Although most moms worry they don’t have enough milk, some moms have too much milk, and/or their milk flows too fast during the initial let-down. This sounds like a “good problem” to have – the more milk the better, right? Well, having too much milk can be almost as worrisome and problematic as not having enough milk. If a mom has an overactive let-down, baby can gag, come on and off the breast, clamp down on the mom’s nipple in an effort to stem the fast flow, spit up during nursing, swallow excessive air, and have short feeds. Babies who consistently have short feeds might ingest more “foremilk” than “hindmilk”. Foremilk is higher in lactose than hindmilk, and lactose overload can sometimes result in a gassy baby with green poop. NOTE: Lactose overload is not the same as lactose intolerance. Babies are almost never lactose intolerant…lactose is super important for brain development and gut health. Read our post on colic and food sensitivities for a good explanation of this commonly misunderstood term. Moms who have oversupply (produce much more milk than their babies need) are at risk of mastitis and can feel engorged and uncomfortable. Usually, both overactive let-down and oversupply gradually get better as your baby gets older and bigger. Here are some tips and strategies to try if either (or, commonly, both) of these situations apply to you.

Overactive let-down: 

• try laid-back nursing positions (the underarm position is often the worst for baby; imagine laying under a waterfall and trying to drink! The more upright your baby is, the better they can handle the flow)
• try pumping briefly until you see your milk flow slow down, then put baby on the breast
• try “block nursing” – nurse on the same side twice before switching to the other side
• try having your baby straddle your lap so they are sitting straight up facing you to nurse
• give your baby frequent burping breaks

Oversupply:

• avoid pumping longer than needed just to keep yourself comfortable if your breasts are full between feeds
• read our blog post on plugged ducts and mastitis and watch for early signs
• try “block nursing” – see above
• avoid pumping after nursing, or pumping more than you need for times away from baby

Please contact us anytime with questions or individualized help.

DISCLAIMER: We know when you surf the web for information, you can get conflicting results, and it’s not easy to know whether you are finding evidence-based, high quality recommendations. That’s part of our job here at Kodiak KINDNESS; we are here to support your informed decisions about infant feeding through your baby’s first year. We’ve done some background work, and to the best of our knowledge, this post reflects current best practices. However, the information contained in this post and any links contained herein is for your informational use only; it is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Furthermore, Kodiak KINDNESS is not responsible for the accuracy of any information contained in this post or links contained herein; it is for you to review at your own risk and discuss, as needed, with your health care professional in order to make a plan that suits your individual circumstances.