From: Pat Martens IBCLC, MSc (Community Health Sciences), Doctoral
Student, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
(We haven't seen spring here yet - huge snowbanks. But hope springs
eternal - saw a cute rabbit with BROWN fur hopping through our woods,
leaping over 4 foot snowbanks.  Maybe the Easter Bunny)

1. regarding the Whey-Protein ratio: source: page 112, of Lawrence RA.
Breastfeeding: A guide for the medical profession (4th edition).New
York: Mosby, 1994.
direct quote: "The ratio of whey proteins to casein is 1.5 for breast
milk and 0.25 for cow's milk, that is, 40% of human milk protein is
casein and 60% lactalbumin, and cow's milk is 80% casein and 20%
lactalbumin."

sorry - can't find the ratio for soy milk.


2.  re:  overabundant milk supply:
The description of the baby getting too much milk included: fast weight
gain (at least 8 ounces per week), choking and burping, and vomiting
milk. The suggestion made was to pump to rid the breast of the
overabundant milk.
Here are my suggestions:
(a) you already mentioned positioning. I suggest to mothers to think in
terms of positioning the baby so that the milk has to flow "uphill" into
the baby's mouth. This is usually accomplished best by the mother
leaning back into a comfortable chair, and letting baby latch with head
looking somewhat down onto the breast (usually baby is at a 45 degree
angle across the mother's chest, with head looking slightly down at
breast, body diagonal, and feet in mother's lap). Another position that
may work is a really upright football hold, with baby up on pillows and
looking straight into the breast. The mothers often become quite
creative if they are given the visual image of "uphill" flow of milk.
(b) don't get the mother to pump. This tends to be quite discouraging
and tedious, and may actually increase the milk problem. Usually, the
baby copes well once the milk supply is down a little (see (c)).
Meanwhile, the baby needs LOTS of burping. As soon as the baby squirms
at breast, which may very well be several times in the first few
minutes, take the baby off and burp. Babies who are positioned as in (a)
usually don't choke quite as much.
(c) Explain to the mother that switching breasts often results in an
overproduction of milk in some mothers. For example, if you ask the
mother her routine of feeding, you will often hear things like the
mother sets a 10 minute limit on first side, and then switches to the
other side. Or the baby may fuss after one feeding, and so mother
switches to the other side in the space of a short time (especially in
the evenings). These babies tend to be very fussy (read up on
foremilk-hindmilk imbalance), and often mothers read that as a cue to
keep switching back and forth. Get mom to determine what works best for
her and her baby. Vomited milk is usually a sign that the mother
switched breasts too soon (assuming pyloric stenosis is ruled out, as I
assume the weight gain indicates). Help her understand that sticking to
one breast for a longer time may decrease the volume that the baby
receives. There is a very wide range of NORMAL when babies lead the way.
 Some mothers and babies seem happiest when baby feeds on one side until
finished (ie, comes off in a content way - otherwise burp and put back
on that side), others seem to need both sides during a breastfeeding.
And still other mothers and babies do best with breastfeeding on one
side only for a certain interval of time -for example, anytime the baby
wants to feed in a 3 or 4 hour interval, put the baby to the one breast.
 (now I will speak from personal experience! Twelve years ago . . .I
found my second baby to be the most comfortable when she fed from one
breast whenever she wanted to feed during the morning, the other during
the afternoon, the first during the evening, and the second during the
night. How did I know when to switch? I remember that once in a while, I
would think that she was hungry, like in the evening. As soon as I
switched breasts "too soon", out would come the vomited milk - too much
too fast.) Many mothers who have an abundant milk supply find that the
transition to an appropriate time spent on each breast needs a few days
or a week to regulate the milk supply - in the meantime, the baby may
need to "help out" a bit by taking off some of the excess on the breast
which will not be used for the most part of the feed.

hope this helps - the person who asked the question may have already
tried these things, but hopefully the mother will find something here
that gets her over the feeling that the only solution is weaning.

pat (off to North Carolina, for Human Biology Association meetings -
spring??? - so will not be online for a week - rats - wonder what I'll
miss!)