Most moms notice they have a forceful letdown if their babies are fussy at the breast and are choking, gulping, pulling off the breast, tugging the breast, coughing or gasping. Babies may also experience painful and excessive gas, hiccupping or spitting up.
An overactive letdown—that gushing effect that occurs when the milk comes down very forcefully—can be a sign of too much milk. But it can also be a sign that you waited a bit too long between feeds, or that your baby's latch isn't great, potentially caused by a tongue-tie.
Signs of forceful letdown
With a forceful letdown the tingling sensation may be painful. You may notice excessive leaking from the side where your baby is not feeding. Your baby may pull off the breast and the milk squirts out. You may have blanching (whitening) of the nipple with burning nipple pain after nursing.
If some of this sounds familiar to you, you may have a forceful let-down. This is often associated with too much milk (oversupply). Some mothers notice that the problems with fast letdown or oversupply don't start until 3-6 weeks of age.
Signs of the Let-Down Reflex
Gulping: You may hear your baby gulping and swallowing milk. Dripping: You may see breast milk dripping out of your baby's mouth. Cramping: You may feel menstrual-like cramping in your uterus, especially in the early weeks following childbirth.
Signs of an overactive letdown
Most moms notice they have a forceful letdown if their babies are fussy at the breast and are choking, gulping, pulling off the breast, tugging the breast, coughing or gasping. Babies may also experience painful and excessive gas, hiccupping or spitting up.
Signs of a fast or forceful let-down
Choking, gasping and coughing at the breast. Coming on and off the breast during breastfeeding. Pulling on the breast and nipples (babies can also do this when the flow of milk is too slow) Rapid swallowing of milk with stress cues e.g. fussing, frowning, crying, finger splaying.
Hold your nipple between your forefinger and your middle finger. Or gently press your hand into the side of your breast during let-down to slow the rapid flow of milk.
Haakaa Pumps can trigger an oversupply in some people, especially when used multiple times a day to encourage excess milk removal in the early days. Remember, your body doesn't know the difference between the baby and the Haakaa, all it knows is if the stimulus caused a let-down of milk.
An oversupply of breast milk generally refers to a mother who is able to nurse her infant, or multiples, and is still able to produce a significant amount of breast milk (more than 4-5 oz) in a pump session after a feeding.
Hindmilk is released with every milk ejection (let-down). By the time feeding finishes on the first breast, the first milk from the second breast will contain more fat compared to the start of the feed on the first breast.
Letdown mode is also called massage mode or “bacon” mode (because some breast pumps have wavy lines that look like bacon on the button). Expression mode is intended to remove as much milk as possible after your milk lets down.
Signs of Oversupply - Infant
Gulping, coughing, choking or sputtering during feedings. Frequently detaching from the breast during feedings. Fussiness between feedings and/or cuing to feed all the time (even after drinking plenty of milk) Frequently spitting up.
Will a Haakaa cause me to have an oversupply? No, not necessarily. There is no “suckling motion” with a Haakaa. The Haakaa doesn't stimulate your body to produce more through suckling stimulation as a breast pump, manual expression, or a baby would.
disillusionment, discouragement, or disappointment: The job was a letdown. depression; deflation: He felt a terrible letdown at the end of the play.
Baby's frustration may just be a sign that she's finished and wants to move on. On a similar note, an occasional baby will just want to suck at the end of a nursing session and the flow of milk with let-down frustrates her.
Babies who receive too much foremilk suffer with excess gas (farting, belching, hiccups, etc.), hunger, and even colic, because foremilk can digest too quickly, resulting in malabsorption and intestinal distress. Because of this, baby generally has to feed more frequently, leading to sore breasts.
When you start pumping, most pumps will begin in the “letdown phase” – which is lighter and quieter – for about two minutes.
Breastmilk oversupply or forceful let-down (milk ejection reflex) can cause reflux-like symptoms, and usually can be remedied with simple measures.
When your baby sucks at the breast, tiny nerves are stimulated. This causes two hormones – prolactin and oxytocin – to be released into your bloodstream. Prolactin helps make the milk, while oxytocin causes the breast to push out the milk. Milk is then released or let down through the nipple.
Baby keeps pulling away while breastfeeding
Once the let-down starts, some breastfed babies struggle to keep up with the fast flow of milk. If they're overwhelmed, this can make them pull away. Your baby could also be suffering reflux, which can also cause symptoms such as pain, fussiness, and unsettling behavior.
This contracting of the tissue will squeeze milk into your ducts. Let down typically takes two minutes to occur. When your milk lets down, you may feel a small amount of pain or tingling in your upper breasts. Many moms describe it as a “pins and needles” feeling.
It is helpful to drink an 8-ounce glass of water, juice, or milk at each meal and every time you breastfeed. Some mothers find that having something warm to drink helps them relax and triggers the letdown reflex.
On most pumps, the initial letdown cycle lasts two minutes. Pump for 6-7 minutes after that and then push the button to go through the letdown cycle again and pump for another 6-7 minutes. Check your flange size.