We all know the saying ‘too much of a good thing’. That can certainly be the case for moms dealing with hyperlactation syndrome or simply put – too much breastmilk! Some women’s bodies just make a lot of breastmilk. In my practice, I more commonly see moms who unintentionally throw off the natural supply and demand balance of breastfeeding. Read along and learn everything you need to know to easily manage an oversupply when beastfeeding.
Breastfeeding Supply & Demand
Let’s say you’re not innately predisposed to make enough milk to also feed the baby next door. You initiate breastfeeding with an adequate supply. How do you end up with an oversupply?
Milk production is all about supply and demand. An efficient breastfeeding baby takes what he needs from the breast. The breast drains and fills back up. Just like the concept of a water well, the breastmilk leaves your body and then replenishes over time.
When you unnecessarily pump in addition to efficient nursing, you can easily send you body into overproduction. You may be thinking that isn’t the worst thing in the world as you’re eager to stockpile breastmilk. You’re planning to go back to work or a weekend away. Well, think again!
Oversupply Issues For Mama
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to learn a few tips on how to manage an oversupply when breastfeeding:
- Frequent engorgement or breasts uncomfortably full
- Clogged ducts or worse – mastitis
- Breasts are constantly leaking
- Forceful (and possibly painful) letdown
Why It’s Important to Manage An Oversupply For Baby
Some signs you’re baby is overwhelmed with milk:
- Gagging and sputtering at breast
- Frustrated with fast milk flow
- Frequently spitting up
- Gassy
- Foremilk/hindmilk imbalance leading to green stools
Are you experiencing other issues other than how to manage an oversupply, such as painful breastfeeding or a possible tongue tie? My blogs are here to help!
Recalibrating The Supply & Demand
How do you manage an oversupply when breastfeeding? There are definitely some tweaks you can make to your feeding routine to calm down your supply. If your baby is nursing well and on track with weight gain, STOP PUMPING. You can reintroduce pumping when the supply is recalibrated.
Practice BLOCK FEEDING. With block feeding, you are more or less offering one breast per feeding. The other breast goes longer stretches without stimulation and will in turn, make less milk. Just be sure to hand express to take the edge off on that side. You want to avoid getting too full in between feedings which could lead to mastitis.
Oh, and enjoy a cup of sage tea!
Until Your Milk Supply Decreases
It is often helpful to position your baby in a way to handle milk flow more easily. Instead of having baby at breast height in a straight line across your body, position baby so that his head is higher than his diaper. If you prefer the cross-cradle hold, modify the position so that he is angled down with his diaper closer to your lap. These positioning tweaks help easily manage an oversupply.
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