I was successful with breastfeeding my son. But I have 2 main concerns, and I'm wondering if I'll have the same "problems" this time.
1. I had a TON of milk. I could have fed 3 babies... I was engorged often, and even though I tried to calm down my supply of milk - I always seemed to make too much. (I'd rather have this problem then not enough milk...)
2. I had an overactive let down - so overactive that I could barely nurse my son without producing equal amounts of milk from both sides. He would choke and have a hard time nursing. I couldn't nurse in public because I barely had enough hands to manage all the milk coming out while I was nursing.
Both of these things sort of leveled out (sort of) by 3-4 months... but in the meantime, I never nursed in public - so I didn't get out much, and it was difficult for me and my son. Breastfeeding was rarely relaxing because I was cleaning up everything, or trying hard to help my son breath while he was drinking. I'm just wondering if I should expect the same thing this time - or if going through it once before will somehow help me avoid the abundance this time.
Thanks!
I've had a different experience with my second child. Less milk, no engorgement/blocked milk ducts, and when I pump, it takes forever to get just a few ounces. Granted #2 is a much bigger kid than #1, but I don't know if that means anything.
First two babies had a really hard time breastfeeding because I produced so much milk my breasts were seriously like melons. It was horrible and the leaking was so embarrasing. All I have to say is PUMP! Pump out the extra all the time. I rented an electric double pump from the pharmacy and it saved my life. After a couple months your supply balances out. And you also get to store the milk for later. It lasts 6 months in the freezer. I know some people say that if you pump that your body will make more, but they obviously haven't had a 3x milk supply! Pumping some out before feeding also helps with their choking and latching on. Good luck!
After 3 sons, I've found that each pregnancy, baby and milk supply has been a little different. But if you're "blessed" with a wonderful supply again, you might want to consider Milkies Milk-Saver. You wear it in your bra while you nurse on the other side and it catches the milk to save for later use--really cool.
You can find it at: http://www.mommygear.com/nursing-pads.htm
Best wishes with #2.
P.S. You might want to make a nursing basket for your older son. It's a basket of items that he gets to take out when it's time to nurse. Fill it with a new coloring book, a favorite snack, some new books & activities. It puts the focus on him, and keeps him near you while your nursing. So, instead of "time to feed the baby AGAIN" you have "let's see what's in your special basket!"
It will probably be different, but may still be very heavy. I'm having the overactive let down this time for the first time (third child) and also needing to change nursing pads constantly, it's a DRAG. I like the advice for the device that saves milk from the breast that's not feeding. Also, pump, pump, pump and save all the extra milk in the freezer for later. I love the medela bags from target. I had tons extra with my son, stored like 50 bags in the freezer, then suddenly we evened out, and I ended up having lots of spare milk for bottles on the go, vacations, and even gave him his reserve at the end of nursing him which extended his breastmilk intake for almost a month. Hopefully you're blessed this time too with plenty of milk, but maybe a LITTLE less blessed! :)
I used to be able to pump 8 ounces from each each side in about 10 mins with my first! It was unbelievable! My mother told me I could have been a wet nurse!
It was no fun though becuase I had painful engorgement, plugged ducts and eventually mastitis.
Second time around my baby was in NICU so I had to pump which built up my milk supply but was hard when he came home because he wasn't eating as much as I was pumping. Although I wasn't gushing as much as before, I still got the same plugged ducts and mastitis but not till later on.
Third was so much better and I actually would squeeze some of the milk off before each feeding. I found that alternating breasts worked great for me rather than offering both breasts at each feeding which is what was recommended with my first. I think this is possible what would increased my milk supply so much. If I still felt full or engorged, I would pump to help prevent mastitis. (didnt have to do this too often).
I leaked considerably less but still had to wear breast pads the entire time. I did still get mastitis but that was around 9 months when my little one was starting to wean and i was so exhausted with 3 kids (hubby was in school and working) I just wasn't taking care of myself.
Fourth was a breeze, no problems whatsoever and hardly over-leaked at all
So yes, it does get better but find something that works best for your body. For me it was pumping occasionally to avoid mastitis or just so the baby could latch on and offering one breast at each feeding.
You can check with your OB first, but there are herbal remedies to help reduce supply. Go to kellymom.com to find out more. Basically anything with real peppermint oil (Altoids, peppermint tea) will help reduce supply.
I have never tried this tea before, but it has sage and mint so it might be helpful since sage also reduces supply. I saw it at Babies R Us, but in case you don't live by one go to http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/product/breastfeeding-s...
For fast let down sometimes if you recline back it can slow the flow and having the baby in football hold or almost sitting up right can help them.
I know with my second breastfeeding was really different so maybe this time it will be too.
S. L.
Hi A.,
I had the same thing with my first baby. This time around, it was not quite as bad, but this baby is not as good of a nurser as my son was. Things that helped though were leaning back while nursing - this prevented my son from choking sometimes, also keeping a nursing bra on all the time with absorbant pads, that prevented the other breast from leaking all over the place while nursing on one side. I hope you have the same luck as me and don't have such a hard time this time around. Good Luck!
I was like that the first time around too. The second time was different for me. In fact it took much longer for my milk to come in, and I ended up having to supplement. He was also a month early. Not sure if that affected it. I didn't have the leakage and engorgement issues second time around either. First time I had embarrassing spots even with nursing pads. That's my experience. It's probably different for everyone every time. Hopefully it will be better for you.
Try using nipple shields. I hear that these work really great for this problem.
I've breastfed 2 babies, and had two very different experiences. With my first, my milk suppy was like yours - overflowing. I used several pads per day, and often had leaks. My breasts always seemed engorged and my milk would let down all the time. I also didn't nurse in public because the whole process was so messy with all that milk. I think I went through 2 or more diaper cloths per feeding, just wiping it all up! Anyway, with my second, I had NONE of that. I did have a regular milk supply, but never once leaked, nor wore a breast pad throughout 14 months of breastfeeding. I was so baffled & surprised by how different it was. I just figured my body had figured it out and gotten it right by the second time around. ;) I'm sure it's just that, like every baby, every breastfeeding experience is different!
Best wishes!!
A., my breastfeeding experience was different with each child. I never had an overflow, but I had a big problem with milk production with my 2nd child. It took 9 weeks until my milk flow was adequate.
So, 2 children, 2 different breastfeeding experiences.
I agree with the poster who suggested contacting La Leche League. There's also the Nursing Mothers' Assn. and private lactation consultants. I used a consultant with each child (and a Nursing Mother Assn advisor as well), and it was well worth it.
Good luck!
The good and bad news is that at least for me, my breastfeeding was just as dramatically different with each child as their pregnancies and as the post partum and first years were. My milk supply was rather explosive with my son as he wasn't much of a sleeper and spent as much time as possible latched on to me. My daughter, the second child, slept through the night starting her first night, so I didn't have as much milk and really had to work to pump to make enough for when I went back to work at 3 mos. (Never an issue with my son, as I could fill him + a few bottles for storage each day.) So, expect that life will be different the second time around, and hopefully, you get to get out more.
Maybe pumping between feedings will help with the overflow of milk? It's hard to say because you never know when they'll want to eat while you're demand feeding. But maybe if you pump one side while nursing the other? Also, if you are producing lots of foremilk because your letdown is so strong, baby may be want to nurse more often, leading to MORE MILK! :) If I were you, I'd ask the lactation specialist at the hospital or ask the midwife if you're using one.
Pumping and freezing was great for me because once I went back to work, it was awesome to have such a good supply ready to send to my mom's! Good luck!
PS- I am interested in what other advice you get, I didn't have such a strong letdown but I was pumping 20 oz over 2 sessions at work!!
