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
- What is Block Feeding?
- Can Block Feeding Help With Oversupply Issues And How?
- How Do You Know if Block Feeding is Working?
- When Should Mothers Consider Block Feeding?
- How Does Block Feeding Work?
- Advantages of Block Feeding
- Are There Any Side Effects of Block Feeding?
- Top 5 Tips to Help Breastfeeding Moms With Block Feeding
- FAQ’s
What is Block Feeding?
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.
Can Block Feeding Help With Oversupply Issues And How?
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.
How Do You Know if Block Feeding is Working?
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.
When Should Mothers Consider Block Feeding?
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.
How Does Block Feeding Work?
Here is how block feeding works.
- To start, choose which feeding will mark the start of your block feeding program.
- Pump your breasts for a few seconds on each one an hour earlier. This will assist you to succeed by just sufficiently softening the breast and easing the milk ejection response.
- Offer just one breast when the baby first becomes hungry and begins to feed. Allow your infant to continue nursing for up to their desire. The baby should only be placed on that side for the following three to six hours.
- It would be best if you exclusively feed your baby on that side throughout the whole feeding period. During this stage, your infant should continue to be fed on demand anytime they show signs of hunger. Repeat the technique on the opposite side, and then provide the other breast for the next block.
- When the block period of 6 hours is up, attempt to pump enough to ease pressure if the underused breast starts to feel uncomfortable. Voiding the breast can cause to create more milk, so try to avoid doing so if at all feasible.
- If you wish to lessen discomfort, apply a cold compress to that breast for only 30 minutes at one time, and wait minimum an hour between applications.
- Most mothers should begin with a three-hour block plan. If you’re a breastfeeding mom with a lot of surplus milk, maybe you require longer blocks of 8 to 10 hours— before swapping sides.
- You may most likely feel uneasy while your body adapts to the block feed pattern. If you opt to pump completely, again start the choke feeding routine.
[Read : Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex in Breastfeeding Moms]
Advantages of Block Feeding
Block feeding has advantages for the mother and the baby as well.
For the mother
- It goes without saying that block feeding can be of help for mothers suffering from the issues occurring due to the overproduction of milk such as breast engorgement.
- No breast engorgement means that the baby is also able to latch on well and drink easily without causing pain or discomfort to the mother.
For the Baby
- Babies can access more of the excess protein, high fat milk in the end of a nursing session via choke feeding.
- It is simpler for little babies to correctly latch on to less swollen breasts.
Are There Any Side Effects of Block Feeding?
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
- Clogged ducts
- Mastitis
- Other infections
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:
- Keeping your breasts clean will help reduce the possibility of any bacterial infections.
- Take precautions to guarantee a solid latch.
- Massage or rub your breasts while you’re breastfeeding to ensure that your breasts drain completely.
- Change your feeding position frequently to assure that your breasts are completely drained.
- To get relieve into block feed by gradually increasing the amount of time you nourish only from one breast.
[Read : Plugged Ducts And Breastfeeding]
Top 5 Tips to Help Breastfeeding Moms With Block Feeding
Here are 5 tips to follow which will make block feeding easier for you.
1. Organize a Quick Letdown
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.
2. Feed as Necessary
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.
3. Hand-Express
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.
4. Herbs
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.
5. Medication
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.
FAQ’s
1. How Many Days Should I Block Feed?
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.
2. Can Block Feeding Reduce Supply Too Much?
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:
- Waiting too long to breastfeed or breastfeeding frequently.
- Supplemental breastfeeding, ineffective latches, and use of certain medications.
- Previous breast surgery may affect the milk.
3. Does Block Feeding Help With Engorgement?
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
