Reducing milk?!? REALLY NEED HELP!

[Cewsbaby]

So long story short I have hyper lactation and at 3 1/2 months I already have over 1,400 bags of milk frozen (each bag a minimum of 7 ounces with a few hundred 8+) and have no more room to store any milk. Its already 9+ months of milk frozen so I have more than reached my goal of EFBM for a year.

Now, I need it to stop. Im already down to pumping every 5 hours and just got 23 1/2 ounces. At 4 hours I was getting an average of 19 ounces. Any suggestions? I want to be done pumping by the end of June. I would keep going but I already purchased a second deep freezer just for milk and both that and my standup freezer are full up. I seriously have no more room! I have 200 more bags which at this rate will be filled up in about 3-4 weeks and after that I am done freezing.

 

[IchigoMewMew]

How long are you pumping for? at what point are you stopping?

 

[Teri7489]

Are you pumping until both breasts are empty? I'm sure you already know this but it will only encourage your body to make that amount of milk again as it's telling your body baby needs that amount. When I stopped pumping I went from doing it 6 times a day for half an hour to just 20 minutes then 15 then cut the amount of times I pumped. This happened over a number of weeks so avoid getting pugged ducts and with the amount you produce I'd advise doing the same.

 

[crownest]

Agree with previous poster pump until you are nearly empty and slowly decrease the time and amount. Have you though of milk donation

 

[Cewsbaby]

I have been trying to pump to the half way point. Im suffering from serious engorgement due to this. I think I am going to have to call my doctor and ask him what I can do. I ended up getting 32 ounces in 20 minutes and they still weren't done yesterday after doing a half pump for the past few days. They were starting to get warm to the touch so I was actually worried about getting an infection and I leaked so badly that night that my bed was soaked.

 

[jessmke]

I've never personally had to make an effort at drying up my milk once finished breastfeeding, but I've heard that cabbage leaves in a tight fitting bra and taking Sudafed helps to dry up milk supply. Not sure exactly how it works, but it might be worth looking into or talking to your doctor about.

 

[doggylover]

Others have given good advice, but just to add you should check the guidelines for freezing milk where you are. Here, we are advised milk is only to be frozen for 6 months, then it's not to be used. Would hate for the same to be true with you and you end up with milk you can't use

 

[doggylover]

Oh also, you could ask your doctor for tablets to dry your milk up. A friend took them after her baby was sadly stillborn.

 

[Cewsbaby]

Thanks. Our guidelines are for deep freezers is 12 months and a fridge/freezer combo is 6 months.

I will have to look into the pills. I just have such a huge oversupply that nothing is working. I have heard to try sudafed so that might be a good one to try.

 

[noon_child]

A tight fitting bra mimics engorgement (internal pressure on the breast cells tells them to slow down milk production) and savoy cabbage leaves apparently have something in that does the same. Just don't wear a bra with a wire or that pinches or digs in as you could create a blockage. Could you had express to stimulate letdown but then just let the letdown drain off rather than pump or express. The less stimulated your breasts are the less oxytocin there will be (oxytocin signals to prolactin to start making milk). It will be a slow process if you want to avoid blockages or mastitis though. Or maybe try everyday pumping 5mins later than usual and for 2 minutes less. In 5 days time you'd have 25minutes more between sessions and your sessions would be 10minutes shorter.

 

[Cewsbaby]

I think I may need to see a doctor. I am taking sage, drinking peppermint tea (5 cups a day at minimum) and taking sudafed (120 mg) 2x a day and nothing has changed. I have only pumped to take off the pressure for the past 3 days but just pumped to empty because I was in so much pain and still getting 25+ ounces...