So I'm trying to reduce my exclusive expressing which I thought (in theory!) should be quite easy - after all, I don't have DS's demand to worry about!
I'm down to 2 pumps a day (usually about 12 hours apart). I get anywhere between 150 - 300ml per express (that's from both sides). I figure I should shorten my expresses so I'm not fully emptying, and then my supply should drop. But a few times whilst trying to shorten my expresses a bit, I've just ended up feeling so full, lumpy and uncomfortable that I end up doing a longer next express to clear it (i've managed to avoid doing any extra expresses though). But then I get nervous about it happening again, so I think I'm not shortening my expresses enough. Oh and sometimes I just get vague and do a longer express without realising . Plus I find it very hard to know when I've emptied enough and should stop (I can tell afterwards if I'm empty, but not as easily mid-express).... I because I've gotten into the habit of expressing till empty... hmm I dunno, I'm just not very good at expressing less!
So should I just really shorten my expresses and then just express for comfort (potentially more than twice a day) but keep them really short? Or should I just keep doign my 2/day and shorten them more aggressively than I should be doing? My supply is definitely going down, I just think it's taking too long, and I'm back at work in less than 2 weeks... so I would like to speed things up a bit. I guess I just don't know how much discomfort is normal... should I just put up with it? I've tried using cabbage leaves the other day when I was sore, but I don't think it made much difference? Would love some advice.
Thanks heaps.
In most cases our bodies just love making milk. I think you just need to go a little slower - you are at peak production. Mums whose 12mnth olds feed at the breast mind themselves in a similar situation. They feel that they have *nothing* but when their baby stops breastfeeding they find they get full and lumpy.
If you ever feel uncomfortably full, express a little out til you feel comfortable again. As you say, you can feel your supply is reducing - so you are on the right track
Thanks Barb. I'm still going on 2 pumps a day and having trouble dropping to one. I think I find it hard to know "mid-pump" if I've expressed enough for comfort, and I probably err on the side of expressing too much, hence continuing the whole cycle. Fingers crossed I'll manage to get it reduced eventually.
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trying to reduce expressing
. Plus I find it very hard to know when I've emptied enough and should stop (I can tell afterwards if I'm empty, but not as easily mid-express).... I because I've gotten into the habit of expressing till empty... hmm I dunno, I'm just not very good at expressing less!
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