Dealing with oversupply

[TheGirlAtTheRockShow]

I know many will see this as a non issue as so many women deal with not having enough, but it is really getting me down.
DD is nearly 5 months old, so I thought supply would have settled by now, but it hasn't. Every time I think it's settling DD goes on a feeding frenzy and builds supply up. I've tried block feeding - didnt work. We use nipple shields and can't wean off as DD can't cope with the let down.
I'm seriously considering only feeding from left,bad right is the bigger problem. Just this morning she choked and vomited after feeding from right, so switched to left and she fed fine and fell asleep.
I wake up every morning engorged, despite regular night feeds. DD feeds every 3 hours during the day, and 4-5 hours at night.
Just a vent really, I doubt there's anything I can do to reduce supply.

[PotteringAlong]

Dried sage will help reduce supply! Or peppermint I think.

kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/herbs/herbs-oversupply/

[CaramellaDeVille]

I had this really badly with my first baby, less badly with second. I always fed from 'good' side first and let my other Breast 'let down' into a muslin or container to release some of the milk before baby fed from it. I found expressing in any form just made it worse as I was stimulating supply.
It settled down after 6 months with DS and 3 months with DD. I hope yours does the same, I know it's very frustrating.

[LadySybilLikesCake]

Could you donate your extra to a milk bank? They use the milk for the prems.

[JollyCrumbs]

Expressing the extra milk would cause the oversupply to continue. Do you have much leaking from the other side when you're feeding?

Will just have a look for the kellymom link.

[JollyCrumbs]

kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

They're are two different issues really - forceful let down and oversupply. Forceful let down can be worked around. Nipple shields, expressing past the let down and unlatching baby at let down until the flow slows are all strategies you can use.

How did you try block feeding? Front from only one side per feed does help, but perhaps the only strategy that always works is waiting until baby is bigger. Things do even out as baby grows.

I'd be tempted to consider trying to reduce the use of the nipple shields. But I have no evidence for thinking this might work. DS was a pretty inefficient feeder and had to work hard to drink enough milk. This poor technique contributed to my oversupply I think.

[TheGirlAtTheRockShow]

Thanks for responses.
pottering - I will try those herbs!

caramella - DD only feeds from one side per feed, so there is no first per feed!

Lady - I am going to look into donating milk as I have a freezer drawer full of it! A lot from when I was expressing while she was in NICU.

Jolly - I always leak I use nipple shields any way, had to as she was so small at birth she couldn't latch without them. Now she just wont latch without them (she can, as she has done - twice). She only feeds one side per feed. I have tried feeding only one side all day and expressing from the other only once or twice. Then feeding the other side the next day. Tried for a few days and didn't help - as soon as we went back to feeding normally the oversupply was back!
She tends to unlatch herself at let down, I wait till flow slows then latch her back on.
I've been trying to reduce use of nipple shields since her due date (nearly 4 months ago) but as I said - she has only fed twice without them. She just wont latch on if it's not there. I've tried starting feed without it, removing it mid feed. Nothing works. The last time she did latch on without it she choked and milk sprayed everywhere (despite me trying to hand express first, to stimulate the let down then latch her on.) I keep trying in the hope one day she will get it!

[AdorableAbbie]

better pump your extra milk and put on the fridge.

[JollyCrumbs]

We ditched the shields eventually by doing loads of skin to skin. DS in just a nappy, me topless (and leaking everywhere). I pretty much let him crawl up and latch himself on. Easier to try when she's not too hungry as then you will both be more calm.

[TheGirlAtTheRockShow]

adorable I have a freezer drawer full of expressed milk!

jolly Ive spent whole days topless in bed with her in a nappy. She won't latch on without the shield. She'll also only feed in cradle hold. I've tried every other position and she ends up screaming. I've tried feeding laying down - nope. Tried semi reclined - nope. Rugby ball hold - nope. Tummy to tummy - nope.
I just have one awkward, stuck in her ways, baby!

[stargirl1701]

Oh, OP. I am at 13 weeks hoping things will get better Oversupply and forceful letdown.

I spoke to the Infant Feeding Specialist at the regional, teaching hospital. She advised waiting until 17 weeks and then, if it hadn't resolved, considering a medication intervention. The combined contraceptive pill for 4-7 days, sudafed or sage tea.

[stargirl1701]

Just read this

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=408365275981191&id=138141916336863