Despite the fact that the vast majority of expectant mothers want to breastfeed, just over a third have ended breastfeeding by the time the infant is 2 months old, usually caused by breastfeeding difficulties. Oversupply of breast milk is often both underdiagnosed and difficult-to-diagnose, as it causes different symptoms, sometimes in both mother and infant, but sometimes only in one.

Symptoms may include leakage of breast milk, strong let-down reflex, painful breastfeeding, or the baby may choke easily when breastfeeding, want to eat often or irritated at the breast, the infant may also have problems with stomach pain, and explosive stool. Caring for mothers with oversupply of breast milk thus presents caregivers with challenges. It is also unexplored how it is experienced to have an oversupply of breast milk by the mothers themselves. Because it is such an unknown problem, the risk of misdiagnosis is high. This makes it important to explore how breastfeeding difficulties caused by oversupply of breast milk are experienced in order to increase knowledge and thereby be able to develop care to strengthen and support mothers with these difficulties.

Previous studies have shown that it is important for mothers with breastfeeding difficulties to have space for their breastfeeding story. Since overproduction of breast milk is a relatively unexplored area, it is of great importance to highlight these mothers' experiences in order for them to receive the same care as other mothers with other types of breastfeeding difficulties.

The results from the project will, in addition to giving a voice to a group that is unexplored, be used to improve and develop the work of child health care to support breastfeeding difficulties. In this way, future work in child health care will be carried out with higher quality through improved knowledge of how breastfeeding difficulties caused by oversupply of breast milk are experienced.

Would you like to participate in this study, please contact Ellinor Mehtola