I'm pumping too much milk. and suggestions on how to slow it down???

T - posted on 10/10/2009

I wish I had that problem. If you are pumping like tha...I believe it is for a reason...freeze the extra milk and it will probably come in handy for growth spurts.

Carla - posted on 10/10/2009

I'm the same, I regularly get 9oz out of one breast, I have gotten 12oz from one breast before! More milk than he can possibly drink. My son wont take bottles though so I only pump a few oz per day for my nephew (he has respiritory problems, and breastmilk seems to help) and the rest goes to the local sick childrens hospitals special baby unit (NICU) and every few days I freeze some in ice cube portions for mixing with Aarons food.



You will need to mix milk with the food at first (esp with cereal, but I also mix it with veg to get a better thinner texture as he's just starting out) so bear that in mind!



If your baby has dry skin you can add it to his bath, its great for skin. It also is good for cuts and for putting on teething rash or nappy rash and allowing it to airdry.



Also if you pump and stop before your breasts are empty your baby may end up with a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, and you could get clogged ducts.

Danielle - posted on 10/10/2009

I too am pumping exclusively. I pump from both sides every 4hrs during the day and I get about 6oz from each side. Since my son other eats about 6oz, I take the other 6oz and store it in Lansinoh breastmilk bags and freeze them.
If you feel like you need to regulate your production more, the best way to do so would be to gradually express less (about a .5oz every few days) until you reach your desired amount. Continue pumping every 5hrs. Keep in mind that when you do not empty your breast, you are more prone to clogged ducts.
**When my son was only eating about 3-4oz (when I was producting 12oz at each pump) I tried to regulate my production by stopping pumping after 2oz from each side. That was a HUGE mistake for me. I had clogged ducts the entire time I attempted to regulate my production and I constantly leaked and was always in pain. I read to pump until empty so I gave up trying to regulate my production and just went with the flow. I haven't have a clogged duct or leaking problem since. Good Luck!

Christina - posted on 10/05/2009

you can use cabbage leaves but for only a couple hours at a time because it is very powerful. thats what my doctor told me when i had the same problem. i hope i help alittle but you may want to ask your doctor before trying it.

Amanda - posted on 10/05/2009

Experts agree, The more you pump the more you make. if you pump less your milk will start to slow down.



It does not take long. A couple days of for-milk wont hurt the baby, but if that does worry you, you could always dump the milk and feed the baby the frozen for that few days.



If you lessen the feedings then that does not lessen your supply...it lessens the amount of times your milk comes down in a day. You don't want that because you need your milk to come in on the baby's schedual. Pumping less is the way to go.

Jody - posted on 10/05/2009

Go longer in between pumps (or pump one or two less times/day) - while you may not see results at first, a week of this will definitely lessen your milk. And you'll be pumping less often which is always nice! This is more similar to what an infant would do naturally weening, right? Eat the same quantity, just less often.



Pumping only a certain oz might work....but then you are only getting the watery "fore-milk"....much better to get it all out because the fatty "hind-milk" is the good stuff and it settles baby's tummy much better - but it comes out last. (and it is never good to leave milk in there-you definitely could get an infection or at least sore breasts)



There are many milk storage bags to choose from (I love lansinoh). You can put as much as you want in each bag (up to 6oz) - and they are very easy to re-heat by running under warm water.



Freezing milk is a great option. Milk will stay good for up to 3 months frozen. That is what i do with all of my extra milk (i have the same "problem" but its a good thing). My freezer is full of 4oz bags of milk - i throw the old ones out regularly, but it's nice to have them on hand just in case!

Amanda - posted on 10/05/2009

like others have said just pump what you need. You will slow down how much you make in just a day or two. Your ducts should not get clogged in that short of time as long as you are pumping consistantly. Make sure that you pump a little more that you need so you dont run out. My milk slowed down after being gone from my baby just over the weekend.

Katreena - posted on 10/05/2009

I know what you mean. My son is 11 days old and I have already stored in the freezer 88 ounces (in one week). My recommendation is to pump when you need to and freeze it. He can even drink it after 1 year. Just instead of the bottle, give him it in the cup. Good luck.

Reshitta - posted on 10/04/2009

I breastfeed all 3 of my kids and I pumped til I was empty reason I did so is because the more you pump your breast it will signal your body to make more milk. But if she want it to slow down because her baby is not eatting it right away she is waiting the correct time period between pumpings. My milk lasted til I stopped it I pumped way too much milk for mine I just stored it in breastmilk bags I pumpd 8oz bottles 4 to 5 a day as well as feeing inbetween. My youngest Is 13 months I still produce milk I stopped feeding when he was 6 mons but because he has a lactose problem I keep a small supply just incase. I had to pump til my breast were empty because I produced so much milk it hurt really bad so under the advise of my doctor, the babies doctor, and feeding coach I pumped til empty to give my breast time to reproduce the milk and not have a large amount of leakage and pain but the only thing that seemed to slow my milk was cold compress if you wear nursing bra's or gonna laydown to relax you milk will still be supply on demand just as kerry says she is completely right i am one that never got mastitis with any of my kids I used the evenflow electric pump you can adjust the settings to keep up nipple stimulation to be sure I keep my milk suppy. I googled all of the foods that keep your breast milk supply like oatmeal, tuna, carrots believe it or not cereal so you have to tell your body what to do but once again to Kerry's point i would hate for you to slow your milk and then no prduce enough as he gets older

Kerry - posted on 10/04/2009

i'm surprised at how many mums are advising you to pump till your empty!! A baby will take different amount each time he feeds from your breast so why should you have to empty them by pumping? breastfeeding works on a supply and demand basis, but as your child is not directly sucking you need to control it (if the extra milk bothers you) As long as there is a cyle of milk going through you should avoid mastitis. An ounce less here and there isn't going to give you mastitis if you pump regularly. Most mums i know who had mastitis got it by going long periods without pumping/feeding. Be careful though, i have heard that pumping alone can lessen your supply over time due to less nipple stimulation, would be a shame to reduce your supply then find you need it back as he grows bigger!!

Reshitta - posted on 10/03/2009

Make sure you pump til your breast are empty and freeze the milk. What do you eat? that plays a big part in your milk honestly when my daughter was about a month I was pumping about 4 or 5 8oz bottles per day! If your going to continue to pump use cool compresses on your breast it will take your milk a little longer to come down and when you decide to stop it will go smooth and you can dry quicly

Olivia - posted on 10/03/2009

just freeze it i wish i had your prob

Jennifer - posted on 10/03/2009

i had the same problem and it was a blessing and a curse.. so i completely understand.. some of us are just lucky.. they say it helps to have a good full diet and drinking lots of water.

Sheena - posted on 10/03/2009

Oh my gosh, you have a gift! I only wish I had your problem when I had to go back to work for the last 3 months of school after my maternity leave (I'm a teacher). Freeze the extra milk! If you know your son will only take 4 oz at a time, freeze the extra 2 oz! Trust me, he will eventually go through it and you will be glad you had it. I would not follow any advise to slow down pumping or pump less. Pump everything you can, and like I said, freeze it, or as I saw someone else suggest, you can donate your milk to a milk bank and give the gift of breastmilk to another baby who's mother can't breastfeed.

Conni - posted on 10/03/2009

I wish I had this problem!! Did you do anything "special" to get your supply up so much or is this just your natural production?

Voni - posted on 10/03/2009

Also, I hav ebeen freezing the milk as well. I have enough saved up to feed a small army...lol Thank you for all the advise!!!

Voni - posted on 10/03/2009

i don;t plan to stop anytime soon....i was just worried about producing too much when he starts to eat cereal and food in the next month or so....

Andrea - posted on 10/03/2009

That's not a bad thing (unless you are planning to stop breastfeeding soon)! You're lucky if you have an abundance of milk. Freeze it or donate it to the neonatal dept. at the hospital.

Ruth - posted on 10/03/2009

just pump a few less oz each time. if you demand the milk by pumping your breasts are amazing and will fill the demand. If you pump a few oz less over about 4 days your milk will fill that new demand. when babies wean they demand less so ur breasts make less. cold cabbage leaves in your bra and massage of breasts and baths help with mastitis. I don't think you'll get this, just demand a few oz less each feed or every other feed. all the best :0)

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Stacey - posted on 10/03/2009

i was the same but i pumped till they stopped and extra went with my health visitor for babies in hospital etc very rewarding

Jennifer - posted on 10/03/2009

freezing is a good idea as well.. can keep for 6 mo. in regular freezer and 1 year in deep freeze.

Jennifer - posted on 10/03/2009

If you pump until you are empty. you will never slow down.. you can avoid mastitis by massaging your breasts.. Mastitis happens if the ducts get clogged.. massage prevents that from happening..

Lisa - posted on 10/03/2009

Pump until your breasts are empty. If you don't, it COULD lead to mastitis. Why not just pump as much as you can, freeze it for down the road because really shortly he will go through a growth spurt and will be drinking more. IF you want to 'dry up' I have heard that sage works well, or you could try a lot of soda. Otherwise, just by pumping, it could take a while to stop producing. I've heard 2-3 months??? Also, have you started formula yet? This may be a good time to introduce it by making his bottles half breast milk half formula. - If that doesn't work for you, donate your milk. GOOD LUCK.

Jennifer - posted on 10/03/2009

slow the pumping down and you will naturally slow down.. and pumping less will start producing less naturally.

Kerry - posted on 10/03/2009

the more you pump, the more you will make. So keep pumping a little less. Are you trying to stop bf? If not why do you want to reduce your supply, I would just keep pumping and freezing whatever he doesn't use. Or you could donate it to a milk bank