Is Milk Supposed to Leak?
by Melissa Clark Vickers
Tennessee, USA
from LEAVEN, September-October 1995, p. 72.
We provide articles
from our publications from previous years for reference for our Leaders and
members. Readers are cautioned to remember that research and medical information
change over time
For some women leaking
is little more than an occasional drop or two during breastfeeding;
for others it may be copious amounts--sometimes at anything but opportune
moments. Many times mothers are given mixed messages about leaking.
If a new mother is leaking milk, we reassure her that she has plenty
of milk. We routinely suggest that mothers can stop leaking
by putting direct pressure on the nipple, as if nursing mothers can
expect to leak. And how many times do we hear from mothers
who are sure that their milk supply has decreased because they no
longer leak?
There are products on the
market today, from pads to special shells, designed specifically to
help with leaking "problems." Sometimes the products themselves
contribute to the problem if they apply continuous pressure on or
around the nipples. But the question remains, is milk supposed
to leak?
Michael Woolridge's research
on over-active let-down raised questions in my mind about leaking.
I began to wonder whether leaking might signal potential problems
or whether there are times when women should, even need to, leak milk.
My search for more information began with THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING:
A common occurrence
while you are breastfeeding is for milk to drip from one breast when
baby starts to nurse on the other. If your breasts are very
full or engorged, there is good reason to let the milk come out rather
than hold it back. It's a great way to relieve that full feeling.
Two important points are
made: first, that if the breast is very full, something should
be done; second, leaking is a "good" solution. Perhaps this
is the physiological basis for leaking.
Jan Riordan and Kathleen
Auerbach put it this way in Breastfeeding and Human Lactation:
"Leaking milk in the early postpartum period may serve as a 'safety
valve,' since many women who have recurrent mastitis often report
never having spontaneously dripped or leaked milk." THE BREASTFEEDING
ANSWER BOOK also makes the connection between the value of leaking
and preventing mastitis. Counseling the Nursing Mother
says that "Milk leaking from the breast can be caused by let-down,
overfull breasts, too much stimulation of the nipple, over-production
of milk or hormone imbalances." Note that with the exception of let-down,
all other causes are not routine, acceptable reasons.
Often, leaking accompanies
let-down, especially in the early weeks of breastfeeding "while mother
and baby are becoming adjusted to one another and until harmony develops
between supply and demand." (CNM) A mother with less
storage capacity for milk in her breasts may also leak more as her
body attempts to produce the quantity of milk demanded by her growing
baby.
Perhaps leaking is helpful
for the new baby who is still learning how to nurse efficiently.
The release of the milk provides multi-sensory input to remind him
why he is there. He may see the milk drip, it may dribble in
his mouth, he may smell it, or feel the wetness. Sensory input
is especially helpful for the sleepy or reluctant nurser.
What about leaking when
a mother is shopping and hears another baby cry? In a natural
setting, baby would be with his mother, so he could signal that it
is time to nurse. Of course, the reality today is that many
babies are not with their mother every time they want to nurse, so
women are likely to leak. But it could be argued that this still is
not a situation that is supposed to happen. There are some situations
that cause mothers to make, and consequently leak, copious amounts
of milk. Certain hormonal imbalances, pituitary tumors, even
medications can put milk production in high gear. These require
careful investigation to discover the cause.
So what does all this mean
in our role as Leaders helping mothers? First of all, we need
to identify whether the leaking is bothersome. To some women,
leaking is reason enough to wean. Those feelings need to be
acknowledged before giving her any suggestions on how to cut down
or eliminate the leaking. Second, it is important that we look
at how we cover the subject of leaking at meetings, especially when
pregnant and new mothers are present. It is reasonable to explain
that many women do leak and that it varies in duration and amount.
Let mothers know that if they are bothered by the leaking they are
experiencing, it is a good idea to seek help. There are suggestions
that might eliminate most of a mother's leaking (see "Finish
the First Breast First" and "Overactive
Let-down"). Mothers need to know that it is not necessary
to leak in order to have a good milk supply, and conversely, if they
stop leaking, it is not always an indication that the supply has dwindled.
It may be a sign that mother and baby are in sync with one another,
especially if the baby is healthy, growing and contented.
Third, if a mother calls
and mentions leaking, it probably is bothering her. Using a combination
of HRE skills, breastfeeding basics and immediate management techniques
that include pressure on the nipple and breast pads, we acknowledge
her feelings, educate her and give her help. If a mother complains
of truly excessive leaking, then she may have a more serious medical
condition that requires input from her health care professional.
So, is milk supposed to
leak? The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that
the answer to that question is "probably not." A more useful question
might be, is milk supposed to be able to leak? The answer to
that one is a definite "yes." Leaking can serve useful purposes:
encouraging the reluctant baby to breastfeed, releasing excess milk,
reminding a mother that she needs to feed her baby. Helping
a mother understand why she is leaking and giving her coping suggestions
might make for a much happier nursing couple.
References
La Leche League International.
THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, 5th ed. Schaumburg, Illinois,
1991, 77.
Mohrbacher, Nancy and Julie
Stock. THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK. Schaumburg, Illinois:
LLLI, 1991.
Lauwers, Judith and Candace
Woessner. Counseling the Nursing Mother, 2nd ed.
Garden City Park, New York: Avery Publishing Group, 1990, 390.
Riordan, Jan and Kathleen
Auerbach. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation. Boston,
Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1993, 235.
Last updated September 18 by jlm.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:31:47 UTC 2007.
