Hyperlactation while EP

[Cewsbaby]

DS#2 is 3 months and my supply is not evening out at all. My morning pump will get me between 32-36 ounces and every 4 hours I pump 14-20 ounces. How can I get this to drop without hurting myself or my supply. I have over 800 bags frozen now. I’m running out of room and sanity.

 

[jessmke]

It just takes time. With my DD my supply evened out around 4 months, with my DS it wasn't until about 9 months, I still wear nursing pads most days although I probably don't need them as much anymore. My supply is just never ending this time around. Sorry I can't give any advice with regards to lowering supply while pumping as I only pump occasionally to relieve pressure and have a bit of a freezer stash.

 

[Cewsbaby]

It just takes time. With my DD my supply evened out around 4 months, with my DS it wasn't until about 9 months, I still wear nursing pads most days although I probably don't need them as much anymore. My supply is just never ending this time around. Sorry I can't give any advice with regards to lowering supply while pumping as I only pump occasionally to relieve pressure and have a bit of a freezer stash.

Thanks, I tried to breastfeed both of my boys but it just didn't work out. With DS#1 I had the opposite problem where I just didn't make enough milk so I did everything I could in the beginning to establish a good supply but this is just beyond that. I stopped everything else to try and even it out but nothing is working. I have already moved to every 4 hours and my next step is to go every 5 hours and see if that helps. I just pump so much every session that I am running out of rooms to store milk. I have already filled up a 7 QF chest freezer and almost filled my standup freezer. Its just getting crazy. I get my sons whole day of milk in my first pump.

 

[jessmke]

Have you tried pumping just one side at each pumping session? If you were feeding directly from the breast and had a really big supply there's a good chance your baby would only take one breast per feed. My kids rarely took both breasts in one feed. So if you pump just one breast at each pumping session it might more closely mimic the baby's natural feeding and your supply would reduce a bit. You'd have to be careful about engorgement for a while and could maybe pump a tiny bit off the other breast just for comfort's sake until your supply adjusts. Just a suggestion, like I said I don't have much experience with pumping so hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in!

There's also the option of donating your milk if you have too much for your freezer!

 

[noon_child]

Tight fitting bras (no wires or places that dig in but pressure all over like in a sports bra) can mimic excessive engorgement by creating pressure internally. This signals to the breast that they are making too much milk without you having to actually become as engorged. I feel that removing less milk more frequently will protect you more from mastitis than waiting longer between pumping. So if, for example, you usually pump for 20mins every 4hrs, I'd try 15mins every 4hrs rather than 20mins every 5 hrs.

 

[willowblossom]

I know it's not solving the problem but have you thought about donating your milk? I also had a huge supply so i contacted my nearest neonatal unit and became a milk donor. It might help with the freezer situation also my little man is nearly 5 months and my supply has just started to regulate finally x