Meet World Record Holder Mom Who Pumps 200 Ounces of Milk A Day

On the other side of the globe, there's a mom who produces over 200 ounces of breast milk every day. She's Elisabeth Anderson-Sierra, a certified lactation counselor and BabyBuddha's Director of Lactation Services. Elisabeth has hyperlactation syndrome, but uses her condition to selflessly help others in need.

ALSO READ: Worried About Low Milk Supply? These Moms Share What Breastfeeding Diet Worked For Them

Who is Elisabeth Anderson Sierra?

Elisabeth, a native of Oregon, USA, gained the title of Most Breastmilk Donated by an Individual. Since her official diagnosis in 2015, Elisabeth has donated a thousand liters of breast milk to local families and recipients worldwide.

The mom of three revealed to Guinness World Records that she donates to recipients who were labelled as "failure to thrive."

"Being able to turn that around and [have] that label removed in so many different stories has just been everything to me," Elisabeth said. "These are the things that I focus on. These are the positives and why I continue doing what I do."

In one instance, Elisabeth and her husband got stranded in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria hit in September 2017. Even in that tough situation, Elisabeth kept pumping. "We were there for over a week and as you can imagine, I accumulated a lot of breast milk," she explained.

According to Elisabeth, they eventually found a recipient, a three-month-old baby named Joaquin, born prematurely and orphaned due to childbirth complications. She contacted his father, who had been purchasing breast milk from a milk bank. For the next year, Elisabeth shipped breast milk to him in Puerto Rico from her home in the States.

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A post shared by Elisabeth Anderson-Sierra CLC (@oneounceatatime)

Elisabeth's struggle with hyperlactation syndrome

Hyperlactation has taken a toll on Elisabeth, who is often either plugged into a wall or struggling to stay still while pumping. So far, mobile pumps have only brought her relief. But despite the inconvenience of having to pump regularly, Elisabeth is proud of her service to others.

"There are a couple of ways to go about trying to tone down this production of prolactin. There are medical interventions that I would need to look into and move forward with in order to have it stop," said Elisabeth.

Another option she's considered, with guidance from healthcare professionals, is undergoing a double mastectomy to remove all the glandular tissue that produces breast milk.

"By removing that tissue, my body wouldn't be producing any more breast milk. There will be no more milk ducts, but there is the risk of additional breast tissue being developed because of the hormones that would still be going through my body," she explained.

For now, though, Elisabeth plans to continue pumping. Humbled to be a world record holder, she expressed her gratitude. "I am really hopeful that breaking this record and sharing my story will normalize milk sharing," she said.

Hyperlactation Syndrome

Hyperlactation syndrome is a condition marked by breast milk overproduction. While the rate of breast milk synthesis varies for each mom, research suggests the regular rate of milk production is 500 mL/day. But it increases to 800–1000 mL/day after three weeks.

American Board of Family Medicine states, "Breast milk oversupply is generally caused by either breastfeeding mismanagement, hyperprolactinemia, or a congenital predisposition." Common symptoms include breast pain, severe breast engorgement, and painful milk ejection reflexes or let-downs.

Moreover, while breast milk oversupply is often idiopathic or has undefined causes, it can sometimes be a sign of serious underlying disorders. If you suspect that you overproduce milk, reach out to your doctor.

Read here for the best breastfeeding tips for new moms.