Oversupply: When and how to decrease?

[MultipleMama]

So I've been breastfeeding on and off for the past 6 years. I use the "no offer, no refuse" method except for DC7 who is in NICU unable to take breastmilk yet.

My supply for the past 2 year has been crazy always up and down and then finally levelled out. But these past 7 months I've gone from pumping 40oz a day upto 60-90oz a day and I pump around 10 times a day! I constantly feel full and only get that empty feeling for a few minutes after pumping.

Pumping that much has never been a problem, still isn't, I used to donate my milk and I have a deep freezer full at home and spare bottles of pumped at PiLs. So I am completely stocked up.

However, DC7 is our last baby, and I want to cut down and regain some freedom from it. I still want to continue breastfeeding and expressing as long as possible but not with so much supply.

Any tips/advice on how to decrease my supply.

I managed to express only 3 times today. My breasts felt so engorged and full, despite breastfeeding between expressing. And I still managed to pump around 80oz.

I'm slightly losing my mind! Sorry for the rant. Unable to sleep & breastfeeding and thinking too much!

I guess it will just take time, just express enough to take the edge off the engorgement discomfort?

I think you need to stop pumping so much. it will be much the same advice as when your milk comes in - emptying the breast is probably making it worse. Express when it hurts, but just a little, not to empty.

Sage tea, sudafed or the contraceptive pill will work.

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

I always found it took 3 days for my boobs to get the message when I changed demand (increased or decreased). So I would suggest pumping only for fixed time eg pump for 10 mins not until you have 3oz if you see what I mean.

Give yourself 3 days to get used to that, then either reduce pumping time or number of sessions gradually. Hopefully that will be gradual enough to avoid too much discomfort.

I bf my dd2 (8 months) when I'm not working, my hours are variable so I do sometimes still feel full. But generally able to do a quick morning feed, then on demand evening/night.

Thank you for the tips.

I mostly pump for a set amount of time; i.e how much free time I have. But I will admit, I do get in the habit of pumping until I feel empty somedays so I guess I should stop doing that.

3 days sounds like a good general idea. I'll give waiting ago

Thank you for the link, I'll check it out. I'll avoid the sudafed and pill though. But I will look into the sage tea - I don't mind trying out the herbal stuff :)

Shall I limit the time I pump for first or tackle both like cut down how much I express and how long for?

It is the feeling of fullness that will give your boobs the signal to reduce milk production. But you have to balance that with the risk of painful engorgement and blocked ducts/mastitis if you slow down too fast. So personally I would suggest slow and steady reductions in either time or frequency but not both at once. Up to you which fits better with your daily pattern.

Also just remembered I used to put bag if frozen peas on boobs before bed, that will also slow down milk production/ sooth engorgement.