your arm, with their hips bent and feet pointing upward. It will help prevent pushing against the chair. Use pillows to help bring your baby to a comfortable height.
Laid-Back Position
The laid-back position is probably the first breastfeeding position that you have tried. You'd be happy to know that this is also a great position if you have a forceful letdown. If you are reclined or semi-reclined and your baby is upright, they will be feeding against gravity. That helps counter the fast, forceful flow caused by hyperactive letdown.
To recap, in this feeding position, you should:
- Lie down and place your baby on your chest or stomach.
- Have skin-to-skin contact to make your baby instinctively move towards your breasts and latch.
How To Adjust Your Supply to Better Match Your Baby’s Needs
Managing your milk supply is essential in providing your baby with adequate nutrition. However, several conditions, including forceful milk letdown, can affect your milk supply. Therefore, you need to know how to rebalance your supply to match your baby's needs. Here are some tips:
Increase Your Milk Supply
- Breastfeed regularly. Instead of sticking to a strict schedule, feed your baby every time they show signs of hunger.
- Offer both breasts when breastfeeding to empty them. This will tell your body to produce more.
- Use breast pumps when you can't breastfeed or between feeding sessions. Again, this will empty your breasts and will signal your body to produce more.
- Eat a healthy diet and have plenty of rest.
Decrease Your Milk Supply
- Let your baby nurse on one breast untimed.
- When they let go, offer the other breast as "dessert." Let them feed only for as long as they want.
- They may not feed on the second breast as much as the on the other. In some cases, they would not feed on it at all.
- Because the goal is to decrease your milk supply, you do not have to pump. Only do it if it makes you feel uncomfortable, and stop once you are comfortable enough to get to the next feeding.
FAQs About Forceful Letdown
Here are some frequently asked questions about fast milk letdown.
Should I Pump if I Have an Overactive Letdown?
Yes, you should pump to express some milk before feeding your baby. With that, your baby will not have to deal with the fast letdown. However, remember not to pump too much. You don't want to empty your breasts yet. One to two minutes would be enough.
Can Overactive Letdown Cause Mucus in the Stool?
Yes, it does. Overactive letdown causes your baby to get more foremilk. As you would expect, that is the milk that comes out at the start of the feeding session. The thing is that foremilk contains more lactose. This can cause changes in your baby's stool. The stool may become green and watery.
Can Overactive Letdown Cause a Gassy Baby?
Yes, it can cause a gassy baby. When milk flows too quickly, your baby may gulp, cough, or pull away, leading to more air intake. Swallowing excess air can create gas, discomfort, and fussiness. Burping your baby frequently and adjusting feeding positions can help reduce gas buildup.
Conclusion
A forceful letdown can cause problems for you and your baby. It can make your nipples painful and may affect your milk supply, which can also lead to discomfort. Meanwhile, your baby may refuse your breasts and not get the nutrition that they need to grow. Thankfully, simple actions like pumping and changing your breastfeeding position can help you avoid these problems.
