Let Down
I love to have let down, and hate it as well. This is what I quoted from http://familydoctor.org/019.xml:
What is the let-down reflex?
A few seconds to several minutes after you start breastfeeding, you may feel a tingle in your breast, and milk may start to drip from the breast not being used. These are signs that your milk has “let-down.” This means your milk is ready to flow.
This let-down reflex makes breast feeding easier for your baby. Let-down may also occur if a feeding is overdue, if you hear your baby cry or even if you think about your baby.
Let-down can be forceful enough to cause your baby to cough. If this is a problem, you can express some of your milk by hand before a feeding to bring on the let-down reflex before you start breastfeeding.
I’ve always had strong and powerful let down, you know, the spraying type? During my early breastfeeding days with Justin, I was very engorged all the time as I pumped and nursed for every feed and over-stimulated my production. And thus, I’d just have let down whenever the breasts were full. Once, after shower, when I was about to dress up, I got a let down and had milk spraying into my closet! It’s so hilarious!
Having over-active let down made my breastfeeding days more difficult when both my babies were younger. They just couldn’t cope with the milk and choked while nursing. Sometimes, they’re too angry with the let down, they’d detach, turned away, arched their body backward, screamed in anger, and refused to nurse! I needed to comfort them down to convince them to nurse again. Of coz, sometimes, I’d pump out a bit until the let down was over, then only nurse my babies. This would help a lot, but it’s a lot of work, especially at night when sleep is so precious to sleep deprived moms like me!
But if I’m expressing, I’d LOVE to have let down, and would hope to have more than one too! During let down, the milk will come out faster and if coordinate well with pumping, I could easily get 4 oz per breast in less than 10 minutes. During my glory days, I could get 10 oz from both sides with 4 hours of pumping interval. But I seldom pump now after being a SAHM, and I prefer to nurse directly than pumping.
Nonetheless, if you need a let down desperately, try to relax after a warm drink. Look at your kids photo, or imagine your baby’s smile, then try pumping again. If still can’t get let down, just stop and try again later. Let down comes easier when a moo is more relax.
Each time i feed my baby, i will need a towel for my the other breast to “let down” :s it can soak up a whole towel .. sometimes feel so irritated.. but is all over now .. phew ..
Jessie, just used towel? That’d be quite messy though…I prefer breastpads. Will write about this next time!
Shoppingmum, just visited your new blog. Am very delighted that you are sharing your breastfeeding moments!
Like you, I only have my hubby to support me when I have Trenyce but having people around who are 99% bottle feeding kind of explain why I failed my breastfeeding mission. For a while, I was very depressed over it becos I understand the goodness of it for my kid. I have also read up alot on breastfeeding to prepare myself but in the end still couldnt make it.
Well, now I know who to look for the next time I have my 2nd bb :p
Mdm 2359, don’t feel bad about it, you’re still a great mum even if you failed to bf Trenyce. I’ll be delighted to help out when you have #2.
I love reading your post about bf. Not everyone appreciate bf. My mil,sil they never bf.. how can they know the goodness of it. Happy to know that still alot mums commit themselves to bf.
wow… never know that’s the sign of let-down. I experienced that and DH help me to save my milk on other side of breast (in cup or bottle!)whenever I bf with the other one. But that was only a few days when I have milk flowing in but never meet my gal’s demand as we also gave her formula at the same time.
Determined to try again if I have no.2 in future… must call you sifu already!