Can a baby drink too much breast milk

How Much Breastmilk for Newborn? Overfeeding and Choking While Breastfeeding – Happiest Baby

By Dr. Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP

How Much Milk Does a Newborn Need?

You may find that your baby starts feeding with regularity and zero fussiness. However, if your baby’s feeding habits change to the point where he is wailing and fussing during feedings, then you may have too much breastmilk for your newborn.

Too Much Breastmilk: A Real Life Example

At 7 weeks, Luca began to struggle with feedings. He had always eaten with gusto, but now after 2 minutes he’d arch and wail almost as if he hated being in his mom’s arms. But as soon as he was put down, he confused his poor parents by crying even harder!

Frustrated and demoralized, his mom wondered if her milk supply had dried up. Actually, Marija had plenty of milk—in fact, she had too much breastmilk.

When Luca finished eating—and just wanted to suck for pleasure—Marija’s breasts continued spurting fast little streams of milk. Luca literally had to pull away to avoid choking, but he was in a pickle because he still wanted to suck.

Once Marija began holding her nipple like a cigarette—holding her ring and middle fingers in a V shape starting behind the areola and pressing together—she was able to slow the flow of the milk, and Luca became an easy feeder again.

Baby Choking While Breastfeeding

Some babies love milk so much, they overeat. They guzzle 4-8 ounces at a feed—gulping down a lot of air at the same time—and then vomit it all up. Other babies gobble not out of gluttony, but out of self-protection. Their mom’s milk pours out so fast, they’re gulping and sputtering simply trying not to choke.

Flooding can also happen with bottle-feeding. When the rubber nipple is too soft, or the holes in it are too large, infants can gag like they’re drinking from a running faucet.

How to Know If Too Much Breastmilk Is  an Issue

• Does your milk spray out of one breast when your baby is sucking on the other?
• Does your baby gulp and guzzle loudly?
• Does your infant struggle, cough or pull away as soon as the milk starts to flow into her mouth?

If you answered yes to these questions, try a little experiment to see if the crying stops when you slow the flow: Right before a feed, express one or two ounces out of each breast. Then, holding your nipple between your second and third fingers, like a cigarette, press your fingers inward—toward your ribs—while you feed your baby. Was there less sputtering and struggling? (You can also try nursing lying down—with your baby on top of you—to try to slow the flow.)

Can You Overfeed an Infant?

It is almost impossible to overfeed an infant while breastfeeding. Babies have a self-regulation system that tells them to eat when they’re hungry, and to stop when they’re full. Babies will tell you that they’re full or hungry by turning towards the nipple (begging for more), or by turning away to signal they’re full. If they’re gaining weight and your pediatrician is not concerned, then you don’t need to worry.

About Dr. Harvey Karp

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

What is considered over breastfeeding?

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HIGHLIGHTS:

• Breastfeeding is the best thing for any infant due to the complete nutrition it offers. It helps keep young bodies strong and aids growth, while also strengthening the immune system. The World Health Organization advises that infants feed exclusively on their mother’s milk from birth until 6 months of age.
• Infants overfeeding on breast milk, to the extent that their digestive system cannot function effectively leading to discomfort and vomiting or burping up the milk, is called over breastfeeding. This condition can affect both children who feed on mother’s milk as well as those who feed on bottled milk.
• Over breastfeeding should be suspected where infants show rapid weight gain (normal infant body weight increase is 20–60 grams per day).

Mother’s milk is a valuable source of energy because it is full of vitamins and nutrients that are vital to the lives of every new-born infant. The nutrients contained in breast milk keep them strong, aid growth and strengthen the immune system. Children can be fed exclusively on their mother’s milk from birth until the age of 6 months with no need for any additional nutrition. After the child reaches 6 months, breastfeeding can continue alongside a healthy, balanced diet until 2–3 years of age. Nevertheless, breastfeeding, like anything else, must be undertaken in moderation, because taking on too much can result in a condition called over breastfeeding.

How much breast milk should an infant consume per day?

• On the day they are born, infants should be fed with 1 teaspoon (5 cc) of milk, 8–10 times throughout the day.
• They should consume the same amount of milk on the second day as on the first.
• From day 3 until 1 month, infants should consume 1–1.5 fluid ounces of milk, 8–10 times per day.
• At 1 month of age, infants should consume 2–4 fluid ounces, but the frequency of feeds should be reduced to 7–8 times per day
• Between the ages of 2–6 months, infants should consume 4–6 fluid ounces, 5–6 times per day.
• Between the ages of 6–12 months, infants should consume 6–8 fluid ounces, 4–5 times per day.
• After they reach 1 year of age, children should consume 6–8 fluid ounces 3–4 times a day after meals.

What symptoms indicate a child is suffering from over breastfeeding?

• Vomiting, burping milk, regurgitating milk from their mouth or nose, or coughing up milk
• A tight abdomen and severely swollen stomach alongside crying after being breastfed
• Refusing to drink anymore milk and looking in discomfort despite starting the feed with no issues
• Rapid weight gain (infants normally put on 20–60 grams of weight per day
• Experiencing no other symptoms of illness that could otherwise cause vomiting, burping milk, stomach pain or crying out

Drawbacks associated with over breastfeeding

Infants suffering from over breastfeeding will vomit, burp milk, have a tight abdomen, feel uncomfortable, and cry after feeding. These symptoms can cause anxiety in parents, who may wonder whether those symptoms are indicative of a more serious medical condition.

How to prevent over breastfeeding

If the child has had enough milk but continues to cry, try to identify what is causing their distress. Infants do not cry only for food at this stage, so try taking them away from the breast, rocking them gently and giving them some attention. Should they continue to cry after this, try using a pacifier that will make them feel like they are still suckling.

Infants can generally adjust to their situation within the first 3–4 months, feeding in suitable amounts thereafter. However, if the child cries out to be breastfed despite already having had their fill of milk, mothers are recommended to use a breast pump to ensure there is minimal milk left in the breast before a feed. This will give the infant a chance to suckle without being overfed.

For new mothers who are still unsure about how best to breastfeed their child, consultations are available at our Lactation Clinic, where experienced doctors can provide advice on the key principles involved with breastfeeding. This includes advice on suitable amounts of milk for your child, because each infant is unique. This advice is invaluable to your child’s development, and can also help to prevent over breastfeeding and other associated health disorders which may follow.

Consult with us at the Lactation Clinic.

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Amornphun Gaensan, M.D.

Pediatrics

Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology

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Too much milk? Reduced lactation

Sometimes you may feel like you are producing too much milk, especially in the first weeks of breastfeeding. After reading our article, you will find out if you really have too much milk, and what can be done to reduce it.

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Breast milk is very healthy, so it's good to have a lot of it, right? However, this is not always the case. Babies can sometimes have a hard time coping with the rapid rush of milk that usually accompanies excess lactation. And mothers who have too much milk often experience discomfort due to the constant leakage of milk and often suffer from mastitis.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to help in this situation. But before you use them, answer two important questions:

Do I really have too much milk?

Some of the symptoms of over-lactation (listed below) may occur for very different reasons. You should not try to reduce the production of breast milk, if you are not sure that it is the overabundance of it that is the main problem. Otherwise, this can lead to the fact that your baby will produce less milk than your baby needs, especially in the critical first month when production is just being established.

Is being overweight a problem for me or my baby?

If you are sure that you have an excess of milk, but this does not cause problems for you and your baby, you do not need to do anything. In most cases, everything returns to normal within the first few months. As the baby grows, he will learn to better cope with the rapid flow of milk and will feed with pleasure.

Leakage is not always a sign of too much milk

During the first four to six weeks of your baby's birth, the level of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production, will rise each time the breast is emptied. In these first weeks, the breast learns to produce milk in the amount that the baby needs, depending on the time of day. Therefore, excessive leakage, rapid filling of the breast, and even splashing of milk during a rush are the norm. ¹

At the same time, your baby is learning to suck and swallow milk, so you shouldn't be surprised if he suddenly coughs or chokes when he suckles.

After about four to six weeks, the spikes in prolactin levels will begin to fade and milk production will become more balanced, adjusting to your baby's needs on a supply and demand basis. ² However, given the many hormonal changes that occur in the body of a young mother, such a restructuring may take some time. In some mothers, milk production is established quickly, in others a little longer.

Behavior of the child, which may indicate an excess of milk

When overproduced, milk is usually released very quickly, especially during the first flush. As a result, the baby may cough or choke at the beginning of a feed, push back, or hold the breast loose in the mouth. The baby may pull away from the chest, frightened by a quick rush, and then cry because he hasn’t eaten. He can swallow milk in large volumes and with a lot of air, and after that he will spit up a lot. Try to be as careful as possible when you help him burp - sudden movements combined with a full tummy can cause the baby to vomit and scare him even more.

At the start of a feed, milk is relatively low in fat and consists mainly of lactose (sugar) and proteins. As the breast is fed and emptied, the fat content constantly increases. In the case of excess milk production, your baby may feel full before he completely empties his breast. This means that he will get a lot of lactose-rich milk, but not enough fat-rich milk that comes towards the end of a feed. Excess lactose instead of a balanced diet can make digestion difficult and cause hard, frothy, and greenish stools.

Oddly enough, in such a situation, the baby may constantly want to eat and behave restlessly between feedings. Despite the high calorie content, the low fat content of milk prevents it from being fully satiated. It is the fat contained in food that gives us a feeling of satiety. What happens if you eat a few dozen rice crackers or a slice of cheese with a cookie instead? You will fill up on cheese faster, as it is more saturated with fats.

However, all these symptoms can be caused by completely different problems, such as reflux, allergies, or even vice versa, insufficient milk production. An excess of breast milk can indeed cause these symptoms, but only if they are accompanied by excessive weight gain. Children usually dial around 900 g per month, but in the case of an excess of milk, they can gain much more, often almost twice as much. ¹ If you feel like you are having too much milk but your baby is gaining weight normally, contact your lactation consultant or your healthcare provider.

Symptoms that may indicate an excess of milk in mothers

Mothers with an excess of breast milk often experience swelling and tightness in the breast, which constantly seems full. ³ As already noted, the leakage of breast milk in the first six weeks does not indicate its excess. However, if this continues at every feeding and after this period, it may be that the problem is in the overabundance.

A baby cannot always empty a full breast, so when there is an excess of breast milk, blockage of the milk ducts or periodic bouts of mastitis often occur. However, these problems can also be caused by other reasons.

How to reduce milk production

If you have found that you have too much breastmilk and this is causing you concern, here are a few simple things that can help. For some mothers, they are enough.

• Try feeding in a relaxed position. Reclining or lying down feeding will allow the baby to better control the process. In this position, the baby sets the rhythm of feeding himself and can always raise his head to take a break if the milk is released too quickly. Don't forget to put a towel over to soak up spilled milk.
• Release pressure. If full breasts make you uncomfortable, try expressing some milk by hand or with a breast pump, but try to express as little milk as possible. Every time you empty your breast, you send a signal to her to produce even more milk. Therefore, pumping provides short-term relief, but with prolonged use, it can only aggravate the situation. If you need to express and store milk to feed your baby when you are not around, it is best to address the problem of excess production first.
• Try bra pads. If you have milk leaks, put special pads or pads in your bra to collect milk* to keep your underwear dry. If your milk leakage is moderate and already decreasing, or your breasts leak slightly during pregnancy, ultra-thin disposable pads will help you feel confident in any life situation.
• Avoid teas and lactation supplements. If you have been drinking teas, eating special biscuits, or taking supplements to improve breast milk production, this should be stopped now to resolve the problem.

"Breast Watch" to reduce milk production

If all the above methods fail, you can try a technique called "Breast Watch", which allows you to better control milk production. However, before trying this method, check with a lactation consultant or healthcare provider.

On breastfeeding, you feed your baby on demand, but only on one breast for four hours. The second breast during this time is strongly filled. Since breast milk contains what is known as a "feedback lactation inhibitor", due to overfullness, the body sends a signal to that breast to slow down milk production. This is a natural way to protect the breast from endless filling.

This technique must be applied for 24 hours, changing breasts every four hours. If the milk does not become less, try increasing the duration of the "watch" to six hours.

Complete emptying and “breast duty” technique

If after another day there is still a lot of milk produced,
you can try another version of this technique, which is recommended in cases of extreme overabundance. It is called "complete emptying and duty of the breast." ³

In this method, both breasts must be completely emptied in the morning with an electric breast pump and breastfeeding should be started immediately. The flow of milk will be weaker and allow the baby to eat calmly. In addition, he will get more fat-rich milk, which comes at the end of feeding, which means he will feel more full.

After that, you can continue the "breast watch" for four hours, as described above. If that doesn't help, try increasing the interval to six, eight, or twelve hours the next day, depending on the extent of the problem. Before using this technique, be sure to consult with your doctor.

You may not need to completely empty your breasts after the first use of this technique, but some mothers have to do this once or twice. Improvement usually occurs within the first two days or a little later, but in no case should "breast watch" be used for more than five days.

Literature

1 Morbacher N. Breastfeeding answers made simple. Amarillo TX , USA : Hale Publishing ; 2010. - Morbacher N., "Simple answers to questions about breastfeeding." Amarillo, Texas, USA: Publishing Hale 0106 et al . Blood and milk prolactin and the rate of milk synthesis in women. Exp Physiol. 1996;81(6):1007-1020. - Cox D.B. et al., Effects of blood and milk prolactin on milk production in women. Exp Physiol. 1996;81(6):1007-1020.