hyperlactation / oversupply - possible causes? (UPdated!!)

[TzippityDoulah]

I have had two breastfed babies and I'm due with my third any day. in the last two I severe hyperlactation and i had a couple of question for anyone else you may have dealt with this....

But first I had to give a quick disclaimer

1. before you tell me how lucky i am to have this problem -- please realize that this isn't a GOOD thing. it's as bad as not having enough milk as it causes endless infections, painful breastfeeding and reflux and gas in babies. both of my kids suffered a lot through their babyhoods b/c my milk would gag them and they would end up throwing it all back up. my kids spent most of their babyhoods in pain regardless of techniques.

2. I'm not looking for ways to "deal with it". I have those down pat, believe me. as much as I appreciate it, I could write the book on how to deal with hyperlactation! I know all the methods from block feeding to cabbage leaves to parsley to wean etc etc etc etc... believe me I've tried it all! nothing under the son I haven't tried

what I am looking for is what CAUSES hyperlactation. and if it can be treated, cured, prevented, or suppressed somehow.

I started thinking and i know I have some liver problems that flared during pregnancy. I wonder if this has anything to do with it. another thought is hormonal imbalance that can be dealt with at the core... (I have TERRIBLE periods with tons of bleeding and pain as well as 10 weeks of PP lochia) or even just mineral depletion of some sort. I also wonder if there is any connection to celiac/gluten intolerance. (I wasn't diagnosed until 1.5 yrs ago)

there has to be a reason (or reasons) for this issue. Every time I research it or ask a professional about it all I get are "how to deal with it" advise OR the most annoying - "wow you're so lucky to have so much milk!" :sigh:. I don't know why there isn't more research put into this area. maybe not a lot of people deal with it. but it very very difficult and makes nursing a horrendously painful experience for the entire length of the breastfeeding relationship.

anyhow if anyone has any ideas, thought, or even a whim on why this happens, please do let me know.

[chicagorachel]

I've read that PCOS can cause oversupply in some women (I think I read somewhere that PCOS causes undersupply in some women, has no effect on others, and causes oversupply in some).

[TzippityDoulah]

Originally Posted by chicagorachel

I've read that PCOS can cause oversupply in some women (I think I read somewhere that PCOS causes undersupply in some women, has no effect on others, and causes oversupply in some).

interesting! I will look into this.... I don't know much about PCOS.

thanks!

[SparklingGemini]

Yes.

I have PCOS and its caused tremendous oversupply for me. I've dealt with it by donating. But you're right in that it can be a PITA. And the lack of sympathy is frustrating too.

Perhaps you can have your prolactin levels checked by an endocrinologist after your babe is born and see where they are at. Maybe even before to give you a base level?

I would suspect some sort of imbalance or tumor in your pituitary gland and while most of those tumors are benign, its something you absolutely want checked out.

[pbjmama]

Agree with PCOS and looking for other hormonal reasons.

[annekevdbroek]

I don't have PCOS and had hyperlactation with my first kiddo and not with my second. :

I agree that it is a big problem and so painful!

Wishing you the very best with your new little one.

[Mrsboyko]

You responded to my last post too. I am in the same spot right now. I just finsihed with a weekend from hell with drowning my baby and him getting so very upset and never actually having a good feeding. My DD used to projectial vomit after many feedings, leading to her eating more (cuz she threw up everything and was still hungry) and making the issue even worse I will be watching this post.

FWIW, I dont have PCOS, I have PP bleeding of 6 weeks approx (from both kids), one was c-section, one VBAC. Normal periods are relativly light I think. No major PMS issues either. Basically, no major hormonal issues that i can see in me.

[TzippityDoulah]

Mrsboyko - oh my heart goes out to you! I know exactly how you must be feeling. BTDT!! twice! I've already had breast infections during THIS pregnancy. I'm so scared about nursing (when this baby finally get here - anyday now!)

interesting that you dn't have heavy periods or anything like that. I have started thiking there are likely more than one cause... one idea I thought of was perhaps the hormones in meats and milks. they cows are givne supplement to cause HIGH milk production (and then given antibiotics to stop the infections that come up from hyperlactation). maybe it doesn't effect everyone - but maybe some of us are sensitive to it.

I've also readit can have to the with the Hypothalamus sometimes tumours or what have you. so I'm looking into this idea too.

I'm SO exhausted with the search honestly. but as you may know, it's not just an inconvenience it s a serious problem. my kids suffered so badly... and in their pain I couldn't even "comfort nurse" them b/c they I would make more milk and choke them again. I felt like such a failure! and it was painful... so very painful. ALL OF THE TIME. none of the normal advise like block scheduling helped beyond a point. say if the baby was extra hungry that day and needed even one extra feeding - well I would start producing the next day enough for 3 or 4 extra feedings. bleh. I also hd spontanious letdown. all day long - sometimes every 15 mins the letdown process would begin. for me it's actually a painful process . it got a little beter by 4 months... but not much.

[annekevdbroek]

I am curious how long hyperlactation lasted for all of you.

For me it slowed down around 9 months or so with my first. I did not have hyperlactation with my second.

[TzippityDoulah]

for my first it lasted until I started ot wean at 10 months... it was still an issue b/c I was only feeding about 2 times a day so it was more easily managed... but even thoguh I stopped BFing for good at 11.5 months, I was still making milk and leaking for several and I could hand express milk for up for 18-20 PP!

with my next my daughter had severe GERD, celiac and SPD so she stopped taking the breast full at 5.5 months - no amtter what I did. it caused her too much pain. my milk dried up by 11 months. I think this only happened b/c I was so stressed. we were in and out of hospitals and dr visit a lot b/c she was so sick. but up until her weaning I had hyperlactation every bit as badly as with my first. or at least it was very minimally better.

[Mrsboyko]

I have been looking for a more natural source of meats recently, but that would be a bonus if it helped this issue.

I too get the random letdowns (just had one while reading actually) and they are pretty painful, though much worse when I have a plugged duct or infection. Yea, no such thing as comfort nursing and neither of my kids will take a pacifier for anything. They do take a finger every once in a while though.

The big overproduction slowed down for my first DD around 8 months or so. We bf'ed till 23 months when I was 5 months pregnant.

[Jasminelove]

I'm no help but just want to add that I've had supply issues up until recently..probably till month 6.5. I'm thrilled that baby actually has to suck now to get milk, instead of being drowned by just having his mouth on me. I don't know an answer but I've been thinking hormonal. I have very low progesterone and had to take suppositories to sustain my pregnancy. I've also dealt w/ thrush and mastitis most of the time. I'm working on eating healthier and exercise and learning to relax and breathe...to enjoy life each moment bc you we're never gauranteed another day. I don't know where that came from. =) Anyway..no one in my family has had this problem..I think it's def. hormonal which could be caused by lack of nutrition, lack of sleep, environmental factors, chemicals in our water, air, food, skin care, etc. Maybe estrogen dominance. I"ve been looking into that lately...most of the symptoms sounds like me. I'm thinking of not having anymore children bc of this...I always wanted alot of kids..That's how much I understand the pain of it all. I don't want anymore children to suffer the way I've seen my baby boy suffer from this. I hope you find your answers.

[TzippityDoulah]

Originally Posted by Jasminelove

I'm thinking of not having anymore children bc of this...I always wanted alot of kids..That's how much I understand the pain of it all. I don't want anymore children to suffer the way I've seen my baby boy suffer from this. I hope you find your answers.

I so understand your feelings!! I felt the same way while nursing my other two... and here I am about have my third heh. but it broke my heart knowing my trying to feed my child I was hurting them. and yet when I switched my daughter to formula (b/c she refused to feed at all whatsoever) she gt even worse. it was just devastating.

thank you for sharing your story.

I think you're right that it's likely hormonal. but I think too many say "oh it's just hormonal" as if that's an answer. but of course like you said, thats just the beginning... why hormonal is the issue? and canit me corrected by diet, or other factors. I'm tired of settling for "this is just hormonal". it's a very serious problem and should be recognized as such.

(I had yet another mother tell me this week how lucky I was too have too much milk... ugh. yep. that's me. lucky. I know she meant well but it hurts to be so invalidated when you're hurting.)

[Rainbow2911]

I'd be very interested if you find any answers to this. I had a huge over supply with my dd for about a year (after that it settled and we were able to continue to breastfeed comfortably for another 2.5 years). I didn't get it with my ds2 (thankfully) but I was dreading another year of being woken up by the dripping etc etc.
I have read that RRL tea taken in pregnancy can cause oversupply. I did take it with dd and not so much with ds2 so possibly contributed. Thier nursing patterns were also very different. But nothing really jumps out at me as being drastically different.
Sorry I don't have any answers!

[sattygirl99]

Originally Posted by HennyPenny

(I had yet another mother tell me this week how lucky I was too have too much milk... ugh. yep. that's me. lucky. I know she meant well but it hurts to be so invalidated when you're hurting.)

I can understand you're in pain but really, you're blessed to have too much. As a mom who has too little, I'd give anything to have an oversupply, even if it meant pain and discomfort.

Maybe you could relieve some of the pain by pumping and donating your milk to a local mom in need?

I don't think there is a real 'cure' for hyperlactation... They say chiropractic helps but you may want to consider pumping and donating... Put your extra milk to good use!

Good luck!

[justKate]

Originally Posted by HennyPenny

I'm SO exhausted with the search honestly. but as you may know, it's not just an inconvenience it s a serious problem. my kids suffered so badly... and in their pain I couldn't even "comfort nurse" them b/c they I would make more milk and choke them again. I felt like such a failure! and it was painful... so very painful. ALL OF THE TIME. none of the normal advise like block scheduling helped beyond a point. say if the baby was extra hungry that day and needed even one extra feeding - well I would start producing the next day enough for 3 or 4 extra feedings. bleh. I also hd spontanious letdown. all day long - sometimes every 15 mins the letdown process would begin. for me it's actually a painful process . it got a little beter by 4 months... but not much.

This is me. No real advice, but I know what you're going through. I don't know what caused it for me, but I have the same letdown issues, all day. I'm still doing everything to try to reduce it, but the milk is still coming out DD's nose, drowning her. I blame an over agressive LC I met when DD was in the NICU. DD was only taking maybe 2 oz. a feed, while the LC told me to keep pumping, even though I was making 10+ oz. every 3 hours.

I'll be watching this thread to see if anyone has any more thoughts....

[TzippityDoulah]

Originally Posted by sattygirl99

I can understand you're in pain but really, you're blessed to have too much. As a mom who has too little, I'd give anything to have an oversupply, even if it meant pain and discomfort.

Maybe you could relieve some of the pain by pumping and donating your milk to a local mom in need?

I don't think there is a real 'cure' for hyperlactation... They say chiropractic helps but you may want to consider pumping and donating... Put your extra milk to good use!

Good luck!

Dear well-meaning mother:

this is a VAST misunderstanding of the problem. It's not just "uncomfortable" for the mom... it's very unhealthy for the baby. most babies end up sick or hospitalized b/c of chronic pain, esophageal tearing, hypertonic issues, chronic ear infections, and chronic gastric pains and complications. if you only knew how much the children suffer from severe cases. My child spent her baby years in constant pain from one or all of these problems. she was not just colicy - she was severely sick.

I assure you, you wouldn't rather have a baby with these problems.

Keep in mind, I could SO easily say I'd rather be you b/c then all I'd have to do was supplement and then my baby would be happy. but I give you the benefit of the doubt that it ain't that easy. and I doubt having to little is much better than having too much. so please, do give US that benefit too ok?

[pbjmama]

Originally Posted by sattygirl99

I can understand you're in pain but really, you're blessed to have too much. As a mom who has too little, I'd give anything to have an oversupply, even if it meant pain and discomfort.

Maybe you could relieve some of the pain by pumping and donating your milk to a local mom in need?

I don't think there is a real 'cure' for hyperlactation... They say chiropractic helps but you may want to consider pumping and donating... Put your extra milk to good use!

Good luck!

The OP is very clear she is needing support and/or information on the cause of hyper-lacation.

Pumping can cause increased supply and many mothers in this situation find that their milk does not contain much fat because it is more difficult to get the hind milk. Not so great to donate.

[EdnaMarie]

nak

Subbing. I was leaking until 13 months w/#1. This one I have block-fed from day 2! Also wore a bra which was a bit tight, so actually nearly bound my breasts for the first few days. However seems to have reduced supply to some extent although she suffers more than baby #1 did. Reflux, gas, etc. Still on 4 hour blocks but if she is gaining well at her 2-week we will go to 6 hrs.

I was wondering with me if it might be hyperthyroidism? I do not have PCOS and periods are normal but lochia lasted for 6 weeks last time. But I have other hyperthyroid symptoms and it runs in my family (thin, acne, some hair loss, nervousness...). All thyroid tests have been normal BUT- they were done during pregnancy and apparently a lot of people go hypOthyroid at that time so it could have masked it.

Other possibility- did anyone else have pitocin to stop PP bleeding after labor? Doesn't that initiate supply to some extent? I had pit with both babies, as well as cytotec w/#2 (there was a LOT of bleeding).

Re: Meat- I eat only organic. No hormones. Have done so pretty consistently for 3 years. Same w/milk.

HP, my supply does not sound as bad as yours but I was wondering the same thing. Like, this is NOT normal, is it pathological? Why does my body think I have three babies???

[sattygirl99]

Originally Posted by pbjmama

The OP is very clear she is needing support and/or information on the cause of hyper-lacation.

Pumping can cause increased supply and many mothers in this situation find that their milk does not contain much fat because it is more difficult to get the hind milk. Not so great to donate.

I dunno about that... My one donor pumps 30 oz in a sitting and her milk is just fine. She just has to mix it all together before she freezes it.

I thought my post was pretty tactful. Excuse me for offering a solution to her having more milk than she needs for her babies.

I also suggested chiropractic care as a solution for hyperlactation but obviously no one read that.