breastfeeding...over supply..advice needed.

[sarah2807]

Hi,
I have been struggling with my Lo having what we were told with colic for a few weeks now...it's horried!!
today she was been sick loads so i did some research to see if it was linked to colic and i think I've figured out what it is....
over supply of my breastmilk (over active let down) she has all the symptons...coughing, arching back and fussing when feeding, when she pulls off the breast my milk squirts out, my breasts leaking lots, being sick, rapid weight gain (15 oz in 1 week) gassiness(basically all the symptons of colic) grunts between feeds, lots of wind, doesn't poo for a while then sort of explodes (very watery), lots of weeing, abdominal pains

It's something to do with getting too much of the first bit of milk that is more sugary and also because they are struggling to keep up with the milk flow they take more air in.

I don't know what to do...I'm sick of people saying your baby has colic and ignoring me-she has all of the symptons I have found and so do I....if this is the case I feel really sad that it's me that's causing all this discomfort in my baby-has anyone had this and know what to do-I'm going to ask the health visitor on Thurs but I'm just exprecting the usual 'it will go when your baby is 3 months'.

I don't want to put her on formula, but I will if it's down to my milk doing this

 

[purple13]

hey hon

if you've got a big let down, try expressing a small amount before each feed - this will take some of the force out of your flow for when its your LO's turn.

there is a chance that your LO might have reflux instead of/as well as colic. (there's no real definition of colic - its a generic term that applies to a baby who is in discomfort & cries a lot, which is why you've been told you've got a colicky baby) the fussing, arching back & coughing are all signs that connor showed when he was diagnosed, as well as being sick a lot. i have gaviscon prescribed for connor and only have to use it occasionally now - as he's got older, the reflux has become much less of a problem for us.

have you tried using colief/gripe water/infacol? these are all good if your baby gets trapped wind.

if you're feeling really worried about your LO, and you don't want to wait til thurs to see your HV, go to see your GP and have them put your mind at rest. if you do wait til thurs, remember that no HV worth their salt will just dismiss your problems - if they do, you need to see another HV or your GP.

don't give up on bf-ing yet - its such a good thing to do for you and your baby. you just need to get the right diagnosis and support for your LO's problems

 

[sarah2807]

Thanks girls...I know breastfeeding is the best thing for my baby. I struggled so much in the first week and she ended up losing lots of weight so now I can confidently do it I was really pleased. We don't have any latching on problems like I used to and it doesn't feel uncomfortable or anything so when I read all the symptons of over active let down and felt like me and Lo had them all I felt gutted.

I am convinced that this is the problem (tho know it might not be), but don't worry i won't give up bf without trying everything to get this problem sorted.
I feel like I have overcome the biggest problem with the latching etc so won't give up easily.

btw..we've tried infacol, colief and dentinox...next it will be gripe water, just want to give the infacol over 1 week to see if it does anything.

 

[Sherlock]

Hmmm I have a problem with one of my boobs as the let down is very quick and Galen is more or less flooded with milk in the beginning from it. He often takes in huge gulps of air and then kicks and fusses till I wind him.

I find that if he goes X amount of time between feeds and my boob is pretty full and he is still asleep or not hungry then I express off from it and feed him on the other one instead for a bit so he gets the fore milk and some hind milk. I then switch him over to the other boob to get some hind milk off that one if need be.

Then next feed, so long as my quick flowing boob isn't too full I feed him off of that one only. He does just fine on it then. Trick is for me to not let it become too full and keep it down a little by expressing if need be.

Also sounds to me like it could be reflux more than colic with your LO. The arching back is a reflux sign, not a colic one IIRC.

Also if you feed from your fast boob, try winding your LO as soon as the fore milk is done, even if it takes 5 minutes to burp something up. Then carry on feeding. My LO is fine once past the foremilk and winded if he gets the fast boob and it is too much for him.

 

[baby-blue2]

Hi,
I have been struggling with my Lo having what we were told with colic for a few weeks now...it's horried!!
today she was been sick loads so i did some research to see if it was linked to colic and i think I've figured out what it is....
over supply of my breastmilk (over active let down) she has all the symptons...coughing, arching back and fussing when feeding, when she pulls off the breast my milk squirts out, my breasts leaking lots, being sick, rapid weight gain (15 oz in 1 week) gassiness(basically all the symptons of colic) grunts between feeds, lots of wind, doesn't poo for a while then sort of explodes (very watery), lots of weeing, abdominal pains

It's something to do with getting too much of the first bit of milk that is more sugary and also because they are struggling to keep up with the milk flow they take more air in.

I don't know what to do...I'm sick of people saying your baby has colic and ignoring me-she has all of the symptons I have found and so do I....if this is the case I feel really sad that it's me that's causing all this discomfort in my baby-has anyone had this and know what to do-I'm going to ask the health visitor on Thurs but I'm just exprecting the usual 'it will go when your baby is 3 months'.

I don't want to put her on formula, but I will if it's down to my milk doing this

I had this with my last baby. She was a premmi and only weighed 4lbs so my flow was very fast. I expressed a few onces before each feed and froze it ready for wheening to mix with baby rice and rusks.

Please keep on with the breast feeding it is so much better for your little one and for you than bottles.

 

[Charlie:-)]

I have a fast let down and like Sherlock I wind Maia in the middle of a feed which works for us.

Just so yo know if you want to try coleif you can get it on prescription from your dr as its quite pricey.

 

[DebbieM]

I've got a very fast let down too which is why Luke only really needs to feed for 10 mins at a time. He seems to often get annoyed at the flow toward the end because he knows he has to suckle harder and it slows down a lot - see I made it easy for him with my fast let down LOL

You will both get used to it. Babies become very efficient generally and she will learn. I think if Luke could bypass the foremilk and get to the good stuff he would. It'd save us both a lot of fussing and hassle LOL

 

[newmumtobe]

Hi Sarah

I had this with my son he is 6 months now it stopped at the time so called 'colic' . I was convinced to it was my flow as it was like a fire extingusher going of in his mouth.

I just wanted to say it is awful time but it gets easier dont feel like you are causing it because you a bf the chances r your lo may have the same sympoms on formula. Watery poos r normal with bf ! It will pass and get easier !

Don't bother with gripe water the bottle i brought was recalled for some sort of contamination luckly i never gave it, so i dont trust that stuff.