Friday, May 22, 2015

Dealing with Hyperlactation during breastfeeding



Dealing with Hyperlactation during breastfeeding
What is Hyperlactation?
Hyperlactation is a term that refers to over-abundant production of milk from the mammary glands. The milk thus produced exceeds the daily dietary requirements of the baby. Hyperlactation may make it difficult for babies to feed as the milk flows through in a rapid and forcible manner – this may prevent a proper latch-on, and can also induce gag reflex in infants. Spontaneous leaking or spraying of milk even between nursing sessions is a prominent indicator of Hyperlactation.
How can you tell if your breasts are producing an over-abundant supply of milk?
Hyperlactation has a number of different indicators. The most prominent ones include spontaneous leaking of milk from the nipples, heavy or full breasts, painful letdown, soaked breast pads, engorged breasts, plugged ducts, and in some cases, mastitis.
The baby will also exhibit signs of discomfort such as pulling away from the breast during nursing sessions, clamping tightly on your nipples (perhaps in an attempt to stem the fast and forcible flow of milk), gagging, or acting fussy. Weight gain can either be higher or lower than normal.
Why does Hyperlactation occur?
There are a number of reasons behind the over-abundant production of milk seen in certain breastfeeding women. Pumping too frequently during the day may be one of the reasons because this may give a cue to the body to produce more and more milk. Pumping milk between nursing sessions has been helpful to many in enhancing and improving supply, but doing it too frequently can actually lead to over production.
According to human anatomy facts, the breast contains 100,000 to 300,000 alveoli (small glands that produce milk), and women that experience hyperlactation generally have the upper limit value.
Hormonal imbalances can also affect the overall milk production in the breasts by either enhancing it above, or reducing it below the normal levels.
How can the issue be overcome?
If you have experienced all or some of the signs that point towards Hyperlactation, then it is time you booked an appointment with a lactation expert. Lactation consultants specialize in issues and disorders related to breast milk production, and will be able to guide you in the right path.
Your doctor may advise you to hand express or pump prior to every nursing session in order to control and normalize the flow before your child begins feeding. This will effectively reduce the letdown pain, and allow your child to enjoy a discomfort and tantrum-free mealtime. You can prevent gag reflex in your baby by adjusting the breastfeeding position; simply make your little one sit up, directly facing the breast during nursing session – this has proven to be one of the most useful techniques in coping with hyperlactation.
Make sure you consult a professional lactation expert to understand your problem and its solutions in a better way. Always refrain from trying something different that you read somewhere, and that lacks scientific explanations.   Can find more information about breast-feeding here  http://thesavimom.com/breast-milk-whats-the-big-deal/ or http://thesavimom.com

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