https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:30:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-665726 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:41:13 +0000 Kffw 665726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm trying to figure out if I may have an oversupply/over active let down. Baby sometimes pulls off coughing during feedings and milk is sometimes dripping out the sides of his mouth. The worst is he is spitting up all day long. He is a happy spitter, but it just seems like a ton of spit up most days. The ped doesn't seem concerned, but I am trying to find a cause. He is 9 weeks and I still get engorged every night. I have suffered with several clogged ducts and mastitis. I feel like he never fully empties the breast I've had issues with (I usually get 2 ozs on it after he feeds if i pump). I rarely pump even though i would like to get a freezer stash bc im afraid to mess up supply. I'm scared to try block feeding bc if I don't have oversupply then it will hurt my supply. Basically I am really confused on what to do and need advice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-564108 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:58:56 +0000 bunnylove08 564108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>blockfeeding helped me too. It regulated my supply and let down. I would also pump until i felt let down and after the letdown started to trickle I would put LO on my breast. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-564000 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:29:59 +0000 autumn865 564000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've been there! I tried everything including:<br /> - different positions (leaning back, side lying- but I could never get that one right, with DD on an incline head elevated)<br /> - pumping through the letdown (DD hated waiting and talk about a juggling act of hold the baby, put on the pump, wait with a crying hungry baby, put away the pump, latch the baby. It felt like a juggling act and not fun in the middle of the night)<br /> - unlatch when I feel the letdown (this made DD really mad and it made me feel bad)<br /> - use a nipple shield (it sort of regulates so it isn't literally spraying into her mouth although the shield is a pain)<br /> - stop pumping for my freezer stash. A LC once told me that an over active letdown is often paired with oversupply and if you have oversupply you shouldn't pump but instead let your body regulate itself.<br /> - block feeding. I still only feed DD one side at a time<br /> Really the only thing that really worked is DD got older and can better handle it. Sorry I don't have better advice. I know how frustrating it is! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563991 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:25:30 +0000 immabeetoo 563991@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: gotcha. For me block feeding I offered the same side two feeding a in a row for two days and nights. You're essentially lowering your supply as I understand it since you're emptying half as often. I also always reoffer the same boob now after burping to make sure he's getting the hind milk too. I did not see a difference with gas drops unfortunately.</p> <p>Era you can also squeeze by the areola gently to slow the flow one they're latche on. Ido this if he's really frantic which I know will trigger a hard letdown. Then I ease up as feeding goes on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563794 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:08:53 +0000 pl0508 563794@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: I don't know if I'm the best for advice because I play it by ear! I usually just switch sides each time but last time he nursed he only Ate for 7 min on one side. I will re offer that side at his next feeding since he didn't "finish" last time ! And yep before block feeding I would nurse one side, burp, and offer the other. Now after the burp I offer the same side again. I give little remedies gas drops after each feeding or during the burp mid session if he is looking super sleepy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563788 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:07:38 +0000 hilsy85 563788@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: you can also try doing gas drops before you nurse him; my pedi suggested that. As for pumping and over supply, if you're just pumping for a few minutes to get the overactive letdown started, that won't cause an over supply--it's when you consistently pump to empty your breasts that you'll have an issue. I also couldn't figure out hand expressing for the first few weeks but then it got easier! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563768 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:04:26 +0000 ladyfingers 563768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@coacheswife123: can you help me understand block feeding? How often do you offer the same breast in a row? He doesn't always go for the second breast in one feeding, but if he did you would just offer the same one again?</p> <p>I find its also much more difficult to get him to latch again even if he is still hungry. Makes sense that it would work itself out over time!</p> <p>I have tried gas drops a few times, they seem to help but I think you need to give them with every feeding, right? Do you give them before or after?</p> <p>@hilsy85: yes I meant pumping in terms of oversupply. I have tried hand expressing and I can't for the life of me figure it out! </p> <p>@JessiBee: every time I give him my right breast I start leaking almost immediately! And all my nightshirts are soaked. I was in the bathroom the other day and he was crying in the living room while DH changed him and I soaked the front of my tshirt!</p> <p>@scg00387: fairly sure - he only breathes like that after my letdown and its not coming from his nose, it's all in his chest/back. It's like wheezing. It lessens when I lean back on the letdown. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563734 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:56:24 +0000 immabeetoo 563734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Block feeding helped us - I think you have to play with the time lengths to see what works best for you. Are you sure he's not congested?? Sometimes it gets dry in our house and he gasps/pops on and off if he's snotty and I have to snot suck him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563729 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:54:42 +0000 JessiBee 563729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ooh, me too! I am thrilled to have had my milk cone in so quickly, but it sure cane in hard! This morning I noticed that after I put lanolin on there, they started dripping. Sigh. I'll be waiting for replies, too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563728 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:54:29 +0000 hilsy85 563728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ladyfingers: I also have overactive let down--it's super annoying! What I have found to be helpful is letting LO latch on and nurse until I feel my letdown. I'll then un latch him and let the milk spray into a towel/cloth for like 30 seconds. Once it stops shooting out, I'll relatch him. It's annoying, but seems to help him manage the milk better. Also, as your LO gets older, he'll be able to manage the letdown more and may even get annoyed that the flow is too slow after your letdown!</p> <p>Also, hand expressing does not signal your body to make more milk, assuming you just hand express for a few minutes. I think it's because there's no pumping/sucking action going on </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563724 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:53:58 +0000 pl0508 563724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Block feeding has helped us and also leaning back when nursing. But honestly I think what has really helped is giving him time to adjust. After a week or so I think he has gotten the hang of nursing with my forceful letdown. He doesn't pop off anymore and nurses much more quickly ! At the very most now he is at the breast for 15 min. Usually more like 10. I think part of that is him getting full fast because he doesn't have to really work at it when I let down !</p> <p>Have you tried gas drops or gripe water for gas ? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/over-active-letdown#post-563713 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:49:17 +0000 ladyfingers 563713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I may have an over active letdown and it seems to be giving LO some problems. About 10 minutes into a feed, he'll start struggling to catch his breath, gulping very hard, and getting gas bubbles (writhing, farting, sometimes burping). Eventually he'll pull off the breast, I think before he's really done. Sometimes he pulls off choking and sputtering. Otherwise he cries and writhes a lot until we can get him to expel the gas. Then he's hungry again and the cycle continues.</p> <p>My lc recommended laying back when I let down, which seems to help a bit with him pulling off, but not with the gas. I feel terrible for him and feel like he's not getting the milk he needs. </p> <p>I know one of the suggestions for over active letdown is manually expressing/hand pumping before a feed, but wouldn't that cause oversupply and exacerbate the problem? I've been trying block feeding too but it doesn't seem to help. Maybe I'm just not doing it right/consistently enough.</p> <p>Anybody with an over active letdown find something that works? </p>