Gonneke van Veldhuizen-Staas, IBCLC

Milk production is a carefully designed and complicated collage of structures and processes to assure the optimal nurturing and nourishment of a child, while preserving normal behavioral possibilities for the mother. In some women the mechanism of regulation of milk production seem to not automatically work as designed. This can create accumulation of milk in the breasts, and the ongoing production of more milk than needed. For both mother and child this overabundant production and availability of milk can lead to various unwanted symptoms and distress. Although not scientifically studied in depth, many advises circulate for mothers to handle overproduction, with more or less success, and even with opposite effect. Symptoms can occur in both mother and child and may lead to pathology in both. Full drainage and block feeding offers an adequate and userfriendly way to normalize milk production and treat symptoms in both mother and child. This presentation will discuss the original described method along with case studies and feedback from health care professionals and mothers.