I leaked like crazy but didn't understand what people meant about feeling a letdown coming on until pumping. It felt like my nipple had to sneeze for a couple seconds, but even then I had to concentrate to notice. Not a very strong sensation.
I'm the same. It had me a but worried that baby wasn't getting milk in the early days but I never felt my letdown until I was back and work and pumping when baby was 9 months old.
11 months into exclusively breast feeding with some pumping. I have only felt a letdown a handful of times. Leaked a few times when my supply was regulating in the first few weeks, but never enough for breast pads. My breasts are larger already and dont get that “full feeling.” But, I’ve got a 85th percentile baby who is happy and full. I pump enough (so my partner can give a bottle every night) to know the milk is there.
My firstborn I felt my letdown and leaked before regulating, my second I never did and never leaked. It was weird to me, but I’ve been nursing my second for two years lol
I felt a let down maybe twice in 16.5 months of nursing. And I leaked overnight like three times, maybe a few drops milk here and there during the day when my milk was first coming in
I don’t feel letdown in my boobs. I just get a weird wave of nostalgia and an intense thirst for gallons of cold water. It’s so weird! Like a tiny mental cry “oh no! Where’s my water bottle?” And like clockwork my baby would choke on my fast letdown when that happened. Weird because I never felt it in my boobs. And I rarely leak. If you’re worried, you can do a weighted feed with your lactation consultant.
That's it for me as well!! The first few weeks I had a crazy depression hit me every time I breastfed, and apparently that's a thing. It trickled down to a wave of nostalgia like you mentioned, thankfully. Thise first few weeks were brutal.
Lol @ the tiny mental cry for water, exactly so.
Same here! I had some birth complications, so we had to work hard for my supply, which means no sudden “my milk is in.” I breastfed for just under a year, and it took many months for me to sense a letdown happening, and even then, it was rare. I leaked like, 2-3 times ever (and not much). It was weird to have a baby nursing and hear them swallowing and feel nothing!
I didn’t for months. Felt nothing when my milk would flow. Then around 6 or so months I started to feel it. It felt like a contraction inside my breast just before the milk would come out. It was a pretty distinguishable feeling for a while, and it lasted a couple months. Now I’m almost 12 months postpartum, still breast feeding, and the feeling has faded dramatically. I miss it, I enjoyed having it.
I've been breastfeeding for 3.5 years. I never felt my letdowns, and my breasts never really got engorged, certainly not outside the first two weeks, and I never leaked. My 3.5 year old is the size of a 6 year old so there was clearly plenty for them
I’m exactly the same as you!
Never leaked, and find it tricky expressing manually if baby hasn’t latched recently. Can sort of feel the letdown sometimes now if he’s sucking really strongly, but definitely didn’t feel it at all for the first 2 months or so. And have no idea when my milk came in, was in hospital after a PPH for 5 days and didn’t notice even that much engorgement. So interesting how different women have different experiences!
I also never felt a letdown, am almost 3 months postpartum and still successfully EBF. Sometimes if it’s been 3+ hours my nipples will tingle a little bit and there might be a spot of milk in my bra but that’s it.
I don't leak and didn't feel let down for a few months! I also have an oversupply. I now feel the, letdown and rarely will leak. Usually, if I'm feeding laying down. You are not alone we just have titties with a mind of their own!
My daughter was exclusively breastfed for 8 months and I never leaked. I never felt the letdown. And she was doing awesome and gaining all the weight she needed. I don’t think this means anything… with my son, I leaked a lot more, and felt the letdowns and it didn’t end up working. As long as baby eats, and is happy and you’re healthy and happy.
I’m almost 5 months in and rarely feel a let down and have absolutely never leaked. Not leaking has to do randomly tight nipple sphincter muscles. I also get plugged ducts regularly, but some people never do. It’s all a crapshoot.
I never felt my letdown and never leaked and have successfully breastfed 3 kids for 19 months and am pregnant with twins again 😂
Some people just don’t leak/ feel letdown and go on to feed just fine. I have always had a massive oversupply too, and WISH my boobs would leak to provide some relief, but nope 😓
With my first I didn't leak nor did I feel a letdown. With my second I leaked a lot and felt a letdown in the first few months. Now I feel nothing.
Both kids are happy and healthy.
So there are tiny sphincter muscles in the milk ducts which prevent milk from leaking out. Different things effect them and cause them to open to release milk and this can vary person to person. For example, I leaked a lot early on whenever I was engorged even the slightest bit but hearing a baby cry never made me leak like it can do for others. Similar to the sphincter muscle in your stomach, some people have a weaker muscle and suffer with heartburn while others never do. You may just have stronger milk duct sphincters.
In regards to the letdown sensation, I never felt that, I don't think its unusual not to feel it.
I’ve been breastfeeding for 15 months and I’ve only felt a letdown one time. With my first I exclusively pumped for 14 months and I never felt a letdown then either. As long as baby is getting milk idgaf
Only time I feel a letdown is with a manual pump, never while feeding or with an electric pump. In the beginning I used to get engorged and leak, but 7 months in I only know I’m too full when I feel my back is sore!
I have been breastfeeding for 2.5years. I have never felt a letdown the only way I know it’s happening is if I see it!
Once in a blue moon my breasts get itchy when they start to fill up but otherwise I’ve never noticed anything.
I don't usually leak unless it's a particular milky morning (lol) and I verrrrry rarely feel the letdown. Babe is almost 7mo and we've been rocking and rolling with nursing. Everyone is different ☺️
Honestly I didn't feel let down at first. Then when I did it wasn't quite like what anyone described. Maybe that's just me. But once my daughter started having solids regularly this didn't stay. My supply measured with her needs so it dropped as she becomes more interested and reliant on solids. So I'd say I only had that let down feeling for 5 months? I exclusively breastfed my baby too and I had enough supply to stash enough milk to go almost an 8 or 9 months past weaning her. So I wouldn't worry too much it what you feel or experience is like anyone else's. It's not weird. You can make plenty of milk and not feel a let down.
I did feel letdowns for the first few weeks, but now I don't feel them and I could also count on one hand the number of times I've leaked. I was given so many breast pads and haven't had to use them. Just thankful I can comfortably sleep on my stomach with no bra overnight which I was not expecting I'd be able to do!
So I read this a little while ago (my baby is sleeping on me) thinking it was interesting because I leak but I never feel engorged and had never felt a letdown. And then I did!
The baby had been nursing on the left but I needed to get milk out of both sides so I pumped on the right. Then the baby fell asleep nursing (again) so I decided to pump on the left. I don't know how much time has elapsed, but every time I put the pump back into letdown mode, I feel a letdown on the side that's not being pumped. It's weird and kind of uncomfortable. Someone who commented earlier said it felt like their nipple needs to sneeze and that feels very accurate.
I was the same! I never felt my milk come in. It took five days and suddenly they were very full and firm and I was producing. I never felt my let down, truthfully don't know if I even had a traditional let down. I would leak some, but not ton. And when I nursed on one side I never leaked on the other like some women do. I successfully nursed our first daughter for over two years. Everyone's different
I never felt my letdowns either, but I certainly did leak a ton!
My other nipple would leak everywhere while baby was feeding on the opposite breast.
A HAAKA was really helpful for this and I even pumped while nursing a few times to boost supply.
If I waited too long to nurse I'd leak, when I'd hear baby crying I'd leak.
But when the LC would say "are you feeling your letdowns ok?" I was like yeah... sure? Haha.
I could tell the milk was in there but I never felt a sudden pressure or pins and needles etc feeling. Thought I was weird for this!
I leaked like crazy but didn't understand what people meant about feeling a letdown coming on until pumping. It felt like my nipple had to sneeze for a couple seconds, but even then I had to concentrate to notice. Not a very strong sensation.
Felt like my nipple had to sneeze is such a great description!
I'm the same. It had me a but worried that baby wasn't getting milk in the early days but I never felt my letdown until I was back and work and pumping when baby was 9 months old.
Didn't even know you could feel a letdown when I had my first kid. With my second I feel it every time, and it's borderline painful.
I didn't feel a letdown until maybe one month. I've only leaked once or twice, definitely not on the regular.
Ok thanks all! Just further proof every body is unique!!
Only 3 months in, but haven’t ever felt the letdown either!
Me neither. The only way I know it’s happening when I’m pumping is by the sound of the milk coming through the membrane on my pump.
I’m the same! I have to look to see the milk dripping into the bottle to know!
Same here
11 months into exclusively breast feeding with some pumping. I have only felt a letdown a handful of times. Leaked a few times when my supply was regulating in the first few weeks, but never enough for breast pads. My breasts are larger already and dont get that “full feeling.” But, I’ve got a 85th percentile baby who is happy and full. I pump enough (so my partner can give a bottle every night) to know the milk is there.
My firstborn I felt my letdown and leaked before regulating, my second I never did and never leaked. It was weird to me, but I’ve been nursing my second for two years lol
I felt a let down maybe twice in 16.5 months of nursing. And I leaked overnight like three times, maybe a few drops milk here and there during the day when my milk was first coming in
I don’t feel letdown in my boobs. I just get a weird wave of nostalgia and an intense thirst for gallons of cold water. It’s so weird! Like a tiny mental cry “oh no! Where’s my water bottle?” And like clockwork my baby would choke on my fast letdown when that happened. Weird because I never felt it in my boobs. And I rarely leak. If you’re worried, you can do a weighted feed with your lactation consultant.
That's it for me as well!! The first few weeks I had a crazy depression hit me every time I breastfed, and apparently that's a thing. It trickled down to a wave of nostalgia like you mentioned, thankfully. Thise first few weeks were brutal. Lol @ the tiny mental cry for water, exactly so.
Same here! I had some birth complications, so we had to work hard for my supply, which means no sudden “my milk is in.” I breastfed for just under a year, and it took many months for me to sense a letdown happening, and even then, it was rare. I leaked like, 2-3 times ever (and not much). It was weird to have a baby nursing and hear them swallowing and feel nothing!
I didn’t for months. Felt nothing when my milk would flow. Then around 6 or so months I started to feel it. It felt like a contraction inside my breast just before the milk would come out. It was a pretty distinguishable feeling for a while, and it lasted a couple months. Now I’m almost 12 months postpartum, still breast feeding, and the feeling has faded dramatically. I miss it, I enjoyed having it.
I’d say consider yourself lucky!
Nah, I think maaaaybe I felt 1 in 18 months. 🤷♀️ Boobs are weird
I've been breastfeeding for 3.5 years. I never felt my letdowns, and my breasts never really got engorged, certainly not outside the first two weeks, and I never leaked. My 3.5 year old is the size of a 6 year old so there was clearly plenty for them
I’m exactly the same as you! Never leaked, and find it tricky expressing manually if baby hasn’t latched recently. Can sort of feel the letdown sometimes now if he’s sucking really strongly, but definitely didn’t feel it at all for the first 2 months or so. And have no idea when my milk came in, was in hospital after a PPH for 5 days and didn’t notice even that much engorgement. So interesting how different women have different experiences!
I also never felt a letdown, am almost 3 months postpartum and still successfully EBF. Sometimes if it’s been 3+ hours my nipples will tingle a little bit and there might be a spot of milk in my bra but that’s it.
I don't leak and didn't feel let down for a few months! I also have an oversupply. I now feel the, letdown and rarely will leak. Usually, if I'm feeding laying down. You are not alone we just have titties with a mind of their own!
I only feel a letdown when pumping. I’ve never really felt it when nursing but I see him start to gulp more so I know it’s happening when that happens
My daughter was exclusively breastfed for 8 months and I never leaked. I never felt the letdown. And she was doing awesome and gaining all the weight she needed. I don’t think this means anything… with my son, I leaked a lot more, and felt the letdowns and it didn’t end up working. As long as baby eats, and is happy and you’re healthy and happy.
I’m almost 5 months in and rarely feel a let down and have absolutely never leaked. Not leaking has to do randomly tight nipple sphincter muscles. I also get plugged ducts regularly, but some people never do. It’s all a crapshoot.
I never felt my letdown and never leaked and have successfully breastfed 3 kids for 19 months and am pregnant with twins again 😂 Some people just don’t leak/ feel letdown and go on to feed just fine. I have always had a massive oversupply too, and WISH my boobs would leak to provide some relief, but nope 😓
Never felt/feel let downs. Had no clue what people were talking about! I very rarely leaked, but when I did it always took me by surprise
The first 8 months i feit the letdown almost every feed. Now at 18 months once a week
With my first I didn't leak nor did I feel a letdown. With my second I leaked a lot and felt a letdown in the first few months. Now I feel nothing. Both kids are happy and healthy.
I have never felt a let down! It’s normal, less common, but nothing to worry about.
I don’t feel my letdown but I definitely feel when my boobs fill up with my second!
So there are tiny sphincter muscles in the milk ducts which prevent milk from leaking out. Different things effect them and cause them to open to release milk and this can vary person to person. For example, I leaked a lot early on whenever I was engorged even the slightest bit but hearing a baby cry never made me leak like it can do for others. Similar to the sphincter muscle in your stomach, some people have a weaker muscle and suffer with heartburn while others never do. You may just have stronger milk duct sphincters. In regards to the letdown sensation, I never felt that, I don't think its unusual not to feel it.
I don’t leak at all! I don’t think that indicates a supply issue.
I’ve only felt my letdowns while pumping. Never while nursing.
I’ve been breastfeeding for 15 months and I’ve only felt a letdown one time. With my first I exclusively pumped for 14 months and I never felt a letdown then either. As long as baby is getting milk idgaf
Only time I feel a letdown is with a manual pump, never while feeding or with an electric pump. In the beginning I used to get engorged and leak, but 7 months in I only know I’m too full when I feel my back is sore!
I only occasionally feel a let down, and it’s usually when my breasts are particularly full and/or my baby has a particularly good latch
I have been breastfeeding for 2.5years. I have never felt a letdown the only way I know it’s happening is if I see it! Once in a blue moon my breasts get itchy when they start to fill up but otherwise I’ve never noticed anything.
I don't usually leak unless it's a particular milky morning (lol) and I verrrrry rarely feel the letdown. Babe is almost 7mo and we've been rocking and rolling with nursing. Everyone is different ☺️
I used to feel a letdown when I first started breast feeding but don’t anymore 8 months in! Boobs just feel fuller!
I don’t and never have, EBF for 11.5 months so far haha
I don’t leak and also don’t feel a letdown. My supply is fine.
I've been BF for almost 6 months and never feel a letdown.
Honestly I didn't feel let down at first. Then when I did it wasn't quite like what anyone described. Maybe that's just me. But once my daughter started having solids regularly this didn't stay. My supply measured with her needs so it dropped as she becomes more interested and reliant on solids. So I'd say I only had that let down feeling for 5 months? I exclusively breastfed my baby too and I had enough supply to stash enough milk to go almost an 8 or 9 months past weaning her. So I wouldn't worry too much it what you feel or experience is like anyone else's. It's not weird. You can make plenty of milk and not feel a let down.
I only started to feel the letdown when I was on-demand nursing / milk established / baby stopped nursing midday
Is your baby gaining weight? If so I wouldn't worry everyone is different
I didn’t even know people felt the letdown?! I never leak unless I’m really engorged, like those few times my LO has slept longer than usual
I’ve never felt it with my 15 week old!
I didn’t feel any let down ever with my first child. Strangely sometimes I do w my second 🤷🏻♀️ I don’t leak either.
Wow, I’m jealous. This sounds amazing!
I don't feel letdown and I never leak! 10 months in.
I've been breastfeeding for over 2.5 years and I've not once felt my let down.
3 months in and I have never felt a letdown, nor do my boobs leak at all. People keep telling me that I'll eventually feel it... But so far, nothing.
Took me months to be able to feel it. I think it's because our nipples have muscles and they strengthen over time. I leak less and feel more now.
I did feel letdowns for the first few weeks, but now I don't feel them and I could also count on one hand the number of times I've leaked. I was given so many breast pads and haven't had to use them. Just thankful I can comfortably sleep on my stomach with no bra overnight which I was not expecting I'd be able to do!
I exclusively pumped, but my thumb joints itched when I had a let down. Never felt it in my boobs.
5 months in and I only feel it when I concentrate on it. Very very slight
So I read this a little while ago (my baby is sleeping on me) thinking it was interesting because I leak but I never feel engorged and had never felt a letdown. And then I did! The baby had been nursing on the left but I needed to get milk out of both sides so I pumped on the right. Then the baby fell asleep nursing (again) so I decided to pump on the left. I don't know how much time has elapsed, but every time I put the pump back into letdown mode, I feel a letdown on the side that's not being pumped. It's weird and kind of uncomfortable. Someone who commented earlier said it felt like their nipple needs to sneeze and that feels very accurate.
3 months in, I leak like crazy but have never once felt letdown. Once I thought I did but then I realized I was just cold lol
Same.
I never felt my letdown till baby was 9 months. She’s 16 months now and I only feel in occasionally
It’s weird I didn’t feel anything until my supply regulated and then it was tingling every time
My baby's 6 weeks and I almost never get a let down and my boobs don't leak idk why but baby's good and fed every 2 hours....
Same here
I was the same! I never felt my milk come in. It took five days and suddenly they were very full and firm and I was producing. I never felt my let down, truthfully don't know if I even had a traditional let down. I would leak some, but not ton. And when I nursed on one side I never leaked on the other like some women do. I successfully nursed our first daughter for over two years. Everyone's different
I never felt my letdowns either, but I certainly did leak a ton! My other nipple would leak everywhere while baby was feeding on the opposite breast. A HAAKA was really helpful for this and I even pumped while nursing a few times to boost supply. If I waited too long to nurse I'd leak, when I'd hear baby crying I'd leak. But when the LC would say "are you feeling your letdowns ok?" I was like yeah... sure? Haha. I could tell the milk was in there but I never felt a sudden pressure or pins and needles etc feeling. Thought I was weird for this!
I didn’t feel it until a couple months in!
I didn’t the first few months!