How do I escape this breastfeeding catch 22 ?

[leoeps1982]

Hi,

I was hoping to get some advice about a breastfeeding catch 22 problem.

My LO is 5 weeks old now and I cant seem to establish a breastfeeding balance. We had a great breastfeeding start, LO latched on like a pro, and made my milk come in fast. After a few days, he started to spit up a lot, my let down was quite strong, so I started doing one breast per feeding. Although there was never well defined "feedings". Sometimes he fed, took 3 hour nap, fed again and sometimes he asked for food every hour. I basically fed on demand, still using one breast at a time.

Since I was afraid of plugged ducts and mastitis, after he finished with a breast, I pumped it a little to get rid of residual hard areas. Perhaps this was a mistake. We got his spit up under control with proper burping.

At 3 weeks, he started sleeping through the night! 7 hours straight! I was so happy I could get so many consecutive sleep hours. Our ped said we dont have to wake him up to feed anymore. I was still feeding one breast at a time.

At 4 weeks, I got mastitis in one breast, my temp shot up real high real fast, my doc prescribed antibiotics, after much debate, I decided to take the full course. It seems I got it because I was using one breast per feeding and begun to sleep through the night. I woke up in the morning, and one of my breasts was always super full and ready to "pop".

My mastitis symptoms went away after two days, after constant massaging/warm compresses, antibiotics. I have one more day of antibiotics left. I fed LO through it, but I used earlier frozen milk, when my antibiotics levels were highest, to decrease his exposure. When I did that I pumped out the same amount as he drank.

During this week, after the mastitis, I started using two breasts per feeding and getting up once in the middle of the night to pump. I also pump after feeding if I feel I still have hardness in the breasts. All this led to overproducing, I produce an extra 8-10oz a day.

I just feel like I'm in this loop, I am scared of plugged ducts/mastitis so I pump and massage out the hardness, wake up at night to pump, cause my supply is muuuch higher at night/morning, and if I dont do that I wake up with really engorged breasts. Which leads to me producing even more milk. Most advice online about oversupply is to start using one breast per feeding, but thats what got me into this mess.I feel better using two breasts per feeding, I find my breasts are less painful and I leak a lot less. But how do I decrease my supply a little without risking mastitis again? Any suggestions? Sorry for the long rambling post.

Thanks

 

[Dk1234]

Well, your lo will gradually start requiring more milk so I would slowly decrease the pumpings. Your supply regulates itself rather quickly based on your needs but you're telling it you need more. I wouldn't pump after feeds. Massage your breasts while they eat and encourage them to take a full feeding at each sitting. Don't let them "snack" as much. That got my breasts under control. I pump once a day at the same time and I pump 5-6 ounces but my body knows to make it at that time and not all throughout the day. I had way too much milk but in less than a week my supply has gotten pretty regulated.

 

[Fortune Cooki]

That's the best time to start your freezer stash! My boobs would start leaking in the early morning when LO began sleeping through the night after 6 weeks and I'd have to pump extra, because they were so sore. Just keep putting cold compresses/ice pack on them if they hurt.

 

[Here_we_go]

I would often just pump from the less favored side and store that in the freezer for those just-in-case moments. My daughter's fav side is the right. So first thing in the morning, I would pump/drain my left side only and freeze it. When my daughter woke up, I would let her eat only from my right side and let her drain it.

Eventually my breasts adjusted to this schedule and I developed a nice stash for my deep freezer Since I had brain surgery last month, it has come in quite handy

 

[leoeps1982]

Thanks for the advice! I've mostly stopped pumping after feedings, and get up at night to pump an extra 5oz, and freeze it. I hope I can keep this regime up.