comfort sucking or done?

Re: comfort sucking or done?

• mary_jane

  January 2009

  Hi! 

  When your baby sucks and swallows frequently that's when you've had a "letdown", oxytocin surge that causes the milk glands to squeeze the milk into the ducts so its available for baby. That is great that he does this when he is first put on, means your letting down well. He will stop swallowing in large part when the milk flow becomes slower. You will still be able to express some milk by hand or a pump at this point but its just a little bit. If left to continue sucking, baby will stimulate another letdown (have another quick flow of milk) and will begin sucking and swallowing freqently. That's why you let baby stay on the breast as long as he wants. He will continue to suck and stimulate more let downs until he's finished eating. He will consume nearly all his milk during let downs, and not much between. Its also important to let baby suck as long as he wants because he will regulate your milk production. The more he sucks, the more milk you will make. I don't know much about PCOS, but I do know that you will make more milk if you let him suck longer. The slowing of sucking is normal, and the lack of swallowing is because your body has not made the milk available yet (baby's waiting for a letdown). My baby takes about 3 letdowns (rapid swallowing periods) per side during a normal feeding. Feedings were about 45 minutes+ when he was tiny, now they are about 10-15 minutes because he's faster at stimulating letdowns and emptying the breasts during letdowns (meaning that what I could hand express when his swallowing has slowed would be less).
  

   As for foremilk and hind milk- the first milk that is realeased is foremilk (watery with vitamins and minerals), After the foremilk is released (through letdowns), then your body will make/release the hindmilk (cream). This milk will only be released once your baby has taken some foremilk but the hindmilk will be eaten by baby in the same quick suck and swallow pattern (won't be slower than for foremilk, though the period of it may be shorter because there may be less hindmilk). The hindmilk helps them grow and is another reason to leave baby on the breast as long as possible.

  Comfort sucking is good to stimulate production too! 

  Good luck! 
  

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• jamira

  January 2009

  Def let him nurse for as long as he wants. Also check out this link which shows active nursing.

  https://www.drjacknewman.com/video-clips.asp

  click on good drinking.

  

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• pleasepickme

  January 2009

  Thanks!  It makes sense now!  I was pretty confused about the whole let-down thing, I'm glad it's working!
  

  

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• Geekchick921 member

  January 2009

  pleasepickme:

  Thanks!  It makes sense now!  I was pretty confused about the whole let-down thing, I'm glad it's working!
  

  I am on the same boat as you.  I don't have PCOS but I had a breast reduction and I'm worried about the same thing.  DD isn't gaining weight as fast as she should, either, and she will also nurse forever if I let her.  However, I'm really pretty sure my supply is good but she is lazy/just comfort nursing and not getting enough hindmilk. 

  I've started taking her off once she goes long breaks between sucks and I have to nudge her back into taking a few sucks then getting still again.  She usually just lets go if I move a little, so I'm pretty sure she's asleep at that point (usually the case) and she's not really drinking anyway (I don't hear any swallowing).  I'll try to burp her and if that wakes her up I'll put her back on, but otherwise I'll let her nap and just feed her again when she wants to. 

  Wife, mom, Ob/Gyn resident
  Sarah - 12/23/2008
  Alex - 9/30/2011
  
  
  
  "I say embrace the total geek in yourself and just enjoy it. Life is too short to be cool." - Shirley Manson, Garbage

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