The Often Under Recognized Problem of Oversupply

With most new moms worrying about making enough milk for their babies, the problems that accompany oversupply are not often addressed. Oversupply (or hyperlactation) is simply when you make more milk than your baby requires. Now of course, a little extra milk at the right time if it supports your needs is not usually a problem. But this article isn’t about that. It’s about the common and often misdiagnosed issues that can accompany oversupply.

A couple of important things to note before moving on:

● It is normal to have full breasts or extra milk in the beginning before your supply has settled

into a “supply and demand” system and is more regulated.

● What moms do during the first few days (and weeks) can impact supply months down the

road for better or worse.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much to accidentally support oversupply, especially for those prone to it. Oversupply is so much more common in our culture because we are fixated on both feeding the baby as well as the freezer. In fact, it’s often socially encouraged and lots of anxious moms create an oversupply to stash “just in case” milk. This can be a waste of milk and time pumping for many, but for some making more milk than their baby needs can cause larger unintended problems.

Signs that can mean your baby is drinking too much too fast and may be impacted by oversupply include:

● Chronically full/uncomfortable breasts beyond initial period (meaning baby is growing and

instead of settling into the balanced amount, your body continues to make make make)

● Chronic plugged ducts or mastitis

● Forceful or fast let down

● Persistent leaking of milk between feedings

● Baby gulps or chokes when your milk lets down and they may arch or come off the breast

frequently due to it (you may have even sprayed your baby in the face or the chair with milk

during these moments...)

● Shallow latch

● Funky sucking patterns

● Spitting up after feeds

● Excessive gas

● Explosive or watery stools

● Green frothy stools

● Diaper rash or raw around the anus due to constant stooling

● Very fast infant weight gain

● Frequent fussiness or discomfort

● Difficult to soothe

You may notice that many of these signs overlap with other underlying infant issues such as GERD, food allergies, aerophagia (swallowing lots of air with feeds), suck-swallow-breath discoordination, or colic. Maternal symptoms like mastitis can also be caused by factors other than oversupply (check out this article for updated information on mastitis and possible causes).

Causes of oversupply can be multifaceted and layered. They can be self induced, hormonal, or be a result of your unique predisposition to make lots of milk.

Some common actions mothers take in an effort to support a robust supply, that can accidentally create oversupply are:

● Pumping too soon after birth when baby is feeding well and frequently already

● Early use of suction based milk collectors (e.g. the Haaka)

● Over-pumping in general

● Responding to all infant cues with more feeding, even when they are uncomfortably full (this

is tricky because they may temporarily calm with more sucking and appear to be cueing for

a feed)

● Trying to turbo boost your supply with lactation herbs/supplements could impact some

mothers

Oversupply can be very detrimental to the postpartum experience by reducing sleep even beyond normal expectations and adding stress and discomfort to the baby and parents. Mothers dealing with the oversupply can have an extremely difficult and exhausting postpartum period. Even when the early days start off in a typical way, symptoms can creep up and last weeks or months. Between trying to meet the needs of an extra fussy (uncomfortable) baby and lack of sleep, it can be difficult to reach out for help. But getting help from the right professional, likely an IBCLC, to determine if oversupply is a factor can be hugely important. It can help to avoid unnecessary dietary restrictions, medications, and other common interventions often recommended to address the list of symptoms above.

Common strategies to address oversupply include block feeding, removing unnecessary pumping or breast stimulation, and protecting infant comfort measures. There are more serious options as well including herbs and medications, though most do not require them with the right routine and a little time. As with anything, it’s important to find the right plan for you and adjust as needed. No one wants to swing from one extreme to another when it comes to their supply so I recommend support if you suspect oversupply as your underlying issue.

I hope this article helps the moms out there who are trying everything to comfort their uncomfortable baby, and didn’t know it was simply this.

Barbara Nelson is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and CCC-SLP with over a decade of clinical experience supporting infant feeding and early development. She combines evidence-based guidance with a compassionate, realistic approach that meets families where they are. As a mom herself, Barbara understands the emotional and practical challenges of the newborn phase. Her work is dedicated to helping parents feel confident, informed, and supported as they care for their babies in real life. Feedingbyjanuary.com