Oversupply: When “Too Much of a Good Thing” Is Just… Too Much

If your letdown could power a lawn sprinkler, your baby is dodging your boob like it's a firehose, and your freezer stash is threatening to unionize, you might be dealing with oversupply (aka hyperlactation).

It sounds like a flex. But for many breastfeeding parents, oversupply is anything but helpful.

It can cause pain, clogged ducts, and mastitis. It can overwhelm your baby with fast letdowns, lead to reflux-like symptoms, and leave both of you frustrated, soaked, and confused. Let’s break down what oversupply is, why it happens, and what you can actually do about it.

Spoiler: It’s not your fault. And you’re not alone.

What Is Hyperlactation (aka Oversupply)?

Hyperlactation means your body is producing more milk than your baby needs. And while that sounds like a “good problem to have,” it can cause real challenges.

Signs of oversupply include:

• Leaking between feeds (and soaking through every bra you own)
• Recurrent clogged ducts or mastitis
• Painful letdowns
• Short, frantic nursing sessions
• Baby gasping, clicking, or choking at the breast
• Green, frothy poop
• Fussiness, spit-up, or reflux-like behavior

This doesn’t mean your body is broken. Most often, it’s a supply and demand mismatch — caused by extra pumping, galactagogues, or overly enthusiastic advice from the internet.

Why Am I Making So Much Milk?

Oversupply can come from a few places:

🍼 Self-Induced: You’re pumping like you’re feeding triplets (been there). This is common when building a freezer stash before returning to work.

🏥 Iatrogenic: A provider (or social media influencer) encouraged galactagogues or “just in case” pumping… and your boobs believed them.

🤷‍♀️ Idiopathic: Sometimes there’s no clear reason. Your body just got the memo to go big or go home.

Note: Prolactin levels aren’t always to blame — there’s no strong evidence linking high prolactin to oversupply.

What About the Milk Itself?

Oversupply often means an imbalance of foremilk (watery, lactose-heavy milk) and hindmilk (the creamier, fatty stuff).

This can lead to:

• Gassy tummies
• Explosive green poops
• A hangry baby who never quite gets full

Try breast massage before feeding and laid-back positions to help slow the flow and encourage a more complete feed.

Aerophagia: The Real Reflux Culprit

When milk flows like a busted fire hydrant, babies often gulp, click, or choke during feeds. What you may not realize? They’re also swallowing air.

This is called aerophagia, and it’s a big deal.

“Why should we care about clicking? The most important reason is that a click allows air to enter the baby’s swallowing attempt... Aerophagia is the root cause of infant reflux.”
— Dr. Bobby Ghaheri, ENT & Tongue Tie Specialist

So if your baby seems refluxy but isn’t improving on meds, it might not be acid. It might be air.

Dealing with a fast letdown

f your baby is clicking, pulling off, gassy, or choking at the breast, here are a few things to try:

• Recline slightly so baby’s head is higher than the breast — gravity helps!
• Use laid-back positions that let baby control the flow

Sometimes, babies adjust to oversupply over time. Other times, there may be oral tension or a shallow latch contributing to the issue — even if they’re gaining weight just fine.

How to Tell If Oversupply Is the Issue

If your baby is:

• Clicking or gulping at the breast
• Arching or pulling off frequently
• Having short, snacky feeds
• Gassy, refluxy, or extra fussy

…you’re not crazy. You might just be dealing with too much milk, too fast.

Managing Oversupply Without Losing Your Mind

Here’s what actually works — and what to talk to your IBCLC about:

🧭 1. Behavior Changes

• Ditch extra pumping unless medically necessary
• Stop taking galactagogues (yes, even your oat-milk-lactation-cookie ritual)
• Normalize baby’s feeding patterns — you don’t need 3 gallons of milk for every nap

⏱ 2. Block Feeding (With Caution!)

Feed from one breast only during a 3-hour block before switching. This helps regulate production.
⚠️ Do this with IBCLC supervision — block feeding done too aggressively can drop supply or cause clogs.

🌿 3. Herbal Support

• Peppermint and sage can decrease supply
  (Always talk to your provider first)

💊 4. Medication (For Rare Cases)

In extreme situations, meds like pseudoephedrine or estrogen-containing birth control can lower supply. Only under the guidance of a skilled provider.

A single dose of pseudoephedrine significantly reduced milk production. This effect was not attributable to changes in blood flow, but depression of prolactin secretion may be a contributing factor. At the maximum recommended pseudoephedrine doses, the calculated infant dose delivered via milk was < 10% of the maternal dose, and is unlikely to affect the infant adversely. The ability of pseudoephedrine to suppress lactation suggests a novel use for the drug.

What’s Actually Normal to Pump?

If you’re pumping to replace a missed feed, you’ll likely get 2–5 ounces total, combined from both breast

Yes, really.

That 2 oz bottle? It’s perfectly normal.

Your body isn’t a vending machine — and social media is lying to you.

‍Pump Haul Culture Is Hurting Moms

You’ve seen it:

“I just pumped 12oz after nursing! 💪🔥 #milkqueen”

But what you don’t see?

• The pain
• The clogs
• The baby choking on a geyser
• The mom crying because she can’t keep up with yesterday’s haul

And don’t even get me started on the $13 PDFs promising to double your supply overnight 🙄

Let’s Normalize Normal

If your baby is growing, pooping, and peeing — you’re doing great.

If you’re pumping 2–5 oz, you’re doing great.

And if you’re overwhelmed and unsure whether your supply is too much or not enough — you’re not alone.

👩‍⚕️ Want Help Managing Oversupply (Without Panic)?

Boob School breaks all this down with real tools — from managing letdowns and stash-building, to navigating pumping, oral tension, and when to actually worry about supply.

✨ Join thosands of families inside
📚 Learn from an IBCLC (hi, it’s me)
🚫 No blue Gatorade required

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