What To Do If I Produce Too Much Breast Milk?
In its perfection, nature has given women the gift of producing the ideal food for the development of their babies. Its production flow will change according to the needs and even the emotional state of the mother.
One of the most common concerns among newly delivered women is when they have trouble breastfeeding their babies. Assail them questions such as: “ P roduzco much milk, what can I do?”. The greater the baby’s demand, the more milk our body will create to meet the demand. But, on some occasions, the production is excessive.
At this point, you might wonder: how do you know if I am producing too much breast milk? The first symptom is engorgement of the breasts. But there are other not-so-obvious signs of what could become a health problem for the mother.
How do I know if I am producing too much breast milk and what to do to control the excess?
After the milk has come in, there may be a sudden and perhaps painful discharge. This, in addition to the blockage of the ducts or breast infections, is another of the symptoms that indicate that your food production goes beyond the amount demanded by the creature.
When too much breast milk is produced, the breasts remain hard and the feeling that they are still full persists even after breastfeeding is finished. In addition, the baby may show signs that things are not going well when he refuses to feed from the breast, has spit up, or has green secretions.
If you feel identified with what we have mentioned above, then you should follow these recommendations:
- Place a warm, damp washcloth on your breasts for a few minutes before each feed of your baby.
- Gently massage the breasts towards the nipples before and during feeding.
- Wear a support bra at all times to avoid overstimulation from movement of the breasts.
At the time of feeding your baby, you must adopt a correct posture, the suction and stimulation of his tongue will indicate to your body how much milk to supply. A bad latching, therefore, could lead to a higher production and a feed that exceeds the amount of milk required. If applying these tips you still notice that your milk production is excessive, express yourself a little with the help of the breast pump. Remember that you can store it.
How can I store breast milk?
If you produce more milk than your baby takes, you can always resort to the storage option. This alternative is ideal for working mothers or who for other reasons must spend many hours a day separated from their little ones.
Expressing with a breast pump or, if you prefer, by hand, should take place at the same time that you usually breastfeed. Also, the milk should be refrigerated as soon as possible in a sterile container. It is important to put the date and time of extraction on the containers where the food has been stored. Thus, the newest can be placed at the bottom of the refrigerator. In this way, the one that has been stored the longest will be consumed first.
Attention should be drawn to the fact that once we take breast milk out of the refrigerator, we cannot refrigerate it again. Therefore, it is recommended that each container contains small amounts (between 60 ml and 120 ml), so that only the necessary portion will be heated. If, despite this, there is excess, it must be discarded.
How should refrigerated expressed breast milk be used?
When breast milk is expressed and subsequently refrigerated, a variation in its color is very likely to occur. It will depend on the foods that the mother eats and, fortunately, it does not have to be a cause for concern. It is also normal to observe the separation of the fatty parts of the same at the top of the container.
Under no circumstances should we liquefy or shake breast milk with excessive force to homogenize it. Moving the container carefully from one side to the other will be enough for the fat to integrate again. We have up to 24 hours after removing the portion from the refrigerator to give it to the baby.
Breast milk banks
If you produce more breast milk than you need, you can donate the surplus to specialized banks located in maternity hospitals or health care centers. In these places, it is collected and preserved so that it can be given to babies whose mothers cannot breastfeed. For this, you must attend one of these institutions where you will have a medical check-up beforehand.
To donate, you must express your milk at home, freeze it and, finally, take it to the bank. All donations are tagged with the date and time of the withdrawal. In this way, the breast milk that you produce in excess will help improve the quality of life of another baby who does not have such beneficial food.
