I am wondering if anyone else out there has this problem. My milk flows really strongly and I think it's making my 2.5 week old have a problem feeding. He acts as if it hurts him or something when he's trying to nurse. He'll latch on for a few seconds then push back with his head and arms. He's suprizingly strong and sometimes it's hard to keep him still. I don't know what to do to make it more comfortable for him to nurse.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

i totally had the same issues when i was nursing both my kids! okay, this is obvious, but i have to ask... are you waiting until you are bursting before you feed him? if that is the case, then try feeding him sooner. i know, duh, right? less obvious... have you tried pumping (or i remember a breast feeding book the hospital gave me said try squeezing some out into a towel or sink first, but OW!!!) before feeding him? it's a pain in the butt, but it can help... or just pumping it all into a bottle and bottle feeding. or if you way overproduce like i did, you might pump one side into a bottle and freeze it for later, and only feed him from one side...

something to watch for... (and i'm only telling you this because you sound a lot like i was, and i wish someone had shared this with me!!!)... if he starts acting horribly gassy and colicy, and starts getting green colored poop (gross, i know!), he'll most likely be getting too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk, which causes a lactose type build up in the intestines and lots of gas and discomfort (we went four months before figuring this out-- our pediatrician didn't have a clue!). anyway, hope this helps!

The PP is right on the money. I had this problem with ds too, and although it's the opposite of what most people go through it's still hard. I did all of the above mentioned, but the only thing that really worked for me, was doing this for a few days to tell my body to produce a little less.........

Day one, feed only off one side, and alternate all day.
Day two, three and four, feed off one side 2x in a row.

If you don't see an inprovement, then just pull him off when your letdown first happens, and let it soak in a towel for a moment. Also, try not to let him comfort suck for a while, and when he is done, then that's it. By having him suck even when he's not that hungry, it's telling you to produce more.
The upside of this, is in a few months, when his demand is for more, you'll have it, and he will also get used to it. Make sure you burp him halfway or maybe more until he does get the hang of it. I would lay off pumping for a while, too. Good luck!;)

Wow! Lots of good reads above me. :)

I wanted to share that I went thru that as well with my first 2 DS's.....I have DS #3 now and hes not near as bad as the other 2. It was like they had so much milk coming out that it was too much......I didnt really do anything except watch their feeding patterns etc. Both the 2 older DS's would start to nurse, my milk would let down and they would do the same as your LO. He'd pull away and scream at me with milk running down his chin.....I think eventually he just got the hang of it.

Sorry I dont have any words of wisdom - just thought you might find comfort knowing you arent alone! :wave:

I, too, had a lot of milk. To slow down production I went to one breast at a feeding. So if I fed on the left side at 12:00, then at the 3:00 feeding I went to the right, and then at 6:00 the left again. It sounds strange letting one side go for 6 whole hours, but it does slow it down and it's better for the baby. A PP mentioned the hindmilk. If you go from side to side in one feeding the baby is only getting the sugary foremilk. The hindmilk is richer and creamer and satisfies them more. So I would even nurse on the left side, burp him, then put him back on the left to finish.

Pumping is okay to relieve a little pressure, but don't do it too much because it'll just tell your body to make more.

I'm done nursing now...husband took care of that....three kids (not all at once!!!), all nursed for a year. Loved it!!!

Well we had an appointment set with a Public health nurse today and I described what was happening and she said just what all you ladies are saying! But last night I trusted my Mommy instinct and only fed him from the one side since he would nurse wonderfully on one side then turn into a crazy little man when I gave him the other. So last night I just would do one side at a feeding and switch it up the next. Well it turns out my instincts were right and I think things are going to get better.
Thanks so much for all the advice. To think before I gave birth I was so worried about not making enough milk and such. Who would have thought I would be a milk making machine!!!

Hi E1, it's funny that you said that, I too, was worried I wasn't making enough milk, I guess after reading all of the advice here on your post, it makes sense to me now that my DD (5 wks old) only feed on one side and never goes to the other for the last two weeks she's been doing this! The lactation consultant told me about eh foremilk and hindmilk also but all of them have diff opinions about it. Some say make sure u do 10 mins. each breasts and do whatever you can to wake them up for feeding to the other breast. Well, I just went with my gut instinct and talked to mothers, strangers at the store (babies r us) to tell me their experiences. This is what works for me, I let her go on one breast, say the left side and then she will pull out exactly after 15 minutes and then burp her and then fall asleep. 2-3 hours later she wants to eat again I go to the Right breast and then go exactly 10 minutes and pull out. When she's getting enough milk ( I think) she will pull her head back and forth while her mouth is still attached to my breasts and it hurts a lot when she does that!!! I just re-latch and she goes on again, it's amazing when the baby is done they are done!!! Then poops one hour later, so there goes my sleep.... but it is becomin a routine for me now, feed, change diaper, play with her, and then do it all over again after 2-3 hours..... :) the joy of motherhood!

I, too, had a lot of milk. To slow down production I went to one breast at a feeding. So if I fed on the left side at 12:00, then at the 3:00 feeding I went to the right, and then at 6:00 the left again. It sounds strange letting one side go for 6 whole hours, but it does slow it down and it's better for the baby. A PP mentioned the hindmilk. If you go from side to side in one feeding the baby is only getting the sugary foremilk. The hindmilk is richer and creamer and satisfies them more. So I would even nurse on the left side, burp him, then put him back on the left to finish.

Pumping is okay to relieve a little pressure, but don't do it too much because it'll just tell your body to make more.

I'm done nursing now...husband took care of that....three kids (not all at once!!!), all nursed for a year. Loved it!!!

Hi Sem, I'm glad to have read your reply, I was having this problem for the last 2 weeks! I was getting worried my baby is not eating enough by not going on both breasts! Also one thing that one lactation con. told me, when you go for 20 minutes each breasts and made sure the one breasts is soft, that means the got the hindmilk... so if the baby is still hungry he/she will go on the other breasts regardless.
I am also wondering why my DD ( 5 wo) likes to pull her head back and forth while still nursing, it hurts my nipples during and especially after the feeding. I have this sharp stabbing pain every after feeding. I know she is latching on properly and when she's not I relatch her but still feeling the pain due to her fussiness while eating. Any advice on this?

Archelle- Your baby may be doing this when the milk starts to slow down, and it's not coming out as fast as she would like it. My son did this, and he would get so fussy until I had another let down. I found that walking around with him while he would fuss would sometimes keep his mind off of it until more milk came down.

Well last night was horrible. Tanner was unconsoleble(sp?) I think what our problem was I have the overactive let down and I make A LOT of milk. I think we were over feeding him. Unfortunately he would not stop when he was full until all of a sudden his tummy hurt. This is what I am guessing by the way he's been acting the last couple of days. He screams bloody murder when he's feeding. I thought he wanted to nurse so I tried to get him too but I am thinking that was not what he wanted in the first place.
What I am finding works best for us is I do 2 feeds in a row on the same side then switch on the 3rd and 4th feed. Also he only eats like every 4 hrs.
The home health nurse told me that he should be eating 2.5 -3.5 cups per 24hrs now. I pumped last night and found that 1 breast makes about 4 oz per feed. So he actually only needs to eat about 6 times per day instead of 8. This makes sense because I was trying to get in 8 and usually the last couple of feedings of the day is when he goes out of his mind.
Like they say every mother and baby is different so I guess for us with my huge milk production we don't need to nurse as many times per day. He still has more then the 6 wet and 2 good poops per day so as long as I keep seeing that then we'll keep doing what we are doing.

[QUOTE=E1979;3123847we don't need to nurse as many times per day. [QUOTE]

Not really, they need just as much, and pumping isn't a good indicator of what they're actually getting. Tanner probably has gas from gulping the milk. It may also be spraying him in the back of his throat. Just keep doing what your doing, 2x on each side, you'll produce less in a few days. He wants to nurse, but he already knows it may not be a great experience right now, so he probably gets mad. A few more days, and things will even out. Hang in there.........I know how frustrating this is, but it will pass.:angel: