What should I do if my baby’s breasts are enlarged and milk is leaking out?

  ”Enlarged breasts with milk leaking from the newborn baby”. This is caused by the mother’s prolactin (prolactin) hormone that is passed through the placenta and is called neonatal galactorrhea (newborn overflow). Prolactin prompts the mother’s breasts to produce milk, and some prolactin is filtered through the baby before birth, causing breast enlargement and overflow, a very normal physiological phenomenon. It happens to both boys and girls. It is very common, and 4.6% of babies between two weeks and two months old will have it. It is by the time the child reaches two months of age that 1.8% of babies still have them (Am J Dis Child. 1986 Mar;140(3):252-3.) and also have slightly larger breasts. It is commonly known in the West as “witch’s milk”.  There is no need to express it or use medication. It will heal on its own.  Some medications can also cause overflow (metaclopramide, dopamine receptor inhibitors, etc.). When these medications are stopped, the overflow will usually go away. Hypothyroidism and proactinoma of the pituitary gland, which are very rare, should also be ruled out.