Oversupply: hind/foremilk imbalance ?
Oversupply: hind/foremilk imbalance ?
Learned today that I have an oversupply and an overactive letdown that's why my LO has been so difficult with staying latched. He's filling up quickly (takes in 4-5oz in less than 10 min) on the foremilk which is high in lactose and low in fat and not getting much hind milk. He barely has to suck at all because it flows so quickly and he's so so gassy from inhaling so much air when he pulls off and because he has a higher amount of lactose in his body from all the foremilk. My lactation consultant told me that I should be pumping or hand expressing at least an ounce before i feed him so that he actually has to suck, isn't choked out and is getting the hind milk. Has anyone else had something like this ???
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? I have. Weird but true. I have a crazy oversupply. I figured it was because my milk was late to come in and because he learned to work hard for the milk. My let down it a little intense too. I've hosed him down more then once and have to use a towel or blanket to help keep it in check.
I don't pump or hand express. It was suggested to me but honestly I'm too ill prepared most of the time to get a pump. I've learned to nurse with him upright during the day. So he eats sitting up. At night I lay down next to him to nurse
Both positions are said to help him take in less air and he can control the flow a little better. He is use to my supply and when he is extra hungry he will suckle harder, get soaked, and come off coughing. He also needed to be burped alot when I nursed with him laying down. Now once I sit him up he burps three times and is good sometimes not at all because he will burp while nursing. I'm not worried about the imbalance and neither is our doctor. Our lactation consultant was but asked her how my body would adjust the imbalance on its own if I keep pumping or expressing the foremilk off, and she didn't have an answer for me. So I explained my logic. My body will adjust the milk to meet his needs so if I just adjust how I feed him so he isn't as gassy then the milk can adjust it's self, thus reducing his gas even more so.
I've feed him upright for a long while now, and seen improvements. Granted I still have the overactive let down but he is learning. And my oversupply is slowly coming down to a more manageable level. *I only nurse on one breast per feed and he gets the other on his next feed. The only exception is when I know he hasn't eaten enough or he wants more milk within the hour (then he gets the same one again).