Hyperlactation — breast milk oversupply — can have many causes, including: Breast-feeding mismanagement. Too much of the milk production-stimulating hormone prolactin in your blood (hyperprolactinemia) A congenital predisposition.
Breastfeeding frequently—especially in the first hours, days, and weeks—is the main way to increase your milk supply. Your body will make milk to meet your baby's demand. Try these tips to help you make more milk: Breastfeed every time your baby is hungry.
When your baby suckles, it sends a message to your brain. The brain then signals the hormones, prolactin and oxytocin to be released. Prolactin causes the alveoli to begin making milk. Oxytocin causes muscles around the alveoli to squeeze milk out through the milk ducts.
Pump a little extra: Increase the frequency of your pumping, and make sure your breasts are completely empty after each feeding. Even if your baby isn't hungry, pumping every two instead of three hours for a few days will rev up the body's supply and the “demand” process and produce more milk.
Milk supply usually reaches its peak around four weeks after birth, with most of the increase happening in the first two weeks. If not enough milk is removed during this time, your breasts may end up making less milk than your baby needs.
So, while there's no harm in drinking milk, there's no need to overdo it, especially if you are also having other calcium-rich foods. A varied and balanced diet with foods rich in protein, minerals and vitamins, will help keep your breastmilk supply up.
The first few days: Your breast milk coming in
The hormones will get you on track with starting to produce milk. Around day three after your baby's birth, your breast milk 'comes in' and your breasts may start to feel noticeably firmer and fuller.
Understanding the Role of Prolactin
Interestingly, prolactin levels have a typical 24-hour cycle — just like the human body's circadian rhythm. Prolactin peaks in the early morning hours around 2-5 a.m., while the lowest prolactin levels happen in the late afternoon to early evening.
After 3–4 days of making colostrum, your breasts will start to feel firmer. This is a sign that your milk supply is increasing and changing from colostrum to mature milk. Your milk may become whiter and creamier, but this varies between women. If your milk takes longer to come in, don't worry.
In short, you should pump until milk isn't coming out any more. Or, if you're trying to boost your supply, pump a little while longer after the milk stops flowing.
For many moms, 10-15 minutes of pumping is long enough. Once a week, add up the milk you pump in a 24-hour period. Write it down and compare your totals each week. You'll know right away if your production drops.
Reasons for low milk supply
A history of polycystic ovarian syndrome, diabetes, thyroid or other hormonal disorders. Mums with these conditions sometimes experience a low milk supply. The rare medical condition mammary hypoplasia, in which there isn't enough milk-producing glandular tissue within the breast.
Many of the signs, such as softer breasts or shorter feeds, that are often interpreted as a decrease in milk supply are simply part of your body and baby adjusting to breastfeeding.
Rest and sleep are important to breastfeeding women for keeping up their energy and their milk production.
You'll probably start to get somewhere between 1.5-3 ounces of breast milk out every 2-3 hours. All numbers/amounts are rough estimates and may change over the course of the day. This is totally normal as your body produces the most milk early in the morning.
On average, a woman will make 1-1.5 ounces of breast milk every hour, which means 3-4 ounces every three hours is typical.
Apple is a good source of calcium, iron, folate, and vitamins A and C. As a breastfeeding mom, you need a good supply of all these nutrients. A lack of calcium leads to weak bones and low milk production, as it is a major part of breast milk.
Again, the protein and healthy fats help to give the milk substance and bananas are great for calcium, iron and potassium.
Include protein foods 2-3 times per day such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, nuts and seeds. Eat three servings of vegetables, including dark green and yellow vegetables per day. Eat two servings of fruit per day. Include whole grains such as whole wheat breads, pasta, cereal and oatmeal in your daily diet.
Many breastfeeding moms feel extra hungry, which makes sense: Your body is working nonstop to produce breast milk for your growing baby. Eating several small meals per day, with healthy snacks in between, is a good way to keep your hunger in check and your energy levels high.