Tips on Breastfeeding with an Over Supply of Breast Milk
Lots of mums have great tips on breastfeeding with an oversupply of breast milk. In my experience I remember my youngest baby would gulp, splutter and gasp at the beginning of each feed, just trying to keep up with the amount of breast milk gushing from my breast. And while many mums with a low supply would wonder what on earth I am complaining about, if you have an over supply of breast milk you know exactly where I'm coming from.
If you are feeling engorged and your baby is under 8 weeks old, your breast milk supply is probably about to settle down any day now as your body is working out how much milk it needs to make to keep your baby happy.
If you have gone past this new born stage and you feel you still have too much breast milk here are some tips on breastfeeding with an over supply that you may find will help, these tips can also be helpful if you have a fast let down too:
• You might like to try and hand express into a cloth before putting your baby on so that you catch the first and most forceful flow of milk. This may make it easier for your baby to drink without gagging.
• Lean back while you are breastfeeding so that your baby is sucking the milk against the pull of gravity, this can help to slow your milk flow. Once you think you have passed the let-down stage sitting upright again can help to make sure your baby has drained the breast.
• It can help to take your baby off the breast after a few minutes of feeding and burp him or her before putting them back on. You might find that this prevents wind and pains.
• While breastfed babies may not need to be burped as much as a formula fed babies, if you have an over supply it may help to spend a little more time on burping out any extra air bubbles your baby may have gulped down.
The more milk that is removed from your breast, the more milk your body will make. So with this in mind there are a few tips on breastfeeding you can try to reduce your body's breast milk production and to help you cope while you wait for your milk supply to settle down.
• You might try offering only one breast per feed and swap breasts with each feed. Mums with extreme over supply find it helps to feed from one breast for two feeds in a row, letting their baby stay on that one breast for as long as he or she needs to.
• If your baby is used to feeding from both breasts at each breastfeed, you may find that the breast you haven't offered is absolutely busting, sore and lumpy. Expressing just enouhg milk to be comfortable from this full breast may help.
• It can help to limit your baby's time at the breast if he or she is not actually drinking. Some babies like to dummy suck and even this type of sucking can work against you when you are trying to reduce your body's breast milk production rate. Instead you can try offering a dummy, rocking your baby, or taking them out for a walk to distract them.
• You might find that using a cold pack or massaging your breasts can help with the soreness and lumpiness. The tips used to cope with engorgement might also be helpful to you.
Everyone is different but sometimes it can takes a few day for your body to work out what's going on, but it would be nice to be as comfortable as possible while you wait for nature to take its course.
Please always remember to consult your health professional to find out information that is relevant to your specific situation.
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