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EBF - Choking and frustrated baby

nate_and_brittnate_and_britt member
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months
DS is about 3 weeks old and we've been nursing really well up until the last week, maybe.  He'll be hungry, go to the breast, suck a couple of times and then pull off fussing and/or choking.  At first, I thought he might be struggling at the breast because of gas, but it doesn't really affect him away from feeding time.  So I'm wondering if it might be something else.  My milk tends to come out pretty fast...so could this be causing him to choke and get frustrated?  Anything I can do for this?  TIA!
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Re: EBF - Choking and frustrated baby

  • alldaykidsalldaykids member
    Your letdown is probably too strong for him.  Try leaning back for the first couple minutes that he latches.  This will slow the flowing into his mouth. 
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  • Gabe&DanaGabe&Dana

    imagealldaykids:
    Your letdown is probably too strong for him.  Try leaning back for the first couple minutes that he latches.  This will slow the flowing into his mouth. 
     

    This worked for my girls too.  

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  • rosiemommarosiemomma member
    Is forceful let-down the problem?Does your baby do any of these things?Gag, choke, strangle, gulp, gasp, cough while nursing as though the milk is coming too fastPull off the breast often while nursingClamp down on the nipple at let-down to slow the flow of milkSpit up very often and/or tend to be very gassyPeriodically refuse to nurseDislike comfort nursing in generalIf some of this sounds familiar to you, you probably have a forceful let-down. This is often associated with too much milk (oversupply). Some mothers notice that the problems with fast letdown or oversupply don't start until 3-6 weeks of age. Forceful let-down runs the gamut from a minor inconvenience to a major problem, depending upon how severe it is and how it affects the nursing relationship.What can I do about it?There are essentially two ways you can go about remedying a forceful let-down: (1) help baby deal with the fast flow and (2) take measures to adjust your milk supply down to baby's needs. Since forceful let-down is generally a byproduct of oversupply, most moms will be working on both of these things. It may take a couple of weeks to see results from interventions for oversupply, so try to be patient and keep working on it.Help baby deal with the fast milk flowPosition baby so that she is nursing "uphill" in relation to mom's breast, where gravity is working against the flow of milk. The most effective positions are those where baby's head and throat are above the level of your nipple. Some nursing positions to try:Cradle hold, but with mom leaning back (a recliner or lots of pillows helps)Football hold, but with mom leaning backElevated football hold - like the football hold, but baby is sitting up and facing mom to nurse instead of lying down (good for nursing in public).Side lying position - this allows baby to dribble the extra milk out of her mouth when it's coming too fastAustralian position (mom is "down under", aka posture feeding) - in this position, mom is lying on her back and baby is on top (facing down), tummy to tummy with mom. Avoid using this positioning frequently, as it may lead to plugged ducts..Nurse more frequently. This will reduce the amount of milk that accumulates between feedings, so feedings are more manageable for baby.Nurse when baby is sleepy and relaxed. Baby will suck more gently at this time, and the milk flow will be slower.Wait until let-down occurs, then take baby off the breast while at the same time catching the milk in a towel or cloth diaper. Once the flow slows, you can put your baby back to the breast.https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

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  • violaplayerviolaplayer member
    You can also try a nipple shield to slow the flow a bit.
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  • NewFamily09NewFamily09 member
    I had this problem too for a few weeks and then it went away.  It only happened on the left side most of the time.  Sometimes changing positions helped.
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  • kimberly_ann81kimberly_ann81 member
    I have the same problem.  When LO pulls off I have a milk duct that keeps working and I end up with milk shooting him in the face or running down my stomach.  Do you have a pump?  If I pump for a minute or two before feeding, he doesn't choke/cough.  Also, like recommended, leaning back also helps to slow the flow.
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  • nate_and_brittnate_and_britt member
    Thanks everyone!  I appreciate the help!
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