Is block feeding the only way to reduce supply?

[IzzysMomma90]

I can't take the pain anymore. My DD is almost for weeks old and since two weeks I've had horrible over-supply, over-active letdown, leaking and pain. My right side seems to be the worst. My little girl has so much trouble eating because my chest is either rock hard and hard to latch or if she does latch she's gasping for air and drowning because of my super letdown. I also feel like I'm CONSTANTLY engorged. I have no relief. I've tried block feeding and I just can't take the pain on the side I'm not feeding from. Is there any other way to reduce my supply or get any relief? I don't want to give up, but I cant take much more of this.

[Van1300]

Can you pump (or hand express) the over engorged side just a bit first before feeding? My little guy is 2 weeks old and I often spray into a towel for the first 20 seconds or pump off 1 minute of milk in order to help him feed better.

You can also wrap your breasts in hot wash cloths or take a shower before feeding and hand express there.

Stick with it! It usually takes 6 weeks to regulate supply

[Nickel+3]

I wouldn't do any more than what she's eating. I'd empty both sides with each feeding. It will regulate soon!

[IzzysMomma90]

Originally Posted by Nickel+3 I wouldn't do any more than what she's eating. I'd empty both sides with each feeding. It will regulate soon!

I can never tell when I empty a side. They always seem hard and full. I feel so dumb, she's miserable I'm miserable and I feel like I can't even feed my own child.

[cdeweese]

I put cabbage leaves in my bra when I was engorged (balled them up to bruise them then laid them flat in my bra). It worked great and I didn't get mastitis again

[Nerissa]

I started block feeding. If you don't have any need to build up a freezer stash then I would just pump off enough to make yourself comfortable on the non eating side. If you empty each breast at each feeding that will just cue your body to keep producing the same amount.

[Nickel+3]

Originally Posted by IzzysMomma90 I can never tell when I empty a side. They always seem hard and full. I feel so dumb, she's miserable I'm miserable and I feel like I can't even feed my own child.

Sorry my response was so brief. I was trying to say to just let her eat as much or as little as she eats and to not pump any extra. Even just a five minute session to relieve the pain. Your body will soon realize it's over producing, and the engorgement will be less and less over time.

[IzzysMomma90]

Originally Posted by Nickel+3 Sorry my response was so brief. I was trying to say to just let her eat as much or as little as she eats and to not pump any extra. Even just a five minute session to relieve the pain. Your body will soon realize it's over producing, and the engorgement will be less and less over time.

That makes more sense to me than block feeding. I was originally told to feed 4hrs+ on one side until it felt empty and that just wasn't working. Thanks

[Nerissa]

I can never tell if theynare emoty. I just feed one side per feeding. That seems to work for us. When I tried to feed just some on each side in the vegining she wasnt getting enough hind milk.

[Mom2jandb]

I've been there! The early days are hard! My newest LO hated to nurse bc it was always too much too fast. My supply evened out around three months and now we nurse great. And your supply will even out too! Personally, I would stick out the block feeding. It can take a few days to get some relief. I would manually express a little in the shower or over a sink to get immediate relief, but you've got to leave milk in there in order to stop making more.

This is interesting. Especially the last paragraph about fil.
http://www.breastfeedingbasics.org/c...hysiology.html