Lots of milk!

I just pumped 8.5 oz from one side. I don't know what the heck I'm going to do with all this milk! Oversupply can be a blessing but it can also be a curse. I am very lucky that I can make enough milk for my baby, and maybe another two babies, but we do run into problems. As soon as Evie starts nursing, I have a huge letdown. If I don't pull her off fast enough, she chokes and coughs on the milk, and most of the time, refuses to eat afterwards because she's traumatized. If I am lucky, she's hungry enough to continue eating five minutes later. If I pull her off fast enough during a let down, she pops back on, nurses happily, and pulls off when she's ready to sleep. Engorgement isn't the most fun either, especially when you go to nurse and your milk is spraying all over the place. Evelyn swallows a lot of extra air gulping down my milk, so we have to use simethicone (Mylicon) to keep her from having painful gas.

On top of her allergies, she also has reflux, and nursing a reflux baby when you have overactive let down is not very easy. I don't always get to snuggle her close to me while we quietly rock to sleep in the glider. Often I have to perch her upright and let her feet dangle between my legs. She falls asleep that way because her tummy isn't scrunched and pushing the acid up her esophagus. When we lay in bed she can nurse well because I'm on my side, so the milk flow isn't as strong plus she can lay out straight. I do have to put her upright when we're done, but sometimes at night I'm just way too tired and she falls asleep next to me. Next time she wakes, I will re-swaddle her and put her in the co-sleeper that's all rigged up for inclined sleeping and bottom support so she doesn't scoot down.

It's funny, even after all the problem's we've had with Evelyn's reflux, nursing, and sleep I would never even think about weaning her onto a bottle or formula. It's very likely that any type of formula would cause an allergic reaction since she can't have milk or soy. Feeding Evelyn from my own baby is the most special thing we do together and I just can't give that up. Pumping exclusively might not work in the long run because when baby's not actually at the breast, a mother's milk supply can lessen dramatically. Certainly doesn't happen with everyone, but I just wouldn't want to take the chance. If we can make it through these next couple months, her stomach sphincter should close up on its own and we'll go back to carefree nursing. For now, we're doing the best we can with what we've got. Evelyn seems like a happy baby and that makes me feel like I'm doing something right!

~C