foremilk/hindmilk question

[lsmama]

Hi.  I have a 4 week old and a bit of an oversupply.  I am also due to return to work when she is 10 weeks, so I'm trying to use my oversupply in my favor.  The oversupply is not bad - not causing major issues per se.  I'm single side feeding, so during our first morning feed, I pump 1 side and nurse the other as a way to build my freezer stash as well as to relieve engorgement.  I've been hesitant to pump too much and exacerbate my problem, so I've been pumping about 3-5 minutes and getting anywhere from 1.5 - 3 ozs.  Am I doing baby a disservice by stopping early?  Is this just foremilk?  How long can I pump without tricking my body into making even more milk?

Thanks!

[anjsmama]

I also had an oversupply issue at the beginning with this one - DD now 10 weeks. Mine did actually cause mastitis :( I am going back to work at 12 weeks, so I also utilized the problem in my favor. We also switched to one-sided feedings, and I also pumped the "morning excess" on the other breast. However, I just would drain that breast also. That way I typically got 6 oz, which I saved into 2 seperate 3 oz bags (to maximize usage & minimize waste). That way I could start my day comfortably, and I also could be sure about "reaching" the hindmilk. Even though draining may have prompted more milk, I was only pumping once a day so my supply was usually quite evened out by mid-day. I did that from like weeks 2-6 I think.

Then I stopped pumping cause I have quite a stash, and then my supply became so perfectly tuned to Jeana's needs it's crazy.... I started pumping once/day this week at the time she will be bottle feeding (around noon) while I'm at work... and the first 2 days I could barely get milk! (Kind of a nice change from an oversupply). But even now with pumping 4-5 oz in the middle of the day, though my supply has increased a little again, it's certainly not anywhere near discomfort or leaking or anything (I don't even have to wear nursing pads now). SO I guess my overall point is that I always found it best for us to get one FULL pumping - to maximize hindmilk stored, maximize comfort, and minimize frequent pumping & overproduction. I have used some of the milk I pumped in the beginning when I've left DD with DH when I take DS to the doctor or something and she hasn't had any of the gas or green poop issues she had during oversupply, so I am assuming there is a good balance in the milk we have stored. Hope this is helpful! :)

[lsmama]

thanks so much!  i think i'm leaning toward this approach too.  glad to hear things are going well for you!

[NewBeginnings1]

Sometimes you might notice a very fore-milk heavy pumping session, which will look less milky and more water+milk. If that is the case, consider adding this to a regular BM sample when making the bottle. I noticed that my baby started having a green stool because he was receiving an excess of fore-milk and was too full to consume the hind-milk. This is an indicator that the excess of fore-milk is tough on their tummies. I was haphazardly and irregularly pumping and the abruptly stopped building a supply, which caused the minor issue. 

[crystal_buffaloe]

Originally Posted by NewBeginnings1 

Sometimes you might notice a very fore-milk heavy pumping session, which will look less milky and more water+milk. If that is the case, consider adding this to a regular BM sample when making the bottle.

I got this idea on MDC, too, and thought it was genius! We had a bit of oversupply at the beginning and I would definitely notice some bottles not having very much "cream" at all. One MDC mama suggested skimming the cream off the top of one bottle and adding it to another, but I like the suggestion of combining two pumped bottles -- one more watery/foremilk heavy and one with more hindmilk in it.

I think you could put in a full pumping session in the morning without much issue.