Doh!

[Mommy2Austin]

So I've had a Doh! epiphany this morning... I've been pumping for the last 2 weeks (mostly once every morning and then the other night I ran a trial run of baby alone with daddy to mimic my work schedule to see how she'd do) to have a stash in my freezer. I've all of a sudden become engorged and leaky. Then I realized why...Tristyn block nurses. One side for 1 feeding and then I switch to the other. She nurse every 2-3 hrs. and if she wants some sooner than normal I nurse her on the same side previously. I have OALD so I do this to give her a chance to nurse without having to choke half the time. Silly me has been pumping BOTH sides everytime I've pumped. So telling my breasts I need way more than I do... Blah! Hopefully I get the engorged/leaking breasts issue under control somewhat before I return to work. I'll remember to bring an extra shirt and leave it in my car just in case.

Anyone else do this? Recommendation to help alleviate the problem?

[MEcatlady17]

I hope this thread gets some discussion...
I too block feed and plan to start pumping sometime this month as I'll be going back to work in April. The reason I haven't been pumping (other than an ounce or two to relieve some engorgement) is I am not sure how this will affect my oversupply. I know once I start I'll have to keep it up since I'll be telling my body to produce more... not sure if once I do go back to work I should just single pump or if by then (12 weeks) my oversupply/OALD will be subsiding a bit and it won't be bad to double pump.

[akind1]

When you go back to work, it may not be as much of an issue, as then you will be pumping to replace feedings, rather than, when you are at home, pumping in between feedings, so you breasts are getting the signal "MORE" feedings -

I have a double pump, but I still only do one side at a time; I like to be able to read a magazine, or drink something, while I pump. I don't have major oversupply issues, but more what i'd call abundant. When I am exclusively nursing (the days I WAH, or on weekends) and am feeding on-demand, I rarely feel over-full. The days I pump, because I am at work, or I'm missing a feeding because DH and I are having a date night and I am missing a feeding (this is rare, but it does happen) it seems to take a day or two to get back to "normal".

FWIW - DS is now 14 weeks old I think, and I have been back at work since he was 7 weeks old. I WOH 2-3 days a week, and am at home working the rest of the time.