Diagnosis and Management of Breast Milk Oversupply
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J Am Board Fam Med: first published as 10.3122/jabfm.2016.01.150164 on 14 January 2016. Downloaded from CLINICAL REVIEW Diagnosis and Management of Breast Milk Oversupply Lauren Trimeloni, MD, and Jeanne Spencer, MD Managing breastfeeding problems is an essential part of newborn care. While much is written on breast milk undersupply, little is written on oversupply, sometimes known as hyperlactation or hypergalactia. Infants of mothers with oversupply may have increased or decreased weight gain. Some may have large, frothy stools. They may develop a disordered latch. Mothers may report overly full, leaking breasts. Thyroid function should be assessed. Treatment is mostly anecdotal and includes methods to maintain breast fullness, such as block feedings. Pseudoephedrine and oral contraceptive pills may decrease the supply. Dopamine agonists such as carbergoline can be used as a last resort. (J Am Board Fam Med 2016;29:139–142.) Keywords: Breast Feeding; Lactation Disorders; Review, Systematic Managing breastfeeding problems is an essential Literature Search skill for family physicians. Exclusive breastfeeding PubMed Clinical Queries was searched using the provides an optimal start to an individual’s nutri- key search terms hypergalactia, breast milk oversupply, tional life, reducing their lifelong risk of many breast milk oversupply, and hyperlactation. We also copyright. devastating diseases, including obesity, asthma, di- searched Clinical Evidence, the Cochrane database, abetes mellitus, and childhood leukemia and lym- and the CINAL database using the same terms and phoma.1 The American Academy of Family Physi- the reference lists of retrieved articles. Our initial cians and the American Academy of Pediatrics search date was April 2015. recommend exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months, and then continued breastfeeding until at least age Clinical Presentation 1 year for optimal health.1,2 The CDC tracks Although there is a large body of literature on the breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates, as problems accompanying a low milk supply, little http://www.jabfm.org/ 4 well as provider support of breastfeeding, in their has been written concerning oversupply. In addi- Breastfeeding Report Card.3 Maintaining optimal tion, the prevalence of oversupply is unclear be- breastfeeding initiation and duration should be a cause of a lack of diagnostic criteria and research on primary concern of health care providers. Although the topic. Most define oversupply as milk produc- breast milk oversupply occurs rarely and is often tion in excess of that needed for normal growth of the infant.4 Other terms for this include hyperga- underreported, the damage it can cause to the on 28 September 2021 by guest. Protected breastfeeding relationship can be irreparable. lactia or hyperlactation. The term galactorrhea is usu- ally applied only to nonlactating women or men. Early signs of an oversupply can include excessive infant weight gain (Ͼ30 g (1 oz)/day up to age 3 months).5 It is important to use the World Health This article was externally peer reviewed. Organization growth charts when assessing infant Submitted 19 May 2015; revised 30 July 2015; accepted 10 August 2015. weight gain because these are normed with breast- From the Conemaugh Family Medicine Residency Pro- feeding infants.6 Other infants of mothers with gram, Johnstown, PA. Funding: none. oversupply have poor weight gain because of exces- Conflict of interest: none declared. sive exposure to the carbohydrate-rich foremilk and Corresponding author: Jeanne Spencer, MD, DLP, Cone- 7 maugh FMRP, 1086 Franklin St, Johnstown, PA 15905 a lack of fat-rich hind milk. These infants may be ͑E-mail: [email protected]͒. fussy, particularly at the beginning of a feeding, and doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2016.01.150164 Diagnosis and Management of Breast Milk Oversupply 139 J Am Board Fam Med: first published as 10.3122/jabfm.2016.01.150164 on 14 January 2016. Downloaded from have difficulty maintaining a latch. They may cry breastfeeding, having an unhappy, uncomfort- or act averse to the offer of feeding. They may able baby and being in continual pain herself can gulp frequently and break off multiple times dur- quickly lead to a determination that breastfeed- ing a feeding, and then later exhibit signs of ing will not work for her and that formula is a gassiness. Stools may be frequent, large, frothy, better feeding option. and green, especially when the infant is consum- ing inadequate protein-rich hind milk. Infants Differential Diagnosis may develop a disordered latch and move the While breast milk oversupply is often idiopathic, tongue to the tip of the nipple to avoid being it can sometimes (albeit rarely) be a sign of seri- 7 choked by an aggressive let-down reflex. An ous underlying disorders, including pituitary ad- overactive let-down can cause the baby to pull off enomas and prolactinomas.11 Any cause of hyper- and refuse to re-latch, often damaging the moth- prolactinemia, including hyperthyroidism, can 8 er’s nipple. Infants of mothers with oversupply result in a breast milk oversupply (Table 1). Thy- may be misdiagnosed with gastroesophageal re- roid function tests should generally be ordered. 9 flux disease, colic, or milk protein allergies. Interpretation of prolactin concentrations in Mothers with breast milk oversupply may report breastfeeding mothers can be problematic since full, leaking breasts that are not noticeably softened lactation increases prolactin concentrations, with 7 by a feeding. In the presence of a baby who is a wide variation of concentrations among women gaining weight adequately or excessively, excess who are successfully breastfeeding.12 Women leaking should raise the question of an oversupply. with known prolactinomas can often successfully Breast pain, severe engorgement, and painful milk breastfeed.13 Remission occurs in approximately ejection reflexes or let-downs are common. Moth- one third of prolactinomas during pregnancy and ers may report leaking continually between feed- lactation.13 Although retained placenta is usually ings, an ability to pump several ounces after a associated with decreased milk production, a case copyright. feeding, or being awakened at night by painful report described overproduction relieved by the engorgement when the baby seems satisfied and removal of a retained placental fragment.14 Ex- not yet ready to eat. Engorgement persisting for cessive pumping, overuse of galactogogues, and longer than 1 to 2 weeks should raise a question overstimulation by the baby may also result in of oversupply. Nipple trauma resulting from a oversupply4 (Table 2). poor latch may lead to cracked, sore, fissured nipples, increasing the likelihood of breast infec- tions, including infections with Candida.7 Incom- Management Breast milk oversupply is generally caused by plete emptying of the breast can lead to blocked http://www.jabfm.org/ ducts and mastitis, and over time it can produce either breastfeeding mismanagement, hyperpro- 7 chronic mastitis and scarring in the breast tis- lactinemia, or a congenital predisposition. Most sue.7,9 Striae on the skin overlying the breast have been reported.8 Table 1. Causes of Elevated Prolactin Concentrations Mothers experiencing oversupply often report feelings of frustration and loneliness. Breastfeed- Hypothalamic/pituitary stalk damage ing becomes very difficult, and excessive leaking Pituitary disorders on 28 September 2021 by guest. Protected and breast pain make social and professional in- Chronic renal failure Cirrhosis teractions challenging. Having too much milk is Cranial radiation often viewed as desirable, which can lead to in- Polycystic ovary disease adequate support from friends and family, as well Medications as by medical personnel who fail to grasp the Antidepressants 10 severity of the problem. Women may be ad- Antihistamines vised to wean following recurrent bouts of severe Antihypertensives mastitis or after breast abscesses, which may re- quire surgical drainage. Working mothers may Adapted with permission from Melmed S, Casanueva FF, Hoffman AR, et al; Endocrine Society. Diagnosis and treatment of hyperp- lack the time needed for increased pumping. Re- rolactinemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. gardless of a mother’s initial commitment to J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011;96:273–88. 140 JABFM January–February 2016 Vol. 29 No. 1 http://www.jabfm.org J Am Board Fam Med: first published as 10.3122/jabfm.2016.01.150164 on 14 January 2016. Downloaded from Table 2. Differential Diagnosis Breastmilk Oversupply dose may reduce breast milk production by 25% 20 Overuse of galactogogues (level of evidence, 2). Early use of estrogen- Excessive breast-pumping containing oral contraceptives may help reduce Normal engorgement in the early postpartum weeks supply and can be considered when conservative Excessive prolactin* measures fail (strength of recommendation, C). As a final resort, mothers may need use dopamine From ref. 4. agonists such as carbergoline, especially if they *See Table 1. are discontinuing nursing.4,17 interventions available for the treatment of over- References supply are anecdotal and not well studied. 1. American Academy of Pediatrics Work Group on Through complex interactions of prolactin re- Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and the use of human ceptors and the feedback inhibitor of lactation, milk. Pediatrics 2012;129:e827–41. retention of milk within the breast decreases pro- 2. American Academy Family Physicians Breastfeeding duction.7,15 Most interventions