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#1
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
DS is a few days old and my milk has come in. Both breasts are soon
engorged after each feeding and leak more often than not (usual triggers: baby feeding at other breast, baby crying, looking at baby, etc.). DS was 1 oz over his birth weight at day 4, so he is feeding well. And he is voracious. Starting off, he literally vacuums the milk out of the breast (as opposed to massaging it out); this is incredibly painful. The problem is, DS almost never lets go, and sometimes when I force him off I find the nipple is essentially dry despite being in his mouth, and the milk is all gone from the breast. DS feeds on demand, usually every 2-4 hours, and takes 30 to 60 minutes to finish one to two breastfuls. So is this an oversupply problem, or an undersupply problem despite the apparent symptoms of oversupply? And how to make it better, so I don't want to scream when DS gets latched on? He seems to latch on correctly ....he is small. Pologirl |
#2
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
pologirl wrote:
So is this an oversupply problem, or an undersupply problem despite the apparent symptoms of oversupply? Neither one - sounds normal to me! Apart from making sure your latch is good, the only other advice I have is to switch sides more frequently. I think I could only tolerate about 30 minutes per side at the most at that point. I remember one night when Caterpillar nursed for 4 hours straight, and I switched sides 19 times. Phoebe -- yahoo address is unread; substitute mailbolt |
#3
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
pologirl wrote:
So is this an oversupply problem, or an undersupply problem despite the apparent symptoms of oversupply? And how to make it better, so I don't want to scream when DS gets latched on? He seems to latch on correctly ...he is small. Actually it doesn't sound like a problem at all. It sounds completely normal. Your supply will even out eventually and you won't be so engorged. You can use lanolin on your nipples if they are sore. You don't have to wash it off. If it hurts only on the initial latch it is probably just ordinary initial sensitivity and should go away in 2-3 weeks. If it hurts for the entire nursing session you might have a latch problem. The voracious part is normal too. They really nurse frequently and for a long time in the beginning. Hang in there. Hope you have someone to take care of you for awhile! Congrats on the baby :-) -- Nikki Mama to Hunter (4) and Luke (2) |
#4
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
So is this an oversupply problem, or an undersupply problem despite the
apparent symptoms of oversupply? And how to make it better, so I don't want to scream when DS gets latched on? He seems to latch on correctly Neither, as others have said; everything you describe is perfectly normal. The pain you are struggling with could be (1) just your breasts adjusting to this new demand, in which case it will get better within a few weeks; (2) an indication of some subtle problem with your baby's latch, in which case you need to do some research, possibly with the help of a good lactation consultant, to figure out what the problem is and fix it, at which point the pain will get better; or (3) an indication that your nipples are a bit flatter than is ideal, or some other issue that is kind of a combination of (1) and (2). I suspect you're dealing with (1), which is good news; it'll go away by itself and relatively soon. :-) But I mention the other possibilities in case I can save you some of what I went through. I had the flat nipple thing. Although DS seemed to latch on fine (after the first week or so) and gained weight easily, I had serious pain -- and not just during feedings, but between them as well -- because, basically, the skin of my nipples was being stretched out rather too quickly, which ultimately caused the skin to crack and tear, and once the crack was there (with the nipples still being subjected to the stretching, frequently and for long periods of time) it was very difficult to heal. Eventually I did heal. Meanwhile, I dealt with the pain by taking ibuprofen and using hydrogel discs on my nipples. The discs (then called Maternimates, now known as Ameda ComfortGel and available from various vendors of breastfeeding-related products; there is also a similar product called Soothies that's available in drugstores) worked MUCH better for me than Lansinoh. I recommend trying them; they'll help even if what you're experiencing is "just" normal initial-six-weeks-getting-used-to-it soreness. Congrats on the birth of your son, and welcome to the group! Holly Mom to Camden, 3yo EDD #2 6/8/04 |
#5
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
pologirl wrote:
[...] Starting off, he literally vacuums the milk out of the breast (as opposed to massaging it out); this is incredibly painful. Yeah, initially, it's painful. But, that went away after a few weeks. DS feeds on demand, usually every 2-4 hours, and takes 30 to 60 minutes to finish one to two breastfuls. I did 15 minutes per breast, switching as necessary. I usually nursed 45 minutes, had a 15-minute break, back to the chair. DH took a lot of pictures of me glazed over in the glider, just nursing, nursing, nursing... So is this an oversupply problem, or an undersupply problem despite the apparent symptoms of oversupply? And how to make it better, so I don't want to scream when DS gets latched on? He seems to latch on correctly ...he is small. It's normal. The latch pain will get better in time. Engorgement will go away. You're doing a great job! -- Anita -- -- SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MORNING ALL AGAINST TWENTY ONE MILE WIND STARTED FROM LEVEL WITH ENGINE POWER ALONE AVERAGE SPEED THROUGH AIR THIRTY ONE MILES LONGEST 57 SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME CHRISTMAS. |
#6
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
pologirl wrote:
DS feeds on demand, usually every 2-4 hours, and takes 30 to 60 minutes to finish one to two breastfuls. Aside from what everyone else has said, I'd just like to point out that there's no such thing as a "breastful" and that breasts never empty. -- tristyn www.tristyn.net |
#7
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
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#8
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
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#10
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So confused! Oversupply, or what?
My LC gave me sample
hydrogel pads (Smoothies), which feel very nice, but my leaking is too much for them! Get some of the Ameda ComfortGel ones. They absorb a bit better. I don't know if they still come in two sizes, but I used the small ones, with a nursing pad on top. When I used larger discs, the milk would all flow out around the edges and I'd have rings on my shirt. :-P If the discs don't come in a smaller size, you can cut them down with regular scissors. Which brings me to today's problem. I leak almost constantly, and now my letdown is so strong that it can squirt in a continuous stream when I open my clothing. DS has today learned the habit of "noshing"; he slurps up the easy letdown milk and has not latched on *at all*. Once my flow slows to the point of requiring work from him, he comes off the breast and cries! He will not latch on. Diaper output today has been *way* down and now it is late at night and he is hungry and crying, and all of us are growing exhausted. Hm. Well, I suspect that this is a case where persistence and bloody-mindedness on your part is called for. Insist on a good latch, and when he pulls off and fusses, just keep trying again until he gives in and nurses. (This behavior is actually not all that unusual, though it's typically slightly older babies who do it. Most will eventually settle down to eat if you just keep offering.) You might do some reading on "overactive letdown". Basically, there are a few techniques you can try to cut down on the spraying. (Most commonly, nurse on one side only for several hours, then switch for the next several hours; and nurse in a reclined position with baby on top of you so that the milk has to flow against gravity.) Usually the issue is that a newborn can't keep up with it, not that he gets too lazy to nurse once the initial letdown is over, though! Holly Mom to Camden, 3yo EDD #2 6/8/04 |
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