If you aren’t making enough milk, you don’t have to look far for tips to help you increase or supplement your supply.
But if your breasts are literally overflowing with milk? Welp, there’s not so much help for you because “what a great problem to have,” right? (this was actually said to me once and I’m still not over it).
What the internet lacks in help for oversuppliers, it makes up for in straight up wrong information. I can’t tell you the number of women I’ve worked with who were stuck because they either didn’t have the help they needed, or they were given advice that was plain incorrect.
So this is me, coming to you today, to help set you free by setting the record straight on oversupply,
Let’s bust some myths about the ol’ busts, shall we?
THE TRUTH ABOUT OVERSUPPLY: 5 Facts to Transform your Feeding Journey
Myth #1: You have to make X ounces a day to be considered an oversupplier.
It can be easy to picture an oversupplier as someone who can pump for five minutes and fill an entire pitcher with breastmilk. We often only see images of women with giant deep freezers filled with enough milk to feed the entire neighborhood.
The truth is, if you make anything over what your baby normally eats in a day, you’re an oversupplier.
If your baby normally eats 30 ounces in a 24 hour period, and you make 31 ounces in that same time frame, then guess what—you’re an oversupplier. That 1 extra ounce each day adds up to 30 extra ounces of milk in the freezer in a month, which isn’t a small amount at all.
Welcome to the club! We’ll teach you the secret handshake later.
Myth #2: I can’t be an oversupplier. I don’t have large breasts.
While we’ve already covered the definition of oversupply—anything over what your baby consumes in a 24-hour period—many women still resist the idea. I’ve seen women with A and B cups are shocked at how much is coming out of their nipples, and consoled moms with triple D’s whose initial supply was just a trickle.
The truth is while oversupply can be influenced by genetics and biology, it has nothing to do with the size of your breasts.
Some women are just born with the right DNA to make more milk than their babies need. It’s just like height, eye color, and even (original) hair color. There’s nothing I did to get brown eyes. There’s nothing Michael Jordan did to be tall. Some women are just natural oversuppliers.
Oversupply can also be a result of overstimulation.
Feeding your baby begins with stimulating your nipple. If you're nursing, your baby stimulates the nipple by sucking on it. If you’re pumping, your pump stimulates it through suction. But in both cases, your nipple sends a signal to your body to let down the milk.
Then when your breast is empty, it requests a refill, and your body makes more in time for your next feeding.
So, the more you stimulate your nipple and empty your breast, the more milk your body will make in an effort to keep up with the demand for it.
Myth #3: Oversupply moms have it easy
It may seem like having an oversupply would be the solution to all your feeding woes. After all you never have to worry about making enough food for your baby, you can build a stash or donate your extra to help other moms. Sounds amazing, right?
The truth is, oversupply comes with its own set of struggles.
For moms, oversupply can be both mentally and physically draining. Sure, you don’t have to stress about making enough milk for your baby, but you do have to deal with:
- Always feeling full, plus leakage, hard lumpy breasts, painful clogs, and mastitis
- Overwhelming your baby with too much milk as it rushes from your breasts too quickly
- Figuring out how to manage the volume of milk coming out of your breasts at all time of the day and night
- Isolation and feeling misunderstood by other moms who don’t get what you’re going through
On top of that, oversupply can negatively impact your baby, which adds another layer of stress and anxiety.
Oversupply can cause your baby to:
- Struggle to feed which results in restlessness, crying, arching, stiffening and less than peaceful feeding time
- Cough, choke, sputter, or gulp at your breast, which can cause them to be extra gassy or spit up large amounts of milk, and have green, loose or explosive stools
- Chomp down on your nipple to try and control the flow of milk, resulting in painful nipples for you
If you’ve been around One With the Pump awhile, you know I refer to oversupply as “the overwhelming gift” and this is why. No matter how much milk you make, feeding your baby can be both the best of times and the worst of times, and oversupply moms and their feelings are no exception.
Myth #4: Binding your breasts is the best way to reduce oversupply.
After reading about the down sides of oversupply, you can understand why some moms look for ways to reduce the amount of milk they make on a daily basis. The problem is many resort to methods that do more harm than good.
The truth is breast binding won’t limit your supply, but it will cause pain, misery, and infection. And those supplements your favorite influencer is pushing won’t drain your breasts, just your bank account.
Here are three options for safely reducing your supply (and none of them involve duct tape, ace bandages, or wearing multiple sports bras at one time)
- For exclusive pumpers, gradually spread out your pumping sessions (from every 3 hours to every 4, every 4 hours to every 5, and so on) so you can drop 1-2 pumping sessions total from your day. When you drop a pump, you lose about 10% of your supply, so this strategy not only reduces the volume of milk you’re making, but also the number of times a day you’re pumping, giving you some much needed mental and physical relief.
- For nursing moms, stop any pumping you are doing in addition to nursing. Remember what we said about overstimulation leading to oversupply? To avoid clogs, pain, and mastitis, start by decreasing the amount of time you pump by 5 minutes a day until you are no longer pumping after nursing.
- If you’re hesitant to eliminate any pumping sessions, you can shorten the length of time you pump. If you are regularly pumping for 30 minutes at a time, reduce the time to 20 minutes. If you’re still making more than you want after about 5 days, drop another 5-10 minutes off your pumping sessions.
Myth #5: Life as an oversupplier is lonely and isolating.
As an oversupplier myself, I know how hard it can be.
- Managing the extra milk feels like its own full time job.
- You dream of the day you can go out in public without leaking everywhere.
- None of your friends want to hear you vent about having too much milk.
It may feel like most of the resources out there don’t address your very real problems, but the truth is, you don’t have to walk this journey alone.
The main reason I founded One with The Pump was to provide moms with the resources I wish I had when I was feeding my own babies. Not only did I struggle with oversupply—I was forced into exclusive pumping because my baby just wouldn’t latch! My spouse was supportive, but he could only do so much, you know?
You don’t have to battle your breasts alone. I’m here to help you manage your milk and your overwhelm, so you can become a confident, connected mother pumper.
Whether you use my oversupply guidebook, or purchase the Ultimate Pumping Course for the full oversupply workshop and more, you’ll get the tools you need to thrive in your feeding journey.
Trade confusion for confidence
Whether your breasts overfloweth, or your supply is just a trickle, The Ultimate Pumping Course empowers you to:
- Confidently pump and nurse from day one
- Choose the right pump and make the most of your pumping sessions
- Create a pumping schedule that supports your short and long term needs
- Eliminate pain while pumping
- Size your own flange
- Establish, maintain, and manage your milk supply
- Prevent common pumping problems
- Utilize pumping full-time or alongside nursing as part of your overall feeding plan
You can pump efficiently, effectively, and confidently—from your first feed to the last. The Ultimate Pumping Course will show you how. Get instant access and be one with your pump, starting today.
