2 weeks PP and oversupply

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-13-2012
2 weeks PP and oversupply
2
Fri, 04-13-2012 - 5:44pm

I just don't know what to do.. LO is only 16 days old and I've been EP since day 2 in the hospital. I have a medela pump in style.. My milk came in on day 3 or 4 and I got SO engorged. I'm not joking, I looked like dolly parton. My breasts (which normally barely make it into a B cup) were HUGE and swollen almost to my collar bone and under my arms, and red and shiny, hard like granite.. it was awful and it lasted about 5 days before the lactation consultant told me to just pump off all the milk. It took 2 1/2 hours and I got 10 oz out of them at that time.

Then I started pumping every 4 hours for 20 minutes and was getting just a little extra milk. Now I'm getting about 7-8 ounces (combined) per pumping session (42 oz a day!) so I'm freezing a lot of milk. LO only eats about 20oz a day..

The problem is that carrying all of this extra milk HURTS. I pump it off and within a few hours they are back to hurting and start to get hard and engorged. They leak all the time and when let down happens they actually squirt. I don't know how to reduce my supply?? I am currently pumping every 4 hours for about 10 minutes and then I stop because I am terrified that if I keep pumping and taking off more milk I will just start making even more milk and the problem will get worse.

This is causing me so much anxiety and fear, I can hardly think of anything else. I cry about it

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2010
Sun, 04-15-2012 - 10:50am
I think you may be on the right track by pumping just what you want, and not continuing, thus signaling your body about the right amount of milk to produce. By 3 months, most babies level off in consumption somewhere between 24 and 32 oz, with a few higher or lower. But this can give you an idea of how much milk you might want to make to keep pace with your baby as he/she grows.

I'm so sorry that it is so painful and stressful right now. Can you call your OB to talk about it? Or an LC? Also, cold cabbage leaves in your bra (sounds gross, I know) is supposed to help to reduce milk supply. Some women do that when they are trying to wean.

If you are in so much pain, I would definitely contact your doctor or an LC to get more specialized advice so that you can be comfortable and enjoy your baby!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-18-2012
Sun, 04-22-2012 - 5:19pm

Hello!

I can definitely say I know how you feel!