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Offline LouiseV

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Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« on: January 19, 2012, 05:01:36 am »
Ladies I need some advice....my best friend has a 4 week old baby who is feeding well, but she has waaay too much milk and its getting to the stage that she doesn't think she can feed anymore because of it. When I say extreme - I mean the lactation consultants have never seen anything like it!

has anyone heard of any miracle cures or have any words of wisdom I can pass onto her? She is truly desperate for help.

At the moment she is expressing instead of feeding to just take out what is needed and not too much more otherwise her supply builds right up. On average she expresses 400ml before she has that relief but her baby is only eating 140ml per feed

If anyone has any thoughts at all I know she would be so grateful. She did try a herb that worked for a day then her body over compensated for it!!

Thanks heaps

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Offline becj86

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2012, 10:07:34 am »
WOW! I though mine was bad...

Pumping will stimulate more mammary glands (all the way around rather than just where bub sucks) so it can make it worse, or so I was told by several sources when I had this issue. Having said that, I did hand express and bottle feed EBM as DS was getting NASTY gas from foremilk overload and EBM at least was more balanced and he started gaining weight too.

So a few ideas:
*cabbage leaves in bra (reduces production and helps with engorgement pain)
*block feeding (The engorgement in the breast not being used produces a hormone to reduce production)
*eat minimal galactogogues (remove oats and other milk-increasing foods), don't listen to the nutters who reckon you have to eat morning tea and afternoon tea because you're feeding! Most people probably do, but if you have enough calories in your three meals, don't increase your intake further
*reduce water intake (worked for me when I had a sudden spike in production)
*wear two nursing bras - it may help due to firmer support (she'll have to watch for blocked ducts)
*feed lying back (eg. in a recliner chair) - I'm sure she's probably doing that already but worth saying in case the LC's haven't suggested it and that'll help LO cope with the flow and with her latch if its a bit shallow
« Last Edit: January 19, 2012, 10:09:06 am by becj86 »
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Offline bbsmom

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2012, 16:48:27 pm »
I had the same issue in the beginning, and I also did block feeding and worked great!
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Offline my3girlsjde

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2012, 17:08:55 pm »
I had a lot of success with block feeding as well as (through consultation with my LC peppermint tea). It has to be done carefully though, so as not to kill the supply entirely. In her case where her body is compensating and there's so much foremilk, I'd highly recommend the blocked feeding. It'll help get that fatty milk out for the next feed and cut down on gas and fussiness.

I took my breast out once to show my LC while she held E and E started to cry. Milk started spurting and went 6 feet and wouldn't stop :o.
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Offline LouiseV

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2012, 01:37:27 am »
Oh this is wonderful - can someone tell me how to do block feeding?
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Offline becj86

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2012, 01:49:34 am »
Yep, block feeding is just feeding only from one side for a certain number of feeds/period of time. So if LO is feeding every 2-3hr, start off doing two feeds off the left, then the next two feeds off the right, etc. If LO is feeding frequently (due to gas discomfort, hiccups, etc. this is sometimes the case), make it a set period of time, so feed off the left for 4hr, then the right for 4hr (ie, every feed between 7am and 11am from the left and so on).

The idea is that the engorged breast tells the body to stop producing milk, there's plenty here already. It really helped down-regulate my supply to something approaching manageable.
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Offline kellyincali

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2012, 23:42:48 pm »
YES! Block feeding. I have crazy over-supply also and I found that if I didn't pump at least a little bit, I would get mastitis/blocked ducts ALL THE TIME. So she probably shouldn't stop pumping cold turkey, but maybe pump a little bit before a feed to make it less like a fire hose for her LO and then only when she gets really really uncomfortable. Then as she block feeds, her glands will regulate a little bit and she can cut back on pumping.

I wish her lots of luck! There's so much talk about under-producing that you think you're crazy if you're an overproducer! Just keep at it!
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Offline Fiver

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2012, 23:12:19 pm »
How's it going, Louise?
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Offline LouiseV

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2012, 02:06:42 am »
I dont think the block feeding is helping her too much, shes trying all the ideas but the milk just keeps on coming! her lactation consultant is at a bit of a loss too!

milk bank anyone?
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Offline becj86

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2012, 05:07:57 am »
Poor thing! It really is awful having such an oversupply. Have they looked at her hormone levels? I wonder if she doesn't produce the 'stop milk!' hormone...

I presume LO is putting on weight appropriately, etc.?
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Offline Fiver

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Re: Extreme oversupply of milk - help!
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2012, 10:36:28 am »
Have you seen this link? http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html  Could be she needs to persevere with the block feeding for a while longer to see a difference.  Also things should start to settle down a bit around 12w.

If she was suitable and willing milk donation would be another option if that fitted in with her family and LO.  I have no idea how you get into that in NZ though :-\
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