Fast flow

Sometimes milk flow can be a little fast for a newborn baby. They might pull off at the start of a feed, and cough or splutter.

If your breast lets down when your baby isn’t attached, your milk may spray out forcefully.

This is called a fast let-down or fast flow. You may have this along with an oversupply of milk or leaking breasts. However, many mums have a fast let-down but with a normal milk supply.

If you’ve just got a fast flow:

Your baby is usually happy to feed from both breasts each feed without being too ‘full’ (in the very early days, baby may only take one breast).
Your baby’s weight gains and numbers of wet and dirty nappies are normal.
Your baby may gulp or pull off at the start of a feed but settles as the feed goes on.

Over time, your let-down reflex will probably settle down and as your baby grows, they will be able to suck through your fast flow.

Managing the fast flow

There are a few ways that can make it easier for your baby to feed.

Wait until the flow settles:

Express a little at the beginning of a feed to trigger your let-down and allow the fast flow to ease, before putting baby on to feed.
Attach your baby and start to feed. As soon as you notice your let-down reflex, remove your baby and let the first gush of milk go into a cloth nappy or a cup. Then put baby back on.