OaLD might be the answer…have some ?s

[Anonymous]

So I was reading about overactive letdown and definitely think that is my problem and why DD suffers w/ reflux. For the last 2 days I have been pumping 1-2 min before each feeding (getting about 2oz if not more….WOW) and have seen quite an improvement in my DD. She seems to be in less pain, and is sleeping a lot more…I am so exited!

SO although my DD is doing a little bit better, I feel that me pumping before each feeding is only telling my body to keep producing all of this milk and am not solving the problem only finding a way to work with it. I have read posts about handexpressing milk into a towel, but I do feel that doesn’t work for me…not enough comes out and when she goes to feed she is still gulping. So I am wondering if anyone that has this problem, if there is a way to help get rid of OaLD or if this is something I will always have? Pumping before EACH feeding is not practical and almost impossible since I am out in public sometimes when she needs to feed. How do other people handle this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! Kamala mommy to Sienna Grace born 8/24/06

[Anonymous]

I remember a mom once posted some very good ideas about how to deal with overactive letdown. I tried to find it for you….but no luck. The only suggestion I remember was to try nursing in a reclining position.

Hopefully, she’ll see this and re-post her ideas.

Have you checked any of Laura’s BF links in her intro? (Stickied in the Introduce Yourself Forum). Maybe there’s some hints there.

From what I read (I had this problem, too) OAL does improve as the body adjusts to nursing and the baby’s needs. I had to quit nursing and pump for my daughter because she would no longer nurse, so I can’t say if it got better for me.

Good luck. I hope some of the more experienced BF’ing mom’s here can help you.

[Anonymous]

We had this issue too – it does get better as the baby gets a little older and things get more “in sync” in terms of production and how much the baby eats. You are right though – pumping a little before each feeding solves the immediate problem, but reinforces the main issue – overproduction. It is really important to feed only on one side at each feeding, so the baby gets more hindmilk and less foremilk. The problem is both with the amount and force of the milk at the beginning of the feeding (causing the choking/gulping) and the composition of that milk – the details escape me now, but I think it is lower in fat and higher in lactose, so can cause gassiness and being hungry again quickly. You have to be careful if you are currently feeding on both sides – it can be a somewhat painful transition and you don’t want plugged ducts or anything – but any pumping just tells your body to make more! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Hey, I have studied allot on this issue because I had the same problem for a while and sometimes still do. It can cause symptoms of lactose intolerance because they are getting to much foremilk. The pumping helps with that but causes your body to produce even more milk. One thing that can help is called block feeding. You basically feed on one side for a certain number of hours or feedings depending on how much milk you have. The laleche league has allot of information, so does Kellymom. I was pumping when my baby was little and I think that help cause the problem and it took about three weeks when I stopped pumping alltogether for my milk to finally regulate. Even now if I skip a feeding or sometimes when I just have more milk, I can see a difference in how gassy he is. Good luck, I remember it was so much with the feeding and the pumping-so hang in there!!

[Anonymous]

Hey all,

This is an issue for us, too. It’s taken a long time to address it but I’ve found some great info at kellymom.com and especially the La Leche League website. The forum for “too much milk” which includes something about OALD is here, I think: http://forums.llli.org/forumdisplay.php?f=32

There’s apparently a great podcast posted on the website about OALD. Haven’t had a chance to listen to it myself but when I do, I can post the link to it. Maybe there’s a transcript, too.

I think the general suggestion is to block feed — that is, only offer one breast per feeding, and if the baby is hungry again within 2 (or more, depending on the severity of the problem) hours, offer that same breast again. By letting the other breast stay full, you send a message to your body to start producing a little bit less from that side. If baby pulls off and fusses / screams as you have letdown, keep a burp cloth handy and let some of the spray (if there is any) come into the cloth.

Alternate nursing positions are also suggested: tummy to tummy sitting up (never mastered that), or side-lying with the baby’s head resting on your bicep. The latter has really worked for us.

Can’t say we’ve “mastered” either the OALD or the reflux problems, but things are a bit better here thanks to a bit of management of the OALD.

Good luck! Karen

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