Letdowns

Letdowns are so weird. Usually the word signifies something negative and disappointing. But not when it comes to BFing. The word letdown brings breastfeeding mothers (and their offspring) much joy. Letdown is an easy laywoman's term for "milk ejection reflex", which is a complex, highly wondrous process that brings your milk to your baby. When the baby sucks your nipple, the nipple and areola become stimulated, which releases oxytocin (the "mothering hormone"). This causes contractions in the milk-making glands, literally squeezing them like a tube of toothpaste. The milk then shoots through the ducts on high-speed and baby enjoys the meal.

Now I never felt letdowns when nursing in the early days. I would feel random letdowns when it was on or around the time Sam would normally eat (say, 2-3 hours since last feeding). It would feel like an 18-wheeler riding over my breasts, and then my nipples would feel somewhat sore for a minute or two. I never felt this while nursing, though.

Only once my milk regulated at 3 months did I begin to feel them! About 30-60 seconds after Sam would actively start to suck, I'd feel that heavy feeling again and his sucking/swallowing pattern became steady and consistent. I'd still feel it randomly between feedings. Those were much more painful than the ones I'd feel while breastfeeding. On fuller days, I'd feel lots of these random ones, and the nursing ones would come really fast, only after a few seconds of sucking.

These days I feel letdowns most of the time, and they're not that obvious either. I usually have to focus on it in order to even notice it! I rarely get the between-feeds letdowns. On lower supply days I can't get more than one letdown per hour or so, even if I try nursing Sam two times in one hour.

I find that when pumping, I need to achieve about 3 letdowns to get 4-5 oz of milk - these days. In the past I'd get that all with one letdown. But when I nurse/pump I can only get one letdown. I don't know, I see lots of sites writing about keeping baby on the breast for longer so you can get more letdowns. I don't have that. While pumping, the initial letdown might yield only 2-3 ounces. So what do I do?

Here's how to achieve a manual letdown muuuuuch faster than using the stimulation mode on the pump. This is also great if you for some reason can't get a letdown and baby really wants to nurse already. Or if you're trying to bring baby back from a nursing strike and you want it to be appealing (i.e. milk already waiting for him at the table):

1. Try to relax. Right. Like pretend you're relaxed. Sit in a relaxing, comfortable position.
2. Start massaging both nipples at the same time - one with each hand. 
3. Try different moves to see which feels better to you: pinching, pulling, twisting, stroking, flicking, etc.  
4. Focus on what the letdown should feel like. Usually within 5 minutes you can get a letdown.
5. Enjoy the flow of milk.

For me, they are completely not psychological, but rather physical. I do not get letdowns by thinking of oceans of flowing milk nor when I look at pictures or videos of Sam (what lots of websites suggest). I can only cause myself to get them from direct stimulation, either from Sam's sucking, or from my hands.