If you are a new mother who has abundant milk production and is trying to control the same, first step you need to know about Hyperlactation and understand the causes, symptoms, remedies and much more.
What is Hyperlactation?
Excessive milk supply is termed hyperlactation. It could start even before the child is a couple of days old and goes until she is four to five months old.
What Are the Causes of Hyperlactation?
From hormonal to physical, there are many reasons for over milk supply in mothers.
- Alveoli or milk glands are generally 100000 to 300000 in number. Mothers with high milk production have more glands to secrete milk.
- More pumping or extracting milk, automatically increase more production to complete the balance.
- If the baby is hyperactive in sucking the breasts which will induce the glands to produce more.
- Hormonal imbalance or medications can also increase the flow of breast milk.
- Combination of the overactive let down with an imbalance of foremilk and hindmilk triggers hyperlactation.
Signs & Symptoms of Over Milk Supply
When the milk supply is over than the desirability, it is showing signs for both mother and the baby.
Hyperlactation Signs in Mother
- Feel full and bulky breast most of the times.
- Pain and heaviness while feeding the baby due to speedy flow.
- Lying down is also a problem many a time.
- Leaky breasts with jets of milk cause embarrassment and discomfort.
Hyperlactation Signs in Baby
When the baby is sucking milk more than the requirement, she will give you hints of her hardships.
- Gassy and colicky crying is common in such cases
- Baby may chokes, gags and struggle with breast while suckling.
- Hiccups and indigestion could be a symptom.
- Inappropriate weight gain is seen in babies due to imbalanced hind and foremilk intake.
- Reflux of milk or spitting is natural when the jet of milk is at expense of a baby.
- She may nurse for a few minutes and then stop and clamp down on nipples.
- Massive stools and wet diapers are symptoms of too much lactose with breast milk.
How to Handle Hyperlactation?
- Try with new lactation postures to relax the paining breasts. Side by side feeding facing baby can help to drip the extra milk over the towel.
- Offer controlled feeding to your baby. Try to feed her before she is too empty so that sucking is done calmly and slowly.
- Feeding on one breast for 2-3 shifts is a good idea. Avoid offering other breasts until the first is empty. Doing this helps baby to have both fore( initial milk) and hindmilk( later fatty milk)
- Pump a little bit of milk, before you breastfeed your baby. This will protect her from the jet spray of milk and help in a comfortable feeding session.
- Nipple shields can be advised in extreme discomfort.
Few Home Remedies for Controlling High Milk Supply
- Coconut is a magic ingredient. Roast it and Grate to apply on the breasts for 2 to 3 hours. It will help in decreasing milk production.
- Geranium leaves are medicinally well acclaimed. Crush them and make a paste to be applied over breasts. Dry it and wash to have useful effects.
- Parsley is well known for its oxytocin effects. Washed, boiled and crushed parsley paste or soup is useful in controlling milk abundance.
- Cabbage leaves are much talked about in midwives. Keeping them over the breast for hours may help moms to relax the excessive milk.
- Jasmine flower is magnificent with it aroma and healing. Just keeping them wrapped in cloth over breasts will help mommies get rid of full breasts.
- Green sage tea when consumed while bedtime, also helps in managing excess of milk supply being anti-inflammatory.
- Soaked green gram when applied as paste helps a lot.
- Soaked lentils with ghee form a mixture, to be directly applied. This works well in hyperlactation
Excess milk supply to baby or more production of breast milk in mums may be creating trouble for both, though it can be easily managed of its own once a baby matures and mothers body get adjusted to the hormonal saga in her body. So, start working with basic steps to deal with the expressiveness.
Also, you can consider donating your excess milk to the needy preterm babies struggling for life in NICUs.
Disclaimer: The information given in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We urge readers to seek the advice of a physician before trying any home remedies.