I agree with Jenny--so many symptoms are being treated when they are simply the result of the underlying problem. 
When oversupply is untreated, gut damage results from the rapid transit time and babies have food allergies, reflux 
and "colic". By 4 months, mom has suddenly lost her milk supply and the entire breastfeeding relationship is often 
fraught with misery. 

But, I would go one more step and contend that oversupply is also a symptom, although of a condition often more 
difficult to pin down. One of the common associations is tongue-tie. I see a lot of babies who are several months 
old and mom has finally figured out she has an oversupply, but she is stunned to find out her baby has a posterior 
tongue-tie to boot. I have seen three of these babies in the past month. I have a lot of theories about oversupply and
its relation to gut damage, but like Jenny, don't quite have the spare time to look at it as comprehensively as I'd like.

Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA
Intuitive Parenting Network LLC



Jenny wrote:
"I think oversupply is really over mis-diagnosed.  I am a general pediatrician in 
the US and I think a see a few cases a week.  And when I do consults, these 
women are as miserable as any I help.

I think what happens is that it goes unrecognized as oversupply, but gets 
labelled as reflux, gas, diarrhea, breastmilk allergy and any number of other 
things.  The mothers are restricting their diets, have been treated for yeast 
(since the baby is biting to slow the flow and the nipple pain is "yeast") and 
the kids are all on reflux meds.

I run a website for my patients and when I put up my article on "can you 
make too much milk?" it got a few hits, like 10, the first week.  When I linked 
it to the pages on reflux, gas drops and other things, it has gotten several 
hundred hits a week.  The problem is there- it just has a different name.

I also think it's a big reason for weaning.  The kids are miserable handling the 
flow and the moms think the kids don't like them since they are so fussy at 
the breast.  It undermines their whole notion of themselves as mothers.  
Especially when they pump and give expressed milk and the baby does fine.

It's a big problem.  Here in the US moms get pumps as baby shower gifts.  
They are so convinced they won't make enough milk or they are getting ready 
to go back to work that they just pump and pump and pump.

And yes, I'm setting up a study.  In my spare time :)

Jenny Thomas
Milwaukee, WI"


 





________________________________________________________________________
More new features than ever.  Check out the new AOL Mail ! - http://webmail.aol.com

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome