You may have heard the terms foremilk and hindmilk. Foremilk is the milk that your baby gets at the beginning of a feed. Hindmilk is the milk that your baby gets at the end of a feed. Lactose overload in breast milk is a condition when there is an imbalance in the foremilk and hindmilk.
Foremilk and Hindmilk Imbalance
As milk is made, the fat sticks to the side of the milk-making cells, and the watery liquid flows toward your nipples. This watery liquid mixes with any leftover fat particles near the nipples from the previous feed. When fat is high, the lactose content becomes low in the milk. Depending on the duration between two feeds the amount of fat and lactose content in the milk varies.
What is Lactose?
Lactose is a form of disaccharide sugar found in the milk of mammals. The body needs to break it down to absorb it. It is broken down by an enzyme called lactase. Most babies can break down lactose in their gut. Fat slows down the flow of milk through the digestive system and helps in breaking down lactose. However, if your baby consumes milk that is low in fat, then the milk will rush through the digestive system making it difficult to break down lactose. This can happen if your baby drinks milk too frequently or if you have an oversupply of milk.
Signs of Lactose Overload in Breastmilk
- Diarrhoea
- Frothy stool
- Smelly poop
- Bloating
- Gassiness
- Cramping
- Excessive crying
- Excessive weight gain
How to Treat Lactose Overload?
Lactose overload can be easily prevented and treated in breastfeeding babies. Some ways to prevent and treat lactose overload include:
- Restore appropriate foremilk and hindmilk balance by switching breasts while breastfeeding your baby. Make sure to empty one breast before switching.
- If your baby has a severe case of lactose overload, then feed from one breast for a longer duration. The watery hindmilk has more fat which eases digestion. The more hindmilk your baby gets, the better.
- Try different positions and check in which position your baby gets a faster flow of milk supply.
- Follow your baby’s cue and let them feed on one breast as long as they want. Do not forcibly switch sides.
- Offer more frequent feeds as this will help them get diluted milk that has high-fat content.
There is a misconception that reducing dairy products in your diet will reduce lactose in your milk. The amount of lactose in your milk has nothing to do with your diet. Maintaining the balance between the supply of foremilk and hindmilk is the key to reducing lactose overload.
