On our way home, I read the handout on overactive let-down, which was the first time I learned about it. I was fascinated by the idea of having an overactive milk let-down where the flow of the milk becomes overwhelming for a baby. This must be my problem. And what a problem is was—not bad at all. Producing plentiful amounts of milk and managing the let-down was doable. Now, the important step was to control the let-down so Jonathan would not become overwhelmed and quickly full with the low-fat fore milk.
The idea was to reduce the amount of low-fat fore milk Jonathan consumed and increase the high-fat hind milk that would help him gain weight. Then I wouldn’t have to give him formula. I had three days to help him gain weight. I remember being on a mission to release the let-down manually or with a breast pump.
Before I breastfed Jonathan, I hand expressed the let-down. Oh my goodness, Grace! At first, I squirted! Then the nipple became a leaky faucet; it would not stop. In about one minute I would release one ounce of fore milk. I was amazed and remember just smiling, thanking God for the abundance of milk production. What a gift God had given me! Adam was so surprised too. I couldn’t bare dump the fore milk so I kept it and combined it with the milk I pumped from the other breast. One breast was all Jonathan needed at one sitting.
Ready to drink the hind milk, Jonathan was pleased to enjoy his meal. The routine continued for three days, each time I fed, which was on demand. Jonathan did not linger of the breast; he was a quick eater. He stayed on for about seven minutes, which at the time, I was a little worried. I still wasn’t sure if this would be enough time on the breast to help him gain the weight he needed. But for these next three days, I just prayed that what I had learned would do its magic.
Guiding Lesson: Eve, every time I remember what your body was capable of doing, I am speechless? You had the ability to nourish another little soul…God’s little creation. Did you ever think you had so much abundance within you and that you would be so instrumental in creating with God? What did that feel like?
I was so overwhelmed by the over-abundance, the tremendous overflow within you. Take time to remember what was happening in your body. It was and still is a reflection of God’s abundant love for you. There is so much that God wants to give you. All you have to do is willingly choose God with an open body, mind and heart the way your son approached your breast with an openness to receive. He didn’t question whether there was enough. He trusted that it was and that he would receive more when he needed it.
Jonathan didn’t worry that it would run out. He just knew it would be there because he felt your love in the process.
You were not just a feeding machine. You were a loving mother who cared deeply for her child as you fed him. You were not only giving him milk, you were giving him your heart, your attention, your touch and your entire self so he could thrive, just as God did and continues to do for you today.
So I want to encourage you to remember this event and think of what it must have been like for Jonathan. As you do, continue to learn to be vulnerable. Trust with all your heart. Be open to receive. God’s abundance will not run dry and neither did your milk. His abundance will sustain your everyday life just like your abundance of milk sustained Jonathan. It will nourish you and provide you strength as you continue to expand your mind and heart to receive more.
Okay Eve, I think it’s time to set up time to allow God to feed you so you have the strength for your journey?
MissGuidedMom 