My cups runneth over
Okay, I know that this might be TMI, but I'm having a bit of a problem here.
In the past eleven hours, I've pumped 33 oz of milk for the baby. According to the literature that the lactation consultant gave me, the average woman who is feeding one baby will make between 19 and 30 ounces in a DAY. Obviously, I'm not average! I may not have child bearing hips (according to my doctor) but I can make milk like the greatest blue ribbon dairy cow. Yay me. (insert eye roll here)
The problem is that there is no way in hell that the baby can take in this volume of milk. Sure, I can freeze it, but I only have a regular fridge/freezer in our apartment, and it's filling up FAST. What am I supposed to do with all this excess milk? Dump it? I've considered that, but it just seems so freaking wasteful!
I'm wondering if there is a way to decrease my supply. I read that if your supply is decreasing naturally, that you should pump more often (like every 2 1/2 hours or so) until it increases. Using that logic, I've been trying to pump LESS often, like every four - four and a half hours or so. As you can see, that's not really working out for me.
I haven't even been bothering to get up in the middle of the night to pump either. This leads to it's own set of problems though. I woke up this morning with some SERIOUS porn star boobs. Have you ever watched Dr. 90210 and seen what it looks like when these girls have a fresh set of breast implants? That's what it looked like! They were HUGE, swollen, and hard. Who needs a bra?
Oh, that's right, I do, to hold the breast pads that weren't enough to catch any of the leaks anyway, so I woke up in a bit of a puddle. Gross.
I have an appointment with the lactation consultant tomorrow, and I'm going to ask her about it. See if she has any advice about this situation. BLAH.
I went for my two week post partum OB appointment yesterday. The doctor says I'm healing beautifully, and no, I still may not drive. BOO! That means my poor husband still has to take time off work to cart me and the baby to our respective dr appointments. She asked me if I had thought about birth control, and I told her honestly, no. That's the LAST thought on my mind. These days, I think about when did the baby eat last, when did I pump last, and when can I sleep again. Every so often I think - Ooh, I'm hungry!
Yeah. I'm really exciting lately.
In the past eleven hours, I've pumped 33 oz of milk for the baby. According to the literature that the lactation consultant gave me, the average woman who is feeding one baby will make between 19 and 30 ounces in a DAY. Obviously, I'm not average! I may not have child bearing hips (according to my doctor) but I can make milk like the greatest blue ribbon dairy cow. Yay me. (insert eye roll here)
The problem is that there is no way in hell that the baby can take in this volume of milk. Sure, I can freeze it, but I only have a regular fridge/freezer in our apartment, and it's filling up FAST. What am I supposed to do with all this excess milk? Dump it? I've considered that, but it just seems so freaking wasteful!
I'm wondering if there is a way to decrease my supply. I read that if your supply is decreasing naturally, that you should pump more often (like every 2 1/2 hours or so) until it increases. Using that logic, I've been trying to pump LESS often, like every four - four and a half hours or so. As you can see, that's not really working out for me.
I haven't even been bothering to get up in the middle of the night to pump either. This leads to it's own set of problems though. I woke up this morning with some SERIOUS porn star boobs. Have you ever watched Dr. 90210 and seen what it looks like when these girls have a fresh set of breast implants? That's what it looked like! They were HUGE, swollen, and hard. Who needs a bra?
Oh, that's right, I do, to hold the breast pads that weren't enough to catch any of the leaks anyway, so I woke up in a bit of a puddle. Gross.
I have an appointment with the lactation consultant tomorrow, and I'm going to ask her about it. See if she has any advice about this situation. BLAH.
I went for my two week post partum OB appointment yesterday. The doctor says I'm healing beautifully, and no, I still may not drive. BOO! That means my poor husband still has to take time off work to cart me and the baby to our respective dr appointments. She asked me if I had thought about birth control, and I told her honestly, no. That's the LAST thought on my mind. These days, I think about when did the baby eat last, when did I pump last, and when can I sleep again. Every so often I think - Ooh, I'm hungry!
Yeah. I'm really exciting lately.
Miss M told you so @ 11:31 AM
8 Comments:
Dang girl, an over achiever on all accounts!
:) you're a good mama.
Aren't boobs awesome? LOL
Now my child wanted nothing to do with mine, and I know I had plenty too. I wish I had thought of putting it in bottles.
I know you are storing the extra, and it may be a good idea to keep doing it since there will probably come a day when your supply starts to dwindle. Be sure you are dating them so you know which to use up first. (After typing that I realized that you probably already know that and I'm just being mother hennish. I will stop I promise!)
I am storing - but I'm running out of room!!!
Have you thought about donating it?
http://www.breastfeedingsymbol.org/2007/09/02/thinking-of-donating-your-breastmilk-read-this-first/
you could probably sell the surplus to some freaks on craigslist and make a tidy profit. EWWWW (big ewwww factor in that thought). I remember being amazed at having rock-hard boobs when I was breastfeeding and wondered why any woman would pay to have them like that full-time cuz it just plain hurt. Yes, waking up in a puddle and sleeping with a nursing bra were no fun either. The upside to making all this milk is that it is a true calorie burner. Takes the weight off like nothing I've ever known. So enjoy that part. hahaha I wish I had some advice but I don't. My problem was the opposite. I made milk but nowhere near enough for my hungry monkeys and I remember crying my eyes out when the doctor told me I wasn't making enough milk and I had to supplement my daughter's feedings with formula...I felt so insufficient. Then baby number two came and I was happy to stick a bottle in his hungry little mouth and give my 'nips' a rest. Well, I'm sure I've shared TMI also so I'll call it a day. Glad to see you are fully embracing motherhood! I hope you are scrapping while that baby is sleeping!
I too was going to suggest donating it to a milk bank. There are different situations in where moms are looking for breatsmilk for their babies, and a milk bank would be the best place to donate it.
I remember those days. Jacob slept for 7 hours straight a couple times and man was I in pain!
I hope your supply regulates soon, I would say another 2-4 weeks though! You'll get through it, you're a strong woman!!
I checked - no milk banks in AZ!
You could always send some my way. I'm still struggling to keep what pitiful supply I have. as far as breast pads go, I find Lansinoh to be the most absorbent. Because although I don't make much, I leak with the best of 'em.
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