Oversupply

[kumber]

This will sound silly in light of so many mummies struggling with supply but with LO, I really struggled with oversupply. By the time I found out about what the problem was, bfing was already failing and it was too late to remedy, so I was forced to switch to ffing which I personally wasn't happy with. I'm desperate to successfully bf this time around, so have been reading and rereading KellyMom to get it all in my head but would really appreciate some positive stories from bfing mummies who have had oversupply and successfully breastfed.

 

[TTT]

Is oversupply the same as a foremilk hindmilk imbalance? If so, I suffered with that.

I knew I was going to be induced if the baby didn't come by a presentation scan date so I tried all the tricks in the book to kick start labour, one of which was pumping to stimulate my nipples. I was induced but I had a strongmilk supply straight away and iI think it was from pumping.

Around 8-10 weeks, lo started to go longer between feeds but I didn't realise it was happening and kept trying to feed him and latching him on, stimulating my milk supply in the process. I became constantly engorged which was frustratingy baby who was already upsetfrom being force fed lol.

my husband told me to leave him be until he was clearly hungry so I did. His cues had changed so I paid attention to those and if Idid offer him,iI ddidn't pull my top down until he opened hus mouth. If he looked away id leave it and offer again later, this stopped over stimulating my supply.

I also block fed. One breast per feeds during a four hour period, expressing engorged breasts before a feed, just til theywweren't too hard. I alsoonly feed from one breast per feed, even after natural breaks and burping. I don't have any supply problems.now

 

[kumber]

Possibly? I'm not sure. My problem was that I had too much milk so he was gettig too much of it and not enough of the hindmilk, which I still had loads of but he wouldn't feed enough to get through the foremilk.

I have read that block feeding and expressing a small amount off to assist latch is really beneficial so I'll be trying that. How much or for how log did you express for pre-feed?

 

[TTT]

Yes they're the same thing then as that was the problem I had.

I only expressed until it stopped squirting out which was about a minute by hand. The foremilk is important for brain development so you don't want to get rid of too much. In time they will balance out themselves, too much expressing will continue to stimulate milk production.

 

[TTT]

Have you already had your second baby? Or are you just preparing?

I only ask cos I didn't start out with an oversupply, I sort of caused it myself. Sounds daft but I didn't realise babies start to go longer between feeds as they got older so when my lo started to want to go 3 hours instead of two I was getting anxious and trying to get him to feed when he wasn't hungry, which stimulated mybreasts to make more milk. My husband gingerly coaxed me to let him go longer lol.

 

[kumber]

Just preparing atm. I'm hopeful that it won't be as bad with this one - I was leaking very heavily from 14 weeks in previous pg and felt engorged very early on, didn't express or anything but I was so full right from the very beginning. I've had very minor leakage thus far in this pg, so I'm trying to stay optimistic that it won't be as bad this time.

I just want to feel confident in what to do if I do have the same problem again iykwim? I will need to get a new hand pump I think, just to pump off the excess pre-feed as you suggested. I'm planning on getting a Madela Swing to express feeds for hubby and my mom to feed, but I'm thinking I need to regulate my supply first, if indeed I do experience this again?

 

[TTT]

I combi fed with formula fir that reason, and so lo was able to take a bottle just in case anything happened to me, but Vegas a cowsmilk allergy. OOther than expressing engorged breasts that are leaking istrughle to express much so lo doesn'thave bottles anymore. I dud find tthat after a bottle hus latch went downhill too so just something else you might want to remember ifthat hhappens.

Don't overload yourself too much with info. I'm sure you'll be fine. good luck with the birth and bf too

 

[kumber]

Thanks chuck, I appreciate all your help

 

[TTT]

You're welcome. Just looked back over my posts and I'm surprised you've managed to read them! Ive just switched from windows phone to Android and cant type anything on this phone, so apologies!

 

[kumber]

Ha ha, I am a terrible typer myself - my tablet is too slow to pick up my typing speed so I end up spending 10 minutes editing what I've written before I can even click post!