Breastfeeding

Oversupply or not?

With DS, I had serious OS issues.  I pumped from the beginning because he was (is) tongue-tied and could never latch without toe curling pain (and bleeding, cracked and purple/black nipples).  I had 3 bouts of mastitis, countless clogged ducts and just a miserable time with the pump until I stopped around 2ish months. At the height of my pumping, I would get about 20-30oz at ONE session.  Crazy. 

This time around, I've been committed to only BFing. I hate the pump. I BF DD all day, and then before bed, I pump for DH to give her that bottle in the middle of the night.  I also pump when I wake up (in exchange for DH feeding DD at night, I get up early with our DS!) because I'll be really engorged if I don't. I generally feel full unless I wait too long to pump.  So, I pump around 9:30pm and around 6am. At 9:30, I pump about 6oz in 20min and at 6am, I usually pump 7.5oz in 10-15m (and I usually stop so I have something to feed DD for her 8:30/9am feeding). Is this a normal amount to be pumping for a 2 month old? She usually takes a 4oz pumped bottle in the middle of the night from DH and a 5oz pumped bottle before she goes to bed (in addition to nursing).  So I really have no clue what a normal feeding is for her.  All I know is, I generally can freeze about 4-5oz a day because I don't miss any of her feedings.  

I've noticed in the last week, that I seem to be able to pump more. I'm not doing anything differently. I just don't want to get to a place where I did with DS.  Because even though OS is a "good" problem to have, anyone who has had mastitis or painful clogged ducts can vouch for me when I say I'd rather never have to deal with OS again.  So I want to avoid going down that path.  I don't really need a freezer stash (I have 150oz just from the extra couple ounces I get from the two times I pump in a day). I am not working right now, and when I start seeing patients again, it'll only be a few hours a week and I can work around DD's schedule.  So, keep doing what I am doing, or pump for less time at the two sessions? Turn down the pump?   

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