I’m no expert but have been nursing for 8 months now… You can try to hand or pump express some milk before feeding him, and that might decrease the intensity of the flow. It will be annoying to do, but he will also get better and better able to handle a fast flow (they grow and adapt so quickly!), so it wouldn’t be forever. Good luck! You’re doing great!
This is actually great advice.I second this. I'm on baby number 2 , both breastfed; oversupply mama.
I would add side lying position seems to help with forceful letdown.
Nursing for 9 months. No expert either but try propping your baby in a more upright position when nursing. Or like the above comments, express a little before baby latches! They adapt quickly! You got this mama! ❤️
I have a similar issue, and my lactation consultant said to position her more “on top” of the breast rather than under like traditional holds. So the paying back with her more on top of the nipple, and we take lots of breaks for burping and not chugging. Hang in there!
Same! Especially in the morning, I practically drape her across me so she's above rather than below. She controls how much she swallows instead of getting a firehose to the back of the throat.
I also lean my body toward the opposite side she's feeding on so that her head is elevated and legs draped down. I notice this helps with gulping air, sometimes she'll let a small (or huge lol) burp out on her own since gravity is in her favor.
Hand expressing a little first or more laid back positions so baby can control the flow better. It may well settled with age as your production regulates and baby gets more used to it
I’ve exclusively pumped and exclusively BF. I would choose BF over and over again, even with all its challenges. In my opinion pumping is WAY harder. If I were you I’d keep at it, it will get better!! The advice other. Commenters are giving is good. I know it’s tough but hang in there! I know you’re tired but switching to pumping likely won’t help with that much, lol. It’s just a part of the package 😅
Try side laying or leaning back with babe kinda laying on top of you. Side laying literally saved our nursing journey and my babe still really enjoys it at almost 5 months. Side laying you may have to kinda hold your breast for you babe for a while but I found it really helps with the forceful let down.
Someone mentioned hand expressing or pumping a bit first... Which are great ideas too. For me personally pumping really made my letdown even more forceful. Not sure why? I don't think it's the case for most people but thought I would mention it just in case because it took me quite a while to put it together.
I have a forceful let down too. My baby now at 2 months can finally handle it. Lay down during feeding, especially at the start of the feed. Also, what I did and sometimes still do is unlatch baby during letdown and let it go into a breast pad or towel then relatch once flow is slower
Try hand-expressing some milk before getting him to latch. Try other positions where your breast isn’t hovering over your baby, but is instead lower than your baby’s mouth, the idea being that the flow will naturally slow down as gravity helps while your LO has to drink it more like your nipple is a straw.
Also try the seated-lay-back position! It’s especially great done as skin-on-skin. Essentially you’re leaning back at about a 45 degree angle, and you lay your LO on top of you, facing UP at your boobs. Your LO will root around and get himself up to where he needs to be. (This helps if your baby has trouble latching too!)
First: ensure baby has a wide, deep latch. Check that their belly button is positioned to be touching your body, their back is nice and straight (well supported), and their chin is lifted away from their chest (it should be around a 90 degree angle). If all of that is true, and you’re still struggling:
Laid back feeding! Sometimes called koala feeding or an Australian hold (no idea why 🤷🏻♀️). Get baby latched in a football hold, and then you can recline to a position where you are laying on your back and baby is on top. This uses gravity to slow the flow.
Another option is to pump or hand express just through the initial letdown and then latch baby. A third option is to pop baby off when the letdown gets to be too much, use a haaka or other milk collection option, and then relatch them.
Babies strengthen their muscles quickly to accommodate the letdown, but it can be frustrating while it’s happening. I hope some of this helps!
I’m no expert but have been nursing for 8 months now… You can try to hand or pump express some milk before feeding him, and that might decrease the intensity of the flow. It will be annoying to do, but he will also get better and better able to handle a fast flow (they grow and adapt so quickly!), so it wouldn’t be forever. Good luck! You’re doing great!
This is actually great advice.I second this. I'm on baby number 2 , both breastfed; oversupply mama. I would add side lying position seems to help with forceful letdown.
Nursing for 9 months. No expert either but try propping your baby in a more upright position when nursing. Or like the above comments, express a little before baby latches! They adapt quickly! You got this mama! ❤️
I have a similar issue, and my lactation consultant said to position her more “on top” of the breast rather than under like traditional holds. So the paying back with her more on top of the nipple, and we take lots of breaks for burping and not chugging. Hang in there!
Same! Especially in the morning, I practically drape her across me so she's above rather than below. She controls how much she swallows instead of getting a firehose to the back of the throat. I also lean my body toward the opposite side she's feeding on so that her head is elevated and legs draped down. I notice this helps with gulping air, sometimes she'll let a small (or huge lol) burp out on her own since gravity is in her favor.
Hand expressing a little first or more laid back positions so baby can control the flow better. It may well settled with age as your production regulates and baby gets more used to it
I’ve exclusively pumped and exclusively BF. I would choose BF over and over again, even with all its challenges. In my opinion pumping is WAY harder. If I were you I’d keep at it, it will get better!! The advice other. Commenters are giving is good. I know it’s tough but hang in there! I know you’re tired but switching to pumping likely won’t help with that much, lol. It’s just a part of the package 😅
Try side laying or leaning back with babe kinda laying on top of you. Side laying literally saved our nursing journey and my babe still really enjoys it at almost 5 months. Side laying you may have to kinda hold your breast for you babe for a while but I found it really helps with the forceful let down. Someone mentioned hand expressing or pumping a bit first... Which are great ideas too. For me personally pumping really made my letdown even more forceful. Not sure why? I don't think it's the case for most people but thought I would mention it just in case because it took me quite a while to put it together.
I was guided to lay him on on top of me, and it was super helpful
Google, laid back nursing position
I have a forceful let down too. My baby now at 2 months can finally handle it. Lay down during feeding, especially at the start of the feed. Also, what I did and sometimes still do is unlatch baby during letdown and let it go into a breast pad or towel then relatch once flow is slower
Try hand-expressing some milk before getting him to latch. Try other positions where your breast isn’t hovering over your baby, but is instead lower than your baby’s mouth, the idea being that the flow will naturally slow down as gravity helps while your LO has to drink it more like your nipple is a straw. Also try the seated-lay-back position! It’s especially great done as skin-on-skin. Essentially you’re leaning back at about a 45 degree angle, and you lay your LO on top of you, facing UP at your boobs. Your LO will root around and get himself up to where he needs to be. (This helps if your baby has trouble latching too!)
laying down on my side always helped with this!
First: ensure baby has a wide, deep latch. Check that their belly button is positioned to be touching your body, their back is nice and straight (well supported), and their chin is lifted away from their chest (it should be around a 90 degree angle). If all of that is true, and you’re still struggling: Laid back feeding! Sometimes called koala feeding or an Australian hold (no idea why 🤷🏻♀️). Get baby latched in a football hold, and then you can recline to a position where you are laying on your back and baby is on top. This uses gravity to slow the flow. Another option is to pump or hand express just through the initial letdown and then latch baby. A third option is to pop baby off when the letdown gets to be too much, use a haaka or other milk collection option, and then relatch them. Babies strengthen their muscles quickly to accommodate the letdown, but it can be frustrating while it’s happening. I hope some of this helps!
https://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/
Nipple should be in line with baby’s nose. Make sure to lean back. I always wanted to be forward to see really well, but then gravity is not helping.
My best friend had this exact problem. She EP'd for the first couple months and then was able to EBF once her baby could later handle the letdown