He keeps opening his mouth while feeding

[Lenny]

Hi,
DS 2 is always opening his mouth while he is feeding which doesn't sound like anything, but it means a whole mouthful of milk pours out and down my chest - usually soaking my top and the waistband of my jeans etc. He soaks his clothes too - and my arm, and the bf pillow etc, etc!! He does it 9/10 times a feed - more so on the left hand side, but sometimes on the right.

Now, I'm all for feeding in public without having to hide - but this little issue makes it impossible. I have to wrap myself in a towel to catch the milk. I have tried ALL sorts of different holds, but that does not help. Having a 2 year old means I have to go out a lot, but I dread DS1 needing a feed.

Any idea what the issue might be?? Have you experienced this as well?? Will it pass?? It's been going on for well over 3 weeks now. He's not congested that i can tell. He is absolutely thriving though, and growing like a weed. Otherwise I would have consulted a professional LC by now.

ETA: I feed DS 1 until he was 13mths. He never did this.

TIA,
Jo

[Neoma]

Hi Lenny, I had this problem with my youngest.She sometimes fed right but then other times she would get the milk going and then just keep her mouth open and let it spill everywhere. I did have a very fast let down. I don't have any advice about how to help it but when my supply settled so did her feeding. So in my daughters case I think it was a phase. Good luck.

[onthefly]

Maybe the flow's a bit fast and he needs a break? Have you tried a more upright position to feed to see if that makes a difference?

Hopefully he'll stop once he gets bigger

[Neoma]

Marcellus made a good point and reminded me with my quick let down the MHN suggested to lie on my back with her on my tummy to feed. This did help.

[Jennifer13]

I'm guessing lying on your back is not helpful while you're out though, Jo!

Have you tried different holds? If you think there's more of a problem on one side than the other it possibly is your let down. This might resolve itself once your supply settles down to meet his demand. GL!

FWIW, I didn't have the mouth opening thing, but I had copious leaking from the side I wasn't bfing from while DD was feeding. I needed a towel to mop up myself then too. From memory it resolved around 8-10 weeks.

[Lenny]

Thanks everyone! I am thinking you might all be right - it must be a let-down issue. So that's good - it means it will resolve eventually.
I guess I didn't have these troubles with DS1 as we took a long time to get a good bf thing going.
LOL Jennifer - my mother's group aren't much into bf. I can only imagine their horror if i lay down to feed!!! I'm laughing just picturing it!

Thanks again
Jo

[onthefly]

Go on, do it Jo, just for a laugh!

Hope you can feed without the towels soon!

[Nelle]

I never had a fast letdown issue with #1 but with #2 absolutely! I had to lean right back in my chair for the initial letdown, otherwise he'd do the same, pull off because he couldn't keep up.
It does settle though!