What to do if a lot of milk has arrived. What to do if the mother has little breast milk: lactation crises, drugs that increase lactation. Medications and herbal preparations during lactation

From the very beginning of breastfeeding, women who have no previous experience of breastfeeding, including among relatives or girlfriends, have a lot of questions. The most common of them are the problem, and. But there is one specific problem associated with the state of hyperlactation (excess milk production) or for various reasons. Then the sharp and obvious question arises - how to reduce the volume breast milk, and do it delicately and gently, without harming the health of the breast and baby. There are several different options depending on the specific situation.

When is lactation reduction needed?

If we talk in general about those situations when you need to reduce lactation, these are two big options:

The state of hyperlactation during breastfeeding, when more breast milk is produced than the baby needs, and he cannot suck it all out in a day.
the period and completion of lactation, when it is necessary to curtail the process of milk formation safely and painlessly for the mother.

Tactics regarding both situations are largely similar, but there are some nuances that you should be aware of. In particular, this applies to the intake of certain drugs, including traditional medicine.

Hyperlactation: what is this condition?

Often, young mothers who are breastfeeding their first child believe that there is never enough milk. They read a lot and hear from other mothers about problems with, the whims of the child and the problems of breast rejection. This is seriously alarming and pushes towards the use of various methods of stimulating the production of breast milk. Various drinks, formulations from a pharmacy, herbal tablets to enhance milk production, pumping and frequent application are used. And often this leads to the fact that the breast is literally bursting with milk coming and going, which the child does not suck out. This forces the mother to express the rest of the milk after feeding, which in the end does not improve at all, but only worsens the situation. In breastfeeding, a balance is important, which does not allow both a deficiency and an excess of milk. And with the latter, it’s not even a matter of losing a valuable and useful product, and in the threat of serious complications from the mammary gland.

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Hyperlactation is a condition in which a mother's breasts consistently produce more milk than her baby needs. Many women believe that there is nothing wrong with such a situation, and if there is more milk, the baby will be more full and satisfied. But in reality, this is not entirely true, hyperlactation can threaten a nursing mother with some troubles.

Adjusting the breast to the needs of the crumbs

During the period of breastfeeding, the glands in the mother's breast must constantly produce milk in the amount necessary to fully saturate the child at each stage of its development. The regulation of milk production is carried out by complex neuro-hormonal mechanisms, including the work of the pituitary gland, the cerebral cortex (forming conditioned reflexes) and the hormones of the female body. So, from the moment of the first attachment to the breast immediately after birth, signals from the nipple and areola are sent to the brain that milk synthesis is necessary. The breast, which is completely ready for lactation by the time of birth, due to the release of hormones in the pituitary gland - prolactin in combination with oxytocin, starts the process of synthesis and release of milk. Prolactin controls the synthesis of milk, oxytocin - its stable release from the breast in certain portions, on demand.

Immediately after childbirth, the mechanism is launched in a kind of "test mode" and according to the standard scheme, since the mother's body does not yet understand how much milk the baby needs (or even two at once). Therefore, a lot of milk often arrives at once, and the baby, due to his age and the volume of the stomach, does not immediately suck everything out.

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The arrival of milk is usually formed in 3-4 days, before this period the breast produces colostrum and transitional milk, their volumes are small, but the baby does not need more yet.

During the first approximately 3-4 weeks, the body of the mother and child mutually adjust to each other, and there may be various options regarding the volume of milk, both small shortages and excesses with leakage from the breast. This is normal, the process of breast adaptation and adjustment of mechanisms is underway until the period of mature lactation. By the end of the first month of life, the process of breastfeeding is already on certain rolled rails, and milk production is already at the “supply-demand” level.

Such an ideal lactation mechanism is adjusted only if the child is fed on demand and exclusively breastfed, including at night. At the same time, bottles, pacifiers are not used to calm the baby and replace the mother's breast. In addition, this condition is typical for those cases if the mother does not artificially attempt to increase lactation (teas, lactation preparations, pumping).

The first crisis of hyperlactation: physiological

There are certain periods of lactation when excess milk production is possible and expected, these are the so-called physiological stages of hyperlactation. In order for them to pass without health problems, you need to know about them, behave correctly and not panic.

During the formation of lactation, swelling and engorgement of the breast may occur, which is often called " milk fever ". This is a sharp arrival of milk against the background of still relatively weak sucking and emptying of the breast by the child himself. As a result, the breast becomes very filled with milk, becomes dense and painful, the temperature may rise, and when trying to express the breast, the milk is separated with difficulty. This can be very scary for an inexperienced young mother who thinks she has a problem.

All mothers go through a period of breast swelling, it is important not to panic, often apply the crumbs to the breast, do not try to actively and strongly depress the breast, including with the use of a breast pump. As sucking is established, all these phenomena disappear, the baby quickly empties the breast, and peculiar protective mechanisms are activated.

In the mammary gland, as it is filled, a special inhibitor is synthesized, which sends signals to the brain areas to stop lactation, if in the chest long time a lot of milk. Against the background of its release, after about a couple of days, milk begins to stand out exactly in the volume that is necessary to saturate the child.

It is not necessary at this time, while the breast is pouring, to express milk, especially in large volumes. This eliminates the influence of the inhibitor, signals are sent to the brain to produce milk, since it is actively removed from the breast.

The second crisis of hyperlactation: nursing mistakes

Often, women themselves create the conditions for hyperlactation with their wrong actions. While the baby is still very tiny, the process of breast sucking does not take so long, the little one falls asleep at the breast a few minutes after the start of feeding. Mom believes that he did not suck out all the milk, and after she fed the baby, she still expresses additional milk with her hands or with a breast pump. This leads to stimulation of the breast and sends signals to the brain about the production of milk, because it has been removed from the breast. At subsequent feedings, the volume of milk increases due to brain impulses, and the situation repeats itself. The baby didn’t suck everything out, mom decanted. Due to such actions, it is possible to end up with serious hyperlactation with the formation of congestion and turning into lactation.

The brain believes that a lot of milk is needed, but in fact the child does not suck it all out, it remains in the chest, stagnates inside the ducts, causing breast engorgement and bursting. There are painful areas of stretched and inflamed ducts. Penetration through the nipple into the gland of microbes, especially if there are chafing or - this is the path to mastitis.

A lot of milk with HB: how to reduce the amount

If the mother has already "pricked" herself hyperlactation, it is worth gradually eliminating the problem so as not to suffer from painful lactostasis. It is important to put the baby to the breast more often, moving away from the practice of pumping. H o if there is a lot of milk, you can’t immediately refuse to express, you need to reduce its volume, gradually replacing pumping with sucking the baby. It is also important to refuse any lactose fees. The most difficult thing is to overcome your own fear and psychological dependence on teas and pumping, to realize that even without these actions, the child will have enough milk.

The child himself is much better than any breast pump and tea for lactation, stimulates the arrival of milk through active emptying of the breast and sucking. It is important that the baby stays at the breast for as long as possible so that he can get to the hind, more high-calorie and fatty milk. It is possible, during long breaks in feeding, to strain the breast only so that a feeling of relief is formed, in order to relieve tension in the gland.

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You can regulate the volume of milk due to the “breast duty”: feed the child with each gland in turn, no matter how many times it is applied for about 2-2.5 hours, then change the breast.

The state of congenital hyperlactation

A rare variant of hyperlactation is a congenital feature of the mother or influences preceding childbirth and pregnancy (hormone treatment, ovulation stimulation, problems of the thyroid gland, ovaries or pituitary gland). In this case, the approach is individual, and often it is pumping in an individual mode that will help. This condition can last for a long time, and the mother will have to adapt to her features.

In the case of such an anomaly, it is worth excluding foods that stimulate lactation from the diet and adjust drinking regimen. Under the ban fall herbal lactic teas, cheeses, nuts and fish, hot drinks. In such cases, mint tea or tea can help to suppress lactation a little, the course leaves an average of 7-10 days.

Departure or absence of the mother: is lactation suppression necessary?

Often there are questions about the suppression of lactation when medical manipulations are necessary, hospitalization in a hospital or when the mother leaves. Lactation consultants say that if it is planned to return the child to breast-feeding, then it is not necessary to carry out measures to suppress lactation. Moreover, it is necessary to stimulate the breast with pumping so that the volume of milk does not decrease. Otherwise, in a few days spent away from the crumbs, milk volumes can drop sharply.

If the separation is long and the baby is already at the age when he can do without breast milk, you can take measures to reduce and suppress lactation.

What can not be done with a decrease and suppression of lactation

The most important thing that cannot be done during lactation is to stop the production of milk abruptly, by violent actions. Such suppression of lactation as tight pulling, bandaging of the breast is dangerous with complications, up to mastitis, the formation of cysts and other lesions of the breast. Against the background of such a barbaric method of suppressing lactation, fever and severe malaise, headaches and painful lumps in the chest are possible. Milk can leak even through tight bandages, and at one moment lactation may simply not choke, and walking with such bandages in the area of \u200b\u200bthe mammary glands for a long time is uncomfortable and unhygienic.

It is not necessary to suppress lactation with the use of various drugs, such as Dostinex or Bromkriptin. They affect hormone metabolism or receptors for them, have a number of side effects, threaten further disorders of hormonal metabolism. They are used in rare cases strictly according to the doctor's prescription, when comparing benefits and harms.

Any other drugs are prohibited (oral contraceptives, herbal mixtures of dubious quality, homeopathic remedies).

What to do at the end of lactation

It is important to gradually phase out pure breastfeeding in favor of other foods for the baby (if it is weaning age and the baby is eating enough complementary foods). When it is necessary to complete lactation with active milk production, it is worthwhile to often strain the engorged breast until it is relieved, which will gradually send signals to the brain for less milk production.

Mint tea or sage decoction, which have the property of suppressing lactation, will be useful. Drinks should be cool (not hot). It is necessary to slightly reduce the amount of fluid consumed (but not to extremes) and temporarily stop using lactogenic products.

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Alena Paretskaya, pediatrician, medical commentator

Very often, women, having waited for the happiest moment in their lives - the birth of a baby, having endured all the hardships of pregnancy and childbirth, face another problem - a lack of milk. As a rule, this is accompanied by panic and a rash transfer to supplementary feeding with artificial mixtures. But such a decision is correct only in some cases, but basically, almost all women can maintain lactation for as long as the baby needs. The main problem is not female body, and in the ignorance of a young woman about what to do if a nursing mother has little milk.

According to WHO, true hypogalactia (the inability of the female body to produce enough milk) is detected only in 3% of women. For others, the problem is temporary and easily fixable.

What signs are most often mistaken for a lack of lactation

Usually, nursing mothers make their most often erroneous conclusions about the lack of lactation on the following grounds:

poor pumping of milk residue from the breast after feeding. But this can also be a physiological phenomenon, in which the breast simply reacts incorrectly to pumping (in the form of a spasm of the ducts), while it does not prevent the baby from sucking milk in sufficient quantities;
soft chest. Here it should be understood that already 1.5 months after the birth of a child, the mother’s breast can only be filled by the beginning of direct feeding (most often this is a “habit” of the body developed while observing the baby’s diet);
small breast size;
disappointing results of control weighing (carried out before and after feeding the baby). Don't forget that in different time the child sucks out a different amount of milk;
anxiety, frequent crying of the baby after feeding (the problem may be hidden in the work digestive system, which is only configurable);
the need for numerous feedings (every 40 minutes, an hour and a half);
long duration of each feeding.

Why milk leaks and which pads are best for breastfeeding

How can you accurately determine that the problem is insufficient lactation

You can make sure that a nursing mother does not have enough milk in one of three ways.

Weekly checkweighing.

This is a more objective option than weighing before and after feeding. At one time, a child can eat from 15 grams to 100 grams of breast milk, so the result cannot be objective, but if the baby has gained at least 150 grams in its own weight in a week, then this already indicates sufficient nutrition.

Counting daily urination.

A newborn up to six weeks old should wet the diapers at least 10 times a day, walk "in the big" 3 times. Pay attention to the color of urine - normally it is pale yellow or colorless.

Monitoring the condition of the baby.

The reason for concern is that the child is lethargic, sucks poorly, urine is dark, weekly weight gain is less than 130 grams, the chest grabs eagerly and draws milk strongly, but does not swallow (outwardly, this can be seen from the wide-open mouth). You can talk about a lack of nutrition if a newborn sleeps more than four hours in the first month, he has an increase in body temperature.

Causes that can lead to a decrease in lactation

There are actually many reasons why a nursing mother has little milk. Very often they are associated with fatigue, poor nutrition of the mother herself, insufficient rest and increased nervousness (at first, the young mother is unreasonably worried and nervous for any, even harmless reason).

Violate the process of breast stimulation attempts to observe the feeding regimen strictly by the hour. Today, doctors do not recommend doing this: you need to give a newborn a breast when he asks. And in the first month it should be from 12 times a day.

Short feeding and supplementation of the newborn with water will also lead to a decrease in lactation, because. the baby simply will not pull out of the chest everything that he is supposed to for full feeding. All attempts to accumulate milk for the next feeding will fail, because the body perceives the rest of the milk in the milk ducts as its overabundance and begins to produce the next portions less.

After mothers begin to give pacifiers to babies or “spare” their crumbs, periodically feed them from a bottle, babies, having satisfied their natural need for sucking, pull their breasts less, which leads to a decrease in milk production.

Mommy's uncomfortable posture, stress during feeding - also affects the lactation process.

Hormonal disorders in the female body, stress, taking diuretics, prolonged separation from the newborn after childbirth - this and much more can be the reason why a nursing mother has little milk.

What should be done to improve lactation

To have more milk from a nursing mother, the first thing to do is:

set up a complete balanced diet women;
ensure a sufficient amount of fluid entering the body of a woman;
make time for your own rest and worry less about it.

No need to constantly worry, be afraid and think that the baby is missing something. Scientists have long noticed on this occasion one interesting fact: in underdeveloped countries with lactation there are much fewer problems than in European ones. But here much attention is paid to this topic by doctors and young mothers. This means that one of the main roles is played not by the standard of living and security, but by the psychological mood of a woman. Try to perceive the feeding of the crumbs as natural, pleasant for mom, useful to the baby process regulated by nature. Just enjoy putting the baby to your chest.

Breast massage for lactostasis: methodology, technique, special exercises, recommendations for nursing mothers

The following dietary adjustments will help increase lactation:

hot dishes should be consumed at least twice a day;
be sure to drink plenty of warm water. Tea with milk helps very well to increase lactation, it can also be a rosehip decoction, dried fruit compote, herbal teas;
despite many restrictions, nutrition should be balanced. Especially recommended are whole grain cereals, protein foods and containing complex carbohydrates, vegetable oil;
it is undesirable to consume sour-milk products in the first month.

If the problem is in the "empty" milk of a nursing mother, attention should be paid to the presence of lactagons in the diet. It: walnuts, cheese, fatty fish, ginger. Some grain spices are useful: cumin, dill, fennel.

In addition to the above, do not forget that it is necessary to feed the child on demand, no breaks of three hours. Night feedings should not be ignored, they are most beneficial for the milk separation process, as it is produced at night largest number prolactin (the hormone responsible for this process). Also be sure to work possible reasons problems with lactation, eliminating them as much as possible.

Now it is not a problem to find information on what to do if you are low on milk. There are a lot of articles on breastfeeding on the Internet about ways to increase the amount of milk, someone will definitely advise supplementing with formula ... In general, there would be a desire - and the problem will be solved one way or another.

But what to do if there is a lot of milk, there is much less information ..

To begin with, generally speaking, a lot of milk is good. The child will be full and healthy, because mother's milk is the best and healthiest food for young children. But sometimes it happens that milk is not just a lot, but a lot. And for a woman, an excess of milk is little better than its lack:

Crowded chest aching and sore
Crowded breasts are highly prone to lactostasis
It is more difficult for a baby to properly latch on to an overcrowded breast, so feeding hurts mom
Milk from a full breast beats in dense streams, the child chokes, swallows air, and then burps, or suffers from a tummy
Milk from an overflowing breast leaks, wets clothes and causes irritation (both to the skin and to the whole mother;))
The breast from excess milk begins to stretch (yes, those terrible stretch marks!)

How to determine if there is too much milk?

The chest is constantly overflowing with milk, hot and like a balloon.
Crowded chest hurts, pain radiates to the armpits
Feeding does not bring significant relief
Milk constantly leaks from the breast drop by drop
When trying to express, milk either does not stand out, or it beats from the chest in tight jets

Why is there too much milk?

Basically, problems begin with young mothers in the hospital or in the first days after discharge - milk comes. The causes of hyperlactation (excess milk) can be different. This is both heredity and the efforts of the woman herself, who is worried that there will not be enough milk - in the first days after childbirth there is still no milk, but there is a small amount of colostrum, and "the child is starving." In addition, too much milk happens with hormonal imbalances (more often in the treatment of infertility, taking birth control pills, or with pathologies of the thyroid gland, ovaries or pituitary gland).

Basic Mistakes

First of all, we list the most logical at first glance, but the least effective (or even exacerbate the problem!) Measures taken by inexperienced mothers who have too much milk.

Limit drinking - if the body has already "wedged", and the brain receives a signal "to produce a lot of milk", the matter cannot be corrected by restricting fluid - there will be no less milk, but dehydration of the body can be obtained.
Reduce lactation hormonal drugs, especially without the recommendation of a specialist - you can easily overdo it and stop milk production for good, ruin your figure, and just get hooked on hormones. Such a measure is possible, but only after passing the appropriate tests, identifying violations and consulting with a specialist (or better with several!).
Express all the milk - the more milk we express, the more it comes the next time.
Pulling the breast - such a measure will not particularly affect the amount of milk, and it can easily provoke lactostasis.

What to do?

What to do if you have a lot of milk?! In most cases, it is quite possible to self-adjust lactation without resorting to specialists. If you act correctly, then the loss of milk does not threaten you, but you will learn to cope with the "milk rivers" and will be able to feed calmly without experiencing discomfort. Here they are, competent actions if you have a lot of milk:

Feed the baby one breast at a time - if it is usually recommended to give first one breast and then the second in one feeding, then if you have a lot of milk, the baby will be completely full from one breast. Lactation consultants even advise giving one breast several feedings in a row (within 2-3 hours, in rare cases up to 6 hours if the second breast withstands such an execution).
Monitor the child's grip - if the grip is incorrect, the baby does not get to the back, more fatty milk, and the front, sweet, is quickly absorbed, and the baby asks to eat again, stimulating additional milk production.
If the baby cannot take a full breast, or takes, but chokes, it is worth expressing some milk before starting feeding to make it easier for the baby.
If the baby is choking on milk, swallowing air and spitting up profusely, feed him in an upright or semi-upright position. The trick is that the head of the child is above his stomach, then the air comes out on its own, without causing inconvenience to the baby, and the milk is better absorbed. You can even feed a newborn in an upright position, either in the usual “cradle” position, lowering the legs lower, or in a self-attachment position, when you are reclining on your back, the child lies on your stomach and takes the breast in this position.
If milk is leaking from the second breast, you can either close the nipple with your finger for 1-2 minutes (after that the milk will stop flowing by itself), or substitute a glass under the stream of milk, or put an absorbent pad in the bra.
If after feeding you do not feel relief, it is quite possible to express a little milk until you feel relief (not all the milk from the breast, but only so that the breast stops bursting!).
Pumping to a feeling of relief is also a measure to prevent lactostasis - your task is to develop the breast so that if a lot of milk comes in, it does not burst the chest, but leaks (you must admit, it is easier to put a special absorbent pad for milk in your bra than to decante lactostasis with pain, tears and temperature).
To alleviate the general condition, it is good to put a cabbage leaf or a cool compress on the chest.
Refuse hot drinks - hot drinks stimulate hot flashes. You need to drink according to thirst, even if you have a lot of milk, but drinks should be at room temperature, and it is advisable to drink no more than 2 liters per day (average daily fluid intake).
Refuse food that stimulates lactation (nuts, fish, chicken, rice, cheese and cheese), or at least reduce its amount.
Gradually try to reduce the pumping to nothing.

How to express properly?

Expressing milk is not as easy as it seems. Inept pumping can damage the mammary glands. Therefore, we learn to express correctly.

First you need to calm down and relax as much as possible. Then it is important to prepare the chest: warm it with a warm compress (a piece of cloth soaked in warm water), or a warm shower, and also do a light massage (support the chest with one hand, and gently massage it in a circle with light tapping movements of the fingertips without squeezing and without stretching).

Pumping itself is done either manually or with a breast pump. The choice depends on your own convenience. Personally, at one time I could not do anything with my hands overcrowded breasts, and a manual breast pump dealt with this problem quickly and painlessly.

If you use a breast pump, it must be sterilized before each use, or at least doused with hot water if you are not going to use expressed milk.

If you express with your hands, they must be clean. If you plan to store and use expressed milk, collect it in a sterile container. With one hand you support the chest, large and index fingers place the other hand along the outer edge of the areola, or 2 cm from the nipple above and below. Next, rhythmically squeeze the nipple with two fingers, and then release, but so as not to hurt yourself. Gradually move your fingers around the nipple in a clockwise direction until all breast lobes are freed from milk. But in no case do not squeeze the chest too much and do not pull it back so as not to damage the ducts! The entire pumping should not take more than 10 minutes.

Milk expressed in a sterile container can be stored for 10-14 hours at room temperature, up to 2 days in the refrigerator and up to 7 days in the freezer. At the same time, milk retains all its beneficial properties.

These measures are in most cases enough to solve the problem if you have a lot of milk. If you see that the situation is getting out of control, it is worth consulting with a professional breastfeeding consultant.

Breastfeed with pleasure!

Signs of too much milk

Excess milk is especially relevant in the first 12 weeks of the baby. Mom almost always has heavy, “poured” breasts, and many complain about the almost non-passing leakage of milk from the breast. The milk ducts may not empty properly, hence the frequent engorgement and swelling of the entire breast or its individual segments, which sometimes leads to stagnation and inflammation.

In such "milk" mothers, children often behave very restlessly. They are almost constantly on the chest, but at the same time they burp a lot and profusely. The stool in such babies is plentiful, watery and greenish. They have excellent weight gain (even more than the “normative” 15-30 grams per day), although they ask for breasts so often that it seems to many mothers: “there is not enough milk”. Not only frequent and indiscriminate feedings exhaust the mother, but also the very behavior of the child at the breast: the baby chokes on milk, starts to suck and throws the breast, or “moves out” on the nipple, biting it. It is very difficult to teach a baby to take the breast correctly and painlessly at such moments.

It would seem that a lot of milk is not enough, live and rejoice. Moreover, usually by the age of 3-4 months the process of milk production is established by itself: the flow is not so strong, the flow of milk is not so plentiful, and the baby has grown up and copes better. But you can try to alleviate the situation, both for mom and baby, right now.

Why is too much milk bothering the baby?

To begin with, let's figure out what exactly causes such symptoms in a baby? They are caused by a disproportionately high intake of low-fat "forward" milk. This is exactly the milk that accumulates in the breast between feedings. In a normal situation, it goes to the baby at the very beginning of feeding, and then more and more particles of fat are added to it, which come off from the alveoli (the place where milk is produced). The longer the feeding lasts, the more fat gets to the baby. That is, the fat content of milk increases depending on the time of feeding. If the breast is constantly filled with milk, a lot of this watery “forward” milk manages to accumulate in it, and the baby, applying often and for a short time to one or the other breast, only sucks this milk. In his intestines enters relatively a large number of sugar (lactose) and a relatively small amount of fat. Normally, fat slows down the digestion of lactose. When there is little fat, the body simply does not have time to break down lactose (a special protein, lactase, is responsible for this). Fermentation, rumbling in the tummy and gaziki are provided to the baby. The child behaves as restlessly as in colic; and sometimes another diagnosis is heard: “lactase deficiency”. about lactase deficiency and baby can be read in the article www.site/blogs/post/22124611-18373677/

Kelly Bonjata gives an interesting analogy that helps to better understand what is foremilk and hindmilk. The breast constantly produces milk, but the composition of the milk changes during feeding. The transition from "forward" to "back" milk is gradual. The longer the baby suckles, the more milk he receives, which is richer in fat than the milk at the beginning of feeding. Imagine that you turn on the hot water tap, but for some time it still runs cold, which gradually becomes warmer. Similarly, the fat content in milk gradually increases.

Everything is good in moderation. How to deal with excess milk?

All of these symptoms can be greatly reduced with just a few changes to the feeding schedule. Our goal is for your baby to get as much full-fat milk as possible. The experience of many mothers shows that this is easy to achieve in the following ways:
Allow your baby to COMPLETELY empty one breast before offering the other. This means that you do not limit the time the baby is at the breast, and try not to change the breast during feeding. Look at the baby, whether he has finished actively sucking or not, whether he dozed off or not.
Within the same feeding, even if the baby has stopped suckling for a while, continue to offer the same breast. Or use the "squeeze" technique, massaging and gently squeezing the milk from the breast into the baby's mouth.
Don't worry if your baby has only eaten from one breast during one feeding. This is fine. If there is pain in the second breast, apply a cold compress to it or express a little milk. The cold will reduce the swelling and soothe the pain, as well as slightly slow down the circulation in the area, all of which will slow down the production of milk a little.
Try to express milk as little as possible so as not to stimulate its production.

Additional Tricks

If all these measures did not give any significant results, and there is still a lot of milk, then it is recommended to change the breast even less often. For example, feed only from one breast for 2-3 hours. In rare cases, this interval is increased up to 6 hours. Help your "resting" breasts in the same way as described above: cold compresses, gentle massage, and minimal pumping. Feeding in this mode will allow you to notice in a few days that the baby is calmer during, after and between feedings. Most likely, having begun to receive more fatty milk, the baby himself will begin to increase the intervals between feedings (and mothers are waiting for this so much!). After all, the foremilk was digested very quickly, which is why he asked for food so often again and again.

But sometimes the mother has so much milk that even long feeding “on the one hand” does not help. Such mothers can be helped by cabbage compresses, taking a decoction of sage or special preparations (antihistamines).

As soon as the situation begins to change for the better, return to your normal feeding schedule, but remember that the second breast is offered ONLY after the baby has emptied the first.

Often mothers spend a lot of time and energy to breastfeed their baby. And sometimes the reverse situation is when there is too much milk.

For moms struggling to breastfeed, it may seem strange that excess milk becomes a problem. They did not encounter such disadvantages when the breast is full, and the baby does not think to crumble, when it hurts to raise a hand before feeding, when you can wake up in a puddle of milk, and special pads for a nursing mother are not suitable. The joy of breastfeeding is overshadowed when, after feeding the baby, there is still a lot of milk left that has nowhere to go.

It is not required to express if the regimen is normal, the child is constantly next to you, and at his request you feed him. If you start expressing, then there will be no less milk. On the contrary, its number may increase. The prospect of round-the-clock constant milking is not very attractive.
To avoid congestion in the breast, use a milk collector. It will reduce pain.
If there is no strength to endure, and in the near future there is no way to feed the baby (for example, the child is fast asleep), then try standing under a hot shower. You can also take a bath, but in this case you need to be very careful if the postpartum discharge has not stopped. As a result, under the influence of hot water, the ducts will open, and the milk will flow out by itself. In addition, hot water is light and effective method speed up milk production.

What not to do to reduce lactation

Regarding the liquid: it does not make sense to drink less, since the liquid, first of all, goes to the production of milk. Therefore, if you limit drinking, you may first experience problems with the stomach and urinary system, which already work with a vengeance during pregnancy. Only after that the amount of milk will decrease. It is recommended to drink cool or warm drinks, but not hot ones, as the latter cause a rush of milk.
It also makes no sense to limit yourself in food. The appetite of nursing mothers is healthy, so you should not fight it. You can only end up with problems with teeth and hair. Observe proper diet: instead of cereals, you need to eat more vegetables and vegetable salads, arrange snacks with cheese or fruit. Also, you should not exclude healthy food because of fear allergic reaction. It is enough not to give the baby those foods that his relatives are allergic to. Over time, you should introduce products and look after the child, how he will react to them (whether a rash or gas will appear).

What to do with excess breast milk

With an excess of milk, special pads for nursing mothers do not always cope. If the package ends quickly, and the clothes are wet all the time - do not despair. Use regular hygiene bags. Choose medium thickness pads without wings (or cut them). Cut them into several pieces (depending on the thickness) and use these pieces to protect your clothes from getting wet.
If the milk container fills up quickly and milk spills on you and your baby when you tilt or walk quickly, you can put a piece of a regular pad instead of small foam inserts. It will be dry and comfortable.
While you are breastfeeding with one breast, put a diaper on the other. Later, it will come in handy in your absence: dad or grandmother can use it to imitate the presence of mom. You can also use a breast pump or a milk collection cup that you can use to feed your baby if the mother is not around.
A padded bra should be used during sleep (especially if the baby sleeps through the night without a rouse). If your sleep is calm, you can put a diaper or an unnecessary terry towel to your chest. In principle, nursing mothers are advised to sleep in a bra, but not everyone is so comfortable and convenient. Another way out of the situation is to lay an oilcloth under the sheet. But in this case, the sheet will ride on it. You can put a blanket under the sheet, but then you have to wash it. Choose the most comfortable option for you.
If milk began to flow out while communicating with your husband, do not be embarrassed. Treat this with humor. Do it in a way that is comfortable for you: you can leave the bra on, or you can take it off - this will add variety to your intimate life and give you funny moments.
If the milk began to flow out, but there is nothing to attach, then you need to compress the areola in such a way that the milk has nowhere to flow. In this case, within a minute it will cease to stand out.
When feeding, try to give first one breast, and then the other. For example, you can try this regimen: feed with one breast, then stay awake for a while (half an hour-1.5 hours), then feed with the other breast and put to sleep for 4-5 hours.
The child should not be limited in the duration of feeding and in the intervals between them.
The most important thing that any nursing mother needs to do is to teach the baby to take the breast correctly: not by the nipple, but by its circumference. In this way, the formation of cracks can be reduced, and, therefore, painful sensations during feeding can be prevented. If the breasts are too full, you can massage them to express some milk. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the child to capture the areola. But it is better to use a breast pump for this.
Remember this: excess milk is not a problem. Be glad that you don't have problems with lack of it. Over time, you will feel better. Rejoice that during night feedings you do not need to run to prepare the mixture, bottle feed. In the case of the second child, the amount of milk to meet the needs of the baby is achieved faster.
So look at everything positively. Let breastfeeding be your only joy.

website 2017-02-09