How to Cope With an Overabundant Milk Supply When Breastfeeding

Some women actually produce too much breastmilk while nursing.

When starting to breastfeed, some women find that they have too much breastmilk. If your newborn seems to choke and gasp as he nurses, you make be producing too much breastmilk for him to swallow comfortably. This overabundance can also create embarrassing leaking problems. You may be producing too much milk right now but it is likely that your body will become in sync with your baby's needs and you will soon begin to produce that right about of milk for your baby. In the meantime, below are some tips for dealing with an overabundant milk supply when breastfeeding your newborn.

Things You'll Need

• Nursing pads
• Breast pump

Instructions

1. Remove your baby from your breast for a minute. When a baby first begins to nurse, if she is gasping and choking, remove her from your breast for a moment. The beginning rush of breastmilk may be too much for your baby to handle. Wait until the flow has reduced to a slow stream and try putting your baby back to your breast.

2. Let your baby nurse from only one breast per feeding. Your breast will be drained more completely. Also, your baby will have to deal with the first heavy flow only once per feeding instead of twice.

3. Position your baby so that she is sitting up more. This may permit her to allow the overflow of milk to trickle out of her mouth while she is nursing.

4. Apply gentle pressure to your areola while nursing. This may help to slow the flow of breastmilk, especially when your baby first starts feeding.

5. Try sitting back a bit or even try lying on your back while nursing. Nursing against gravity may help to slow down the flow of breastmilk.

6. Pump your breast a little before each feeding. This will eliminate the initial, heavy flow of milk before your baby begins to nurse.

Tips & Warnings

• It is possible that you will produce an overabundance of milk the entire time that you breastfeed. As your baby gets older, becomes more active and begins to eat more, it is very likely that she will learn to cope with the heave flow of breastmilk on her own.

• If you are having trouble with leaking, always wear nursing pads in your bra. This will prevent any embarrassing situations while you are away from home.

• Do not decrease your fluid intake in an attempt to produce less milk. Fluid intake has no direct relationship with the amount of milk that you produce. Drinking less will only cause problems for you.