Eating too fast - spiting up

[@llli*eve.babyboy]

My 11 week old baby eats too fast (5-7 mins per breast) and when burping spits up a lot! Sometimes chokes during breastfeeding, seems flow is too fast for him but doesn't stop!If I stop him he starts crying.. :-(
Has anyone had similar experience? What can I do?? Thanx!!

[@llli*danlynclark]

Is it possible that you have Overactive Letdown? Eating in 5-7 minutes is not too fast, as some babies are just more efficient. But the choking during nursing and gassy/spitting up can be a sign of OALD.

La Leche League Overactive Letdown Article

KellyMom Overactive Letdown Information

Usually the initial letdown is what is too fast, and as the baby continues to nurse the flow slows down. So some Moms remove baby from the breast upon letdown and catch the flow in a burp rag or clean cloth dipe. Since he gets mad when you remove him from the breast, could you manual stimulate letdown with a pump or hand expression, catch the flow from the initial letdown, then put him back on to nurse?

Some people have had success nursing lying down on their back or leaning back to allow gravity to help keep the flow down a bit.

See if those articles I linked to sound like what you're dealing with.



Lyn

[@llli*eve.babyboy]

Thanx Lyn,
I am too worried, he just burped and threw up most of his milk...

By the way - this is a very nice boy you have!!

[@llli*amy.marie]

I have OALD and it was easy to correct. I just wanted to add that it looks like he is spitting up everything he just ate but looks can be deceiving. Someone told me to measure out a tablespoon of water and spill it on the counter, it looks like a lot more then a tbsp. I just didn't want you to worry about him not keeping anything down, odds are he's keeping most of his meal.

[@llli*jlk51496]

I have OALD and it was easy to correct. I just wanted to add that it looks like he is spitting up everything he just ate but looks can be deceiving. Someone told me to measure out a tablespoon of water and spill it on the counter, it looks like a lot more then a tbsp. I just didn't want you to worry about him not keeping anything down, odds are he's keeping most of his meal.

[@llli*eve.babyboy]

I have OALD and it was easy to correct. I just wanted to add that it looks like he is spitting up everything he just ate but looks can be deceiving. Someone told me to measure out a tablespoon of water and spill it on the counter, it looks like a lot more then a tbsp. I just didn't want you to worry about him not keeping anything down, odds are he's keeping most of his meal.

howdid you correct it???

[@llli*danlynclark]

The awesome thing about breastmilk is that it is pre-digested. So it is absorbed very fast. Even when he spits it up, he has retained a lot of the nutrients!

Have you tried burping halfway through the nursing session?

[@llli*amy.marie]

"If the problem continues when the milk supply is well established, another approach can be tried. The goal is to increase the amount of hindmilk baby receives and make the let-down less forceful. Let's suppose the mother begins breastfeeding on the right breast. When she feels her milk let-down, she gently removes baby and allows the forceful spray to gush into a clean cloth diaper or burp cloth. Then she places baby back on that same breast, letting him feed as long as he wants. Baby should not be timed at the breast. The mother should not use the left breast at all during this feeding. If baby needs to nurse again during the next two to four hours, the mother should offer the same (right) side. During the subsequent two to four hour period, the procedure is repeated using the left breast.

This procedure can be adjusted for both mother and baby. If the mother is very engorged or uncomfortable, she can go ahead and use the opposite breast briefly. It is important that the baby have at least six wet diapers in 24 hours. If the number drops below six, suggest that the mother go back to using both breasts at a feeding. However, most women with an overactive let-down have no trouble making enough milk with one breast at a time.

Women with a milder case of over-active let-down can use one breast at each feeding, instead of using one breast for each two-to-four hour period. Remind the mother to allow the first let-down to flow into a cloth and then re-attach the baby. These suggestions will help "tame" her let-down, and help her produce a quantity of milk her baby can comfortably handle. The baby should be fed often--the more the baby nurses, the less intense the flow of milk."

This is part of the first article Lyn posted for you. It's called blockfeeding. It took us about 2 weeks for my supply to even out but I noticed a happy baby in a few days. Try it and keep us posted!

[@llli*baby.mama]

sounds exactly like my DS! my right side had an OALD and would cause him to cough, sputter, and gulp...adding to his gas & spit up problems. i did the unlatch and spray into a burp cloth...mine would get fussy and cry while waiting too, so i'd give him a finger to suck on briefly until the letdown subsided. although he'd suck and come on and off the finger after realizing there's no milk, it would keep him occupied long enough where he won't get into a full blown crying rage until i could relatch him. i also did the blockfeeding (or in my case i did a one-sided block feed since the OALD was only 1 sided) and my LO seems to be doing much better. i still have to burp him frequently and he has a few spit ups now and then, but no where near as much as he used to, and he doesn't appear to be in as much pain as he was before with the gas/spitups.
good luck!