How to Create an Oversupply of Breastmilk (and why you shouldn't!)

How do some people create an oversupply of breast milk?

Overproduction, or oversupply, of breast milk happens when more milk is removed from the breasts than a baby needs. This most often occurs when:

• the baby is exclusively breastfeeding well at the breast but the mother pumps following the feeding

• exclusively pumping, without adjusting pumping habits to maintain just enough milk or full milk production rather than excess production. Full milk production for one baby is between 720 mL and 900 mL (24 and 30 ounces) every 24 hours.

Overproduction is more common in people with a larger breast storage capacity who pump frequently. Those with smaller breast capacity are not likely to experience overproduction.

While it’s usually possible to reduce or prevent overproduction with a first baby by decreasing the amount and frequency milk is pumped, future lactation experiences can be more challenging. This is because your body may have developed an increased number of alveoli (the milk-making cells in the breast), making higher milk production the new “normal.”

Maternal complications of overproduction include:

·       frequent clogged ducts

·       mastitis

·       breast abscesses

·       exhaustion from limited time between each feeding/pumping session

Baby complications of overproduction include:

·       struggle with fast let-downs and excess flow

·       receiving milk that is less concentrated in fat. This can result in frothy green stools and, in some cases, slow weight gain despite an abundant milk supply.

So to avoid becoming an overproudcer:

• If exclusively pumping, start decreasing the frequency of pumping and how completely you empty your breasts when you reach full milk production of 720 mL (24 ounces)/24 hours to maintain between 720-900 mL (24-30 ounces)/24 hours.

• If exclusively breastfeeding and baby does not require supplementation, do not pump.

• If needing to supplement after breastfeeding, pump only the amount of supplementation needed.

• If anticipating the need to feed milk while you are unavailable to breastfeed, pump only the amount your baby will need. You will need to remove milk at appropriate intervals while your baby is not breastfeeding, and that milk will be available to replenish the milk your baby took while you were unavailable.