Overcoming an oversupply.

[Kätzchen]

My second daughter is now 21 days old and ebf. I have always had oversupply issues. It seems like I can't go over an hour without nursing without being painfully engorged. I try to pump until I feel relieved, which is usually only two minutes, but 5-8oz off of one breast. I block feed for every third or fourth feeding. Even after pumping the 5-8oz off of the one breast, I letdown as easy as shifting my body too suddenly and spray across a room. I hate chocking my sweet little girl. I'm trying so hard to wean from the pump, but the pain from engorgement is making it extremely difficult. Not to mention leaking through every breastpad, bra, and shirt is pretty embarrassing. However, my older daughter loved all of the excess milk. Ah what else can I try?



Welcome baby Edeltraud! 27-7-2011

[MotherMoonPads]

IMO you're going to have to wean yourself off of pumping so much. Pumping will only increase your supply. Block feeding will help your oversupply too.

I dealt with an oversupply (still do) and it's so hard.

[CntryMama]

I should not say this but I am happy to read your posting, I can relate to someone I do not have any advice since we are pretty much in the same boat. People tell me not to pump but if I don't I could get mastitis, doesn't really make sense to me I pump first thing in the morning before I feed dd, and get about the same amount of milk as you in less the 5 minutes I also have to pump at night before I go to bed because there are huge lumps in them! It's great to have milk but what a pain sometimes

[rachelkristen]

Just subbing for support...oversupply here too. What a mixed blessing...

[Kätzchen]

Well, at least I know I'm not alone!

Welcome baby Edeltraud! 27-7-2011

[joy7s]

i have oversupply and overactive letdown. It is so hard! I agree with Mother moon pads.. you have to slowly wean yourself off of pumping. it is making it worse for you.

I used to choke dd#2 all of the time. She screamed for like 7 weeks. She wasn't getting hindmilk b/c I couldn't get her to latch after letdown.. for my last 2 I was tandeming so the other lo would take the excess happily

it does get better. I still letdown and ruin a shirt.

[MamaLump]

I wouldn't try this unless under the guidance if a LC, but I've heard a LC tell someone with severe oversupply to take one sudafed. It is something you could talk to an LC about anyway. I do know she (this LC) doesn't like to mess with mother nature in the first three months though, so it may still be early for you.

[bamababies]

Have you tried other nursing positions? This seems to work for some. Check out http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

I dealt with over active letdown and oversupply when I first started BFing. This due to DD being born a little early and having to pump early on. I tend to agree with the weaning off pumping. It will hurt for a day or so, but it will get better and baby will adjust to your flow too. It took my DD about 3 or 4 months to fully adjust to my let down volume and speed. Even now she is 8 months and if I pump too much she will get choked.

Another thing that helped me was to just let her nurse on one side at a time. We still do that.

[Payten&EmmersynsMommy]

I had this problem just weeks ago. My dd is 10wks tomorrow, and ebf. I still have a fast let down but its not as much as I had in the first few weeks. I only pump in the morning after my dd finishes (she sleeps 6-8) hours at night. I also used the same breast for 3-4 feedings (starting on that side) and if I feel engorged I hand expressed. Good,luck mama and congrats

[Qylie]

I had huge over supply issues also. I called the local lactation consultant and she gave me a list of foods I could eat to help reduce my supply. I can't remember what they were I think peppermint might have been 1 of them. I did the block feeding thing and she told me to NEVER pump to relieve the pain instead to express. I would take a warm shower and then express as little as possible like 1oz. The more you take out the more that will come back.
I am fighting with this same issue in the mornings. My son goes to sleep at 8pm and gets up at 6:30am. He is 4m old. I can't make it that long so at 3 or 4am I pump. But I have been waiting longer and longer and longer to try and get to 6am to pump. I just express a little so they stop leaking or wear a pad. I sit in bed and read a book because I can't sleep through the pain.