# Overactive letdown and comfort sucking



## mamabtt (Apr 15, 2003)

I have oversupply and incredibly fast letdown (had it with my first too







and my baby is 3.5wks old now. I have been block feeding, etc. which has helped a little with the oversupply but my letdown is just getting faster and faster







My baby is very fussy/colicky and seems to want to comfort suck often and when she does she gets mouthful after mouthful of milk and cries and pulls off the breast. She also has a bad latch because she tries to slow the flow but still suck, poor thing. I have read that one should never use a pacifier when you have fast letdown since the baby will come to prefer the pacifier --not a problem since I have never used one on either child but I was wondering about letting her suck on my pinky. Several times she has been distraught and the second I put my pinky in her mouth she instantly stops crying and sucks happily. If I let her suck on my finger will it have a similar effect as pacifier use w/ fast letdown? Will it worsen her already bad latch? Any suggestions? PS- her weight gain has been incredible at 1 lb per week so no troubles there - she is thriving.
Thanks


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## loving-my-babies (Apr 2, 2004)

I don't think it's a problem to let her suck on your finger. I also have an over-active letdown, always have, in fact, everytime I think of letdowns, I get one. (it's that bad, :LOL) so anyway, now when my ds comfort nurses he knows he's getting milk, but it took him some time to get used to that. he's 6 months now, and the first 8 weeks it was a bit harder because my let-downs were one after the other. now, I still have an overactive letdown but it's less milk than before or my son has learned to succesfully "work with it".

HTH,
Carmen


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## loving-my-babies (Apr 2, 2004)

oh and my ds is also FTST (failure to stop thriving)







: isn't that great? I think it does have to do with having so much milk. he's 24 lbs at 6 months, oh and 30 inches


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## mamabtt (Apr 15, 2003)

Thanks for your reply







Sounds like my son --he "grew" into my letdown at about 6 mo and was huge like yours. He is now 3.5yrs old. I just feel awful for my little girl. She is fussy most of the time and seems very uncomfortable. This too shall pass.....

Thanks for giving me a laugh

PS- love your kids names (My son is Vincent)


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## The Lucky One (Oct 31, 2002)

I too have an overactive letdown and oversupply and had many of the same issues with my little ds2. I *wish* he would have sucked on my pinky! He wouldn't take anything in his mouth but my nipple. He was so fussy, poor thing.

Thankfully, things started evening out at around 11 weeks or so with my supply and he has basically adjusted to having to gulp like a madman during the letdowns, although he still sputters occasionally.

My little guy is also a big gainer. He gained a pound a week for his first five weeks and is now 17lbs at 3 months--started at 6lbs 10oz, btw, so he was tiny to begin with!

I love the FTST! That is too funny!

I'd let your little girl suck away on your pinky. Things will be OK.


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## MamaDaednu (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm the same way...my babe refuses to take my finger, her finger, her hand or a pacifier. Yes, I tried a pacifier. I gave it to my son at this age because of the let down and his constant need to suck. He loved his pacifier right away and it never affected nursing.
Miss Lily, however, is a different one. She hates the pacifier and gets this disgusted look before crying and spitting it out. She is frustrated with the breast because she doesn't want a mouth full of milk, just a comfort suck. Poor thing. She just can't get what she wants.

~Daednu


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

I also have a massive oversupply and a terrifying letdown. I'm always squirting milk at people by accident.







:LOL

BeanBean wouldn't take a pacifier, but I did give him a finger. BooBah has a pacifier that she likes and she will take a finger. If anything, a finger/long pacifier will help improve the baby's latch, because they have to hold it deep in their mouth the way they hold the breast.

What helps me the most is to have a diaper or a cup nearby and collect some milk before the baby starts nursing (BeanBean was not able to nurse through my letdown until he was fully 7 months old, maybe 8.) so that there's not as much. It doesn't take much to stimulate me: I open my bra, sniff the baby a few times and pick up my breast like I'm going to latch the baby on. In a few seconds, the milk starts rushing out and I just let it go until it stops. After that, the nursing is easier and the baby can stay on the breast when she's finished "eating."

I've also pumped so that the baby could comfort nurse, but that's much more of a pain in the neck if your baby is willing to take a pacifier or a finger and you're not engorged. It also "improves" your milk supply, and that's the last thing that I want to do! :LOL


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## InochiZo (Aug 17, 2004)

I also seem to have overactive let down. DS is almost 5 mo old. He seems to managing it better now. I think he used to get a lot of air because he had to gulp with feedings. I did give him a pacifier and pinky early on. I didn't seem to affect his sucking. He still wants to comfort suck on the breast at night to go to sleep or back to sleep. I usually have to switch him to the pacifier because it kinda tickles and keeps me awake at times. I wish I could tolerate letting him use the breast as a pacifier but I can't. He usually stops sucking at somepoint and just stays latched on.


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