# Second letdown



## T a r a (Jan 31, 2005)

I've heard mention of a "second letdown" while pumping to get more milk. I've never experienced this. How does it happen? Do you just pump for awhile, milk production ceases, then starts spraying again? Do you need to stop pumping for a bit or change the rate/suction on the pump?


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## velcromom (Sep 23, 2003)

I haven't experienced that during pumping, I have a hard time getting a letdown even once with a pump these days, but have had up to 3 letdowns during one nursing session many times when ds was under a year, and it took active nursing to stimulate it. I would imagine that you would need to keep up the suction with the pump as well.


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## Parker'smommy (Sep 12, 2002)

I could get a second let down during pumping if I really concentrated!lol! I would look at pictures of ds and think about him alot. I would have to have been pumping for at least 10 or more minutes too.

Now, with my 3 week old I can keep letting down as much as 4 times as long as she keeps nursing!!! I don't feel let down at all ( never had with either babes) but I know I am letting down by the way she is swallowing and sometimes choking on the sometimes over let down I have. She comes off the breast at least 2 times while nursing to catch her breath from the milk coming out so fast!!! And yah, my "little girl" is gaining well. She has gained approx. 1 1/2 ounces a day since birth and she started out 9 pounds 4ounces!!!!


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## Cullens_Girl (Feb 6, 2005)

I don't pump, but I do often have 2nd letdowns with my 3 month old - and I can feel it. I would think you would have to cocentrate real hard on the task at hand look at pictures of your child, etc.


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## darwinphish (Feb 13, 2005)

I have 2nd letdowns when I pump, even though I have low supply (or maybe because of it?). In fact, pumping is what led me to recognize the feeling of a letdown - I'd feel this warm tingling and look down to see that there was milk coming out again! I think I get a 2nd letdown because I have little there in the 1st place - if I pump for 20 minutes, milk comes out for maybe 3, and then I pump "dry" for almost 10 before getting a 2nd letdown. I still have trouble feeling letdowns while nursing...


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## KateMary (Jun 14, 2004)

I can get the first letdown while pumping pretty easily but I do have to concentrate on relaxing. Once the spray stops (5-10 mins for me), I turn the pump up to the fastest speed to simulate the baby's comfort suckle. I also imagine a pool of milk deep in my breasts, and envision my milk ducts filling up (I get very detailed in this and go around each breast mentally and fill up all the ducts), then I imagine the ducts releasing the milk and sure enough, the spray starts up again. I then turn the pump speed down so its simulating the longer pull when the baby would be swallowing. This can get an extra ounce or more on each side. Imagining the baby never worked for me. The whole visualization thing worked better after I looked at a picture of the ducts in the breast in a breastfeeding book so my visualization is pretty detailed!


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## nikirj (Oct 1, 2002)

I have oversupply and haven't experienced a second let-down. Maybe because my babies can only nurse for a minute or two at a time.


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## sarahwebb (Feb 12, 2002)

I start pumping at high speed and low suction then after the first letdown, I ease the speed down and the suction up every minute or two until the milk stops flowing. Then I go back to high speed low suction until I get the second let down. Then I repeat the whole process...

Hope this helps.
Sarah


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