Oversupply and expressing issues

[megonthemoon]

DD is 18 wks ebf. I have recently started to be able to go out a little bit as she has got into a more settled routine of feeds. However expressing is proving difficult and I'm looking for some advice.

I have a great supply - in fact always feel I probably have too much (still leak a lot) and have fast let down so DD sometime gets upset at the speed/force e.g. first thing in the morning after a big sleep.

She is now in a more settled pattern of feed and sleep and I have started to be able to have a bit of a life outside the house (the odd committee meeting here and there, a night out for best friend's birthday, rejoining book group, going for a massage/haircut etc.) DH and I are even contemplating actually dining out on Valentine's Day for the first time ever!

But expressing is causing me huge problems. Before Christmas I expressed 2 days in a row to get enough milk for a trip to the hairdresser. The combination of missing a feed (which I expressed off after) and having expressed in addition to normal feeds meant that by the day after the trip I had very sore boobs, DD couldn't cope with the increased supply and I soon came down with mastitis.

On Sat I had to cover 3 feeds for my best friend's birthday (2 feeds plus extra in case we got back late). So I expressed once a day over the course of last week. Yesterday and today my supply has been crazy - she is screaming at the boob, they really hurt, I am leaking everywhere and my left boob is so sore that i am seriously concerned about blockages and mastitis again :(

I spoke to the milk bank before christmas about donating bm because my supply is so great but my experiences with expressing mean I don't think I can do that :(

I don't want to start giving formula having got so far on bm (unlike with DS who was mix-fed) but not sure i want to cancel every little break from the DCs that i have - i only have about one thing a fortnight as it is and really need to get out of the house as an adult, not parent, now!

Any tips on sorting out my oversupply and avoiding stimulating it too much when i express?

Try expressing everyday at the same time and only aim to get a small amount each time. Expressing is like adding in feeds so your supply responds to demand. But you'll probably also need to express if you're out all evening.

how much were you getting out each time? I agree with japhrimel aim for only 1-3oz and do it most days if you want to build up for events. That way you should adjust and there won't be burst whenever you feel you need to get a stash.

I would probably not donate if this is your experience, maybe in a few months if your supply gets less sensitive.

I get 3oz in 5 mins usually, and then it just dwindles to nothing - that whole fast letdown thing going on I think.

I'll let this settle down for a few days (not helped by her sleeping an amazing 11 hours last night, happy as that makes me for other reasons!) and then start trying 1oz per side every day and see how I go with that.

Thank you for the advice - that sounds like a good plan. I was only expressing in the week I needed it because I didn't have much of a social life to worry about, but perhaps little and very often is going to be much better.

If I do manage to build up a stash, we can just use whatever we need and then so long as I've done the blood tests I can just donate whatever surplus there is (the lady said I just need to keep it in my freezer until I have a reasonable stash for them)

It's so odd - with DS my supply was always teetering on the brink of nothing and I never knew what full breasts felt like, and with DS it is completely crazy. I just want normal please (but not sure I want another DC to see if I get it :)!