Milk Oversupply & Baby Colic: What You Need to Know

Motherhood depends heavily on breastfeeding because it offers multiple advantages for both infants and mothers. 

The exceptional nutritional content of breast milk supports infant growth and development while delivering protective disease-fighting properties.

Mothers sometimes generate an excess of breast milk that exceeds their baby’s needs resulting in oversupply. An oversupply of breast milk can result in conditions like breast engorgement and leakage and can obstruct milk ducts and disrupt normal breastfeeding which might cause baby colic.

Oversupply of Breast Milk

The condition known as oversupply exists when a mother produces more breast milk for each feeding session than her baby consumes. 

Feeds show an excess amount of foremilk which is the lactose-rich watery milk that flows before the fatty hindmilk during breastfeeding. 

Several problems can develop for both mother and child from the excess milk supply if proper management techniques are not implemented.

Signs and Symptoms of Oversupply

Several signs point to an oversupply condition and one of them is how babies nurse often or have short intervals between feedings because of a quick letdown reflex from breasts that are too full.

During a letdown reflex milk-producing muscles contract to push stored milk towards your nipples so it becomes accessible for breastfeeding (American Pregnancy Association [APA], 2021). Other indicators include:

• Engorgement: Breasts become swollen, hard and heavy typically on waking up or after prolonged periods without nursing.
• Leaking Breasts: Excess milky fluid may seep from breasts making it difficult to wear form-fitting clothes at times.
• Gassy Baby/ Green Frothy Stools: Foremilk has higher lactose levels compared to hindmilk causing gas build-up leading to colic-like symptoms.
• Fussiness during Feeds: The high lactose content of foremilk can cause abdominal discomfort, pain or bloating leading to the baby’s fussiness during feeds.

Causes of Oversupply

There are various reasons why mothers experience oversupply, including:

• Miscalculated demand: Overproduction results when mothers incorrectly assess their baby’s milk needs by miscalculating both feeding frequency and volume.
• Hormonal factors: The hormone Prolactin controls the production of milk in the human body. Frequent breastfeeding or pumping by a mother causes an increase in milk production through biological signals.
• Pumping Habits: Frequent pumping by mothers results in their body producing more milk because they think their babies need extra milk.
• Genetics: Genetic factors impact breastmilk production among certain mothers including those who have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Management Strategies for Oversupply

There are effective management methods available for mothers who face oversupply issues. A few recommended strategies include:

• Switch nursing (also called block feeding): The switch nursing method (also known as block feeding) requires mothers to breastfeed exclusively from one breast per feeding session without alternating breasts within the same session to enable complete drainage of hindmilk and decrease foremilk production (Geddes et al., 2021).
• Hand expression or pumping before nursing: Using hand expression or pumping to remove about an ounce or two of foremilk before breastfeeding helps lower lactose content which results in a slower milk flow and reduces colic symptoms in infants.
• Reducing Feeding Frequency: Feeding your baby less frequently will decrease milk production and minimize engorgement while giving your child necessary time to digest food between feeding sessions.
• Applying cabbage leaves can assist in engorgement management because placing chilled cabbage leaves against your breasts in your bra helps alleviate pain and diminish swelling and inflammation.
• Consultation with a Lactation Specialist: Mothers can get customized guidance from lactation specialists who will help manage oversupply conditions alongside making sure babies receive proper nutrition.

Baby Colic

Doctors use the term colic to describe babies who cry excessively and seem fussy without any identifiable reason. 

Colic occurs frequently among infants with as many as one-third of them experiencing this condition. 

A baby’s first few months post-birth typically feature episodes of crying that last over three hours daily for three consecutive days weekly and often take place during evening or late afternoon periods as the primary symptom of colic.

Causes of Baby Colic

There is no specific known cause attributed to infant colic; however, several factors may contribute to its onset:

• Gastrointestinal problems: Infants experiencing digestive problems like acid reflux or constipation often develop symptoms of colic due to gas accumulation.
• Immature Nervous/ Digestive system: The developmental stage of neonatal digestive systems during the early months of life can lead to difficulties in processing milk which sometimes results in the discomforts linked to colic conditions.
• Overfeeding/Underfeeding patterns:  Infants who either feed too little or excessively tend to develop colicky symptoms.
• Sensory Overload: Excessive stimulation from auditory and visual sources may activate an infant’s nervous system which leads to prolonged crying episodes.

Symptoms of Baby Colic

The main signifier for baby colic is prolonged bouts of crying that last for extended periods often accompanied by other symptoms such as:

• Clenching fists
• Arching Back
• Tightening Abdominal Muscles
• Redness in Face indicating discomfort
• Spitting Up
• Difficulty sleeping

Management Strategies for Baby Colic

Parents often struggle to find management strategies on how to alleviate baby colic’s symptoms. Below are few ways that might help:

• Swaddling: Swaddling involves snugly wrapping a baby in a blanket to provide them comfort through warmth and security while minimizing environmental sensory stimuli.
• Reducing Stimulation: Dimming lights and softening ambient sounds can create a calming environment that helps calm infants by reducing external stimuli.
• Adjust Feeding Habits: Maintain optimal feeding patterns by providing enough food without exceeding necessary amounts. Some infants with colicky symptoms may benefit from having smaller and more frequent feedings.
• Rocking or movement: The gentle rocking motion serves to calm babies by reducing stress levels which facilitates their ability to fall asleep.
• Probiotics and Prebiotics supplements hold potential for reducing digestive system symptoms by improving gut bacteria balance yet conclusive research remains incomplete.

The Connection Between Oversupply of Breast Milk and Baby Colic

Latest research indicates a potential link between breast milk oversupply and the occurrence of colic in infants.

The high lactose levels in foremilk cause rapid stomach expansion which results in gas production and feeding-time distress that contributes to colic symptoms seen in infants.

Using proper feeding techniques combined with appropriate feeding intervals without focusing on increasing milk production helps reduce oversupply problems while decreasing infant GI distress linked to excess foremilk consumption which reduces cases of baby colic.

Conclusion

Optimal health results for both mother and baby depend on breastfeeding.

Mothers frequently encounter situations where their milk supply exceeds their baby’s needs. 

When babies receive an excess of breast milk their feeding patterns can be disrupted which results in colic symptoms including persistent crying and general discomfort.

By learning about the origins and symptoms of these conditions and their management techniques mothers can provide improved care for their infants while experiencing breastfeeding without the issues caused by excessive milk production.

Qualified lactation specialists provide essential support for managing breastmilk production-related issues and infant digestive health complications.