Written by Editorial Team
Block feeding or choke feeding is a technique for reducing the amount of milk your body produces. It means feeding your infant exclusively from one breast for the duration of a meal rather than switching sides halfway through and continuing to use that breast for all future feedings during the next six hours before moving to the other side.
The concept of block feeding may actually sound counter-productive since the mother is attempting to reduce the milk production from her breasts, but this technique is a blessing for mothers who have an overproduction of milk and suffering from issues such as breast heaviness and engorgement.
In This Article
Block feeding is a feeding technique that can be a blessing for mothers with milk oversupply issues. The principle behind this technique is simple. We, as mothers. are used to switching breasts when feeding our babies. This switching ensures that the breasts fill up with milk for the next feed. With block feeding though, you will feed your baby from only one breast for at least 6 consecutive feeding sessions and only then switch your baby to the other breast. You will again repeat the process of feeding from that breast for at least 6 consecutive feeding sessions before switching back to the first breast.
Yes, block feeding can be of great help for mothers who are struggling with milk oversupply. It all has to do with how the breasts produce milk. As the baby sucks milk, the glands in the breast get stimulated resulting in milk production. With the block feeding technique, you are essentially blocking a breast from producing milk by not allowing your baby to suck on it for a few hours. As you continue following this method, your breasts get stimulated lesser and produce lesser milk than they were producing before.
Feed and need determine how much breast milk is produced. If you consistently stimulate and empty your breasts, they will produce more milk. Your breast stops producing as much milk when it is already present in breast, and it is not effort to prepare. Block feeding keeps milk in your breasts for longer, making your body feel less of a need to continue producing at such a huge rate and less gulping sounds from baby shows that it is working properly.
Mothers who are over producing milk and as a result experiencing breast heaviness and pain or more serious issues such as blocked ducts or mastitis can consider block feeding.
It is important to remember that mothers who have newly given birth should not attempt to block feed. Many mothers may overproduce milk in the initial days after birth and the baby may not be able to drink all the milk produced. This will adjust slowly as the baby grows, within the first 4 to 6 weeks after birth.
Block feeding is generally done temporarily to reduce milk production to a reasonable level. It is typically not suggested to restrict feeding for more than one week. Discuss with your doctor, midwife, or lactation consultant to determine how long you should block feeding.
Here is how block feeding works.
[Read : Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex in Breastfeeding Moms]
Block feeding has advantages for the mother and the baby as well.
For the mother
For the Baby
Choke feeding may be a quick fix for oversupply problems, but milk is left in the breast. This can again lead to problems such as
To counter this, mothers who are option for block feeding can take the following precautions
There are various points you can do to prevent these problems:
[Read : Plugged Ducts And Breastfeeding]
Here are 5 tips to follow which will make block feeding easier for you.
The letdown reflex is the mechanism responsible for your body producing milk. Although it’s not necessarily an indicator of oversupply, a brief failure might be. A deep latch might assist your infant in controlling a rapid flow. It may also be beneficial to feed the infant while seated comfortably so that her head is higher than your breast.
Never restrict how much milk your infant consumes at a feeding. Babies are masters at letting us know what they need, and if they are feeding until they are completely content, it means your milk is providing all of its health advantages.
Over-pumping or pumping too frequently or too long can encourage your body to produce more milk. Since hand expression generates less milk than machine expression, it could be a practical option.
[Read : Expressing Breast Milk By Hand]
There is evidence that some herbs decrease milk production. You may consume or make tea with sage and parsley. You can rub peppermint and jasmine right onto the breast. To ensure your and your infant’s safety, research each herb before using it.
Speak with your healthcare professional before using medication to lower your milk supply. Some decongestants may cause less milk to be produced. Many birth control tablets contain estrogen, which aids in reducing milk production. Anti-prolactin hormone, which produces milk, is significantly slowed down by anti-prolactin medications.
Until your milk production is more controlled, keep in mind that choke feeding is only a temporary solution. To maintain the proper volume of milk for your developing infant, once your supply starts to decline, you can resume feeding as usual.
Block feeding might be a helpful strategy for managing your milk production, but if you do it, it’s critical to watch out for any issues. Using this method, make sure your child doesn’t look unduly hungry.
Block feeding is a method that helps reduce milk supply in just a few days and is usually only used temporarily to bring milk supply down to manageable levels. We generally do not recommend blocking her feed for more than a week. Consult your doctor, midwife, or lactation specialist before proceeding.
While block feeding is one way to help reduce milk stock in just a few days. Various factors can lead to low milk supply while breastfeeding, including:
The easiest technique to treat breast engorgement is to nurse more frequently and pay attention to your baby’s early hunger cues along with block feeding.
Read Also: Breastfeeding From One Breast Only – Advantages And Disadvantages
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