Still overproducing. :(

[@llli*paytek]

I've literally been trying to keep myself minimally hydrated, okay?

Added another 8 oz f caffeine (making it 2 sodas instead of just 1) AND 5 oz of wine.

I'm still expressing around 6 oz per pump.

I just expressed 6 (3 from each breast) through an episode of The New Adventures of Old Christine. <--and that was HAND expression, not to mention I completely STOPPED pumping.

..help?

[@llli*paytek]

lo is 7 weeks, meant to add that.

[@llli*phi]

Stop expressing altogether. Every time milk is removed (even by hand), it signals your body to make more. If you are uncomfortable, try using a cold compress or cabbage leaves to ease the pain. If you have trouble with plugs, firmly massage your breasts and express only enough to relieve some of the discomfort (i.e. not 6 ounces, maybe 0.5-1 ounce). You are not seeing improvement because you are removing milk.

You can try block feeding, but I would start very small (and wait to see if things improve once you stop expressing milk). 7 weeks is still pretty early, and it is normal to see more abundant milk production early on so you don't want to get too aggressive with block feeding yet. If you are not already doing so, try nursing on just one breast per feeding switching breasts between feedings. If you need a little more help then you can try 2 hour blocks.

[@llli*paytek]

tell me about block feeding?? In the event I will have to use it later?

[@llli*paytek]

Oh.. just read up on block feeding.

..What if.. I've been doing that already?

[@llli*phi]

You use one breast for a certain duration of time. For example if you are using a 2 hour block, you offer the right breast every time your baby nurses during those 2 hours. Then you offer the left for the next 2 hours. Milk that is left sitting in the unused breast signals your body to produce less. Block feeding can significantly reduce supply, so if what you are experiencing is normal overabundance of milk during the newborn period then it can be really detrimental to your supply. That's why you want to make sure that you try other methods before resorting to block feeding.

Nursing on one breast and switching breasts between feedings is a good place to start. Give it a week or two to see if it makes a difference before you make adjustments.

Also, very frequent nursing can help a lot with OS and OALD. My baby nursed every 1-2 hours during most of the first few months, and although I still had trouble with engorgement (cold compresses were my lifesaver with that) it helped some and it helped my baby with his gas, spit up, and general discomfort. Although I had a significant oversupply, my baby only occasionally had the foamy green poops and I think nursing frequency had a lot to do with it.

[@llli*phi]

Oh.. just read up on block feeding.

..What if.. I've been doing that already?

Expressing milk voids the block feeding. Stop expressing. Nurse frequently. Stay the course - it can take awhile to see improvement.

What kind of problems is the oversupply causing for you and your baby? There are way to treat those problems while you are waiting to see improvements.

[@llli*phi]

Also, don't do this...

I've literally been trying to keep myself minimally hydrated, okay?

This will just negatively impact your health, not your milk supply.

Sodas are also all around bad for you. There are much healthier milk reducing foods and beverages, but unless your oversupply is extreme I don't think those are a very good idea either.

[@llli*aphimama]

This will just negatively impact your health, not your milk supply.

Sodas are also all around bad for you. There are much healthier milk reducing foods and beverages, but unless your oversupply is extreme I don't think those are a very good idea either.

Especially if you need to be reducing how much you express and run the slight risk of plugged ducts. Not hydrating properly is not your friend. Hydrate, no more expressing (except for extreme discomfort) and block feed. It's not going to fix instantly, but it will get under control.

Phi speaks the truth, though... no more expressing. Not more than 1oz, let alone 6.