Does this sound like forceful letdown?

Summer20 · February 2012

DS has been battling eating since he was a few weeks. Crying, arching, sucking then pulling away, acting hungry but eating very little and being very unsettled for 30+ minutes after eating. He's being treated for reflux (since about 1 month) but no big improvement. Next thought was forceful letdown. I was doing block feeding, trying the positions for that, etc. Still no improvement.

Because he's still so bad GI doc thinks possible milk allergy. DS has been on Alimentum formula for 4 days now and we have seen significant improvements. Thing is, he's also on bottles (obviously) which he's never liked but has gotten better at taking lately. Before I give up on BF completely I want to make sure it's really not an option. I'm wondering if it's the milk itself or the act of BF that's causing him discomfort. I'll probably try giving him milk in a bottle for a few days and see how that goes, but...

Do his symptoms sound like they could be from forceful letdown alone? Would he be that uncomfortable so frequently if that's the problem? Are there any other ways to fix it?

NeenyW · February 2012

I'm not sure about the letdown, but in regards to a milk intolerance, removing dairy from your diet would solve that problem (if you wish to continue BF). It's the cows milk protein coming through in your milk that is the issue if indeed he has an intolerance.

Those symptoms do sound refluxy. Have you tried different meds?

Summer20 · February 2012

Thanks. Yeah, he's been on several meds and still no good. The doctor said there should be SOME improvement even if it's not 100% but he hasn't improved. He's actually worse now then 6 weeks ago. I would have to eliminate all dairy and soy and I just don't think I have the energy to do that. (I know, it's selfish but I need to be honest with myself about what I can handle).

I'm sort of hoping that maybe its not an allergy and I can still BF without drastic diet hangers... Wishful thinking?

Summer20 · February 2012

*hangers = changes. Stupid phone.

NeenyW · February 2012

Haha, I had the worst autocorrect on a post the other night. Can't remember what I meant to say, but it came out "baby murders" and I didn't notice until hours later.

You may surprise yourself with the dairy. I am doing a total elimination diet right now to figure out what is happening with my daughter, and I never thought I could do it. Dairy, soy, gluten, most proteins - and I'm a total foodie. She is hugely improved, and that makes it easier to stick to. If you are ready to switch to formula, by all means do it and don't look back, but if you think you'll wonder what may have happened, try it for a few weeks and see. If he does improve then you know what the problem was and you can then decide the best direction to take. I totally feel for you, it's a tough spot to be in.

I am going to see my lactation consultant tomorrow and I will ask her about the letdown and will get back to you (if my sleep deprived brain will let me remember to ask her).

duffmaker · February 2012

Although forceful and over active let down sound similar in name, I am not positive if they are the same thing? But if so I can tell you this, DD and I have struggled with over active letdown since she was about 3 weeks old. Her cues included the crying/fussing, fighting, arching, sucking then pulling away and refusing to go back on and being hungry all the time. Some things you didn't mention I also experienced, she would release just enough to slide down to the very end of my nipple before completely releasing latch (this was incredibly painful for me), my milk would spray out in several strong streams when she let go, and I would feel either an intense pulling pressure throughout my breast or a horrible pain at the face of my nipple literally the milk coming out felt like needles being pulled out of my breast, and sometimes I would feel both. A combo of all of these things made me give up on BFing for a few weeks, resorted to pumping, hated feeling like pumping was taking up all of my life so we decided to EFF... the first day she finished the pumped BM and had all formula bottles she had horrible GERD so we gave her a bottle of BM to see if it would help and she was fine so I attempted to nurse her again (to get my almost dried up supply back) and she took to it immediately and then after 2 days began to have all the same problems as before... but we stuck with it and now that she is older she and I have learned to work together, she has learned how to handle the let down easier (gulping very quickly until it chills out or when it becomes to much she will let it drain out of the corner of her mouth) and I know if she starts arching or coughing I will remove her and put a burcloth in front of my nipple to catch the crazy spray and then put her back on when she is done. I also used the positions, side lying and the australian, for a while with what seemed like very little progress but it did start to help and now even though side lying is still her favorite, I can nurse her in any position now... we still have our rough days but perseverance pays off... we've been EBFing for 2 weeks now, no formula or pumping

Want a personalized experience?

Does this sound like forceful letdown?

Re: Does this sound like forceful letdown?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards