Breast milk

From around six months of pregnancy your breasts produce a substance called colostrum, the creamy-yellow first milk that will sustain your newborn in the first few days after his birth.

It’s super-rich in protein and antibodies, and helps your baby pass meconium (the sticky, black stools he expels in his first few days of life). Even if you don’t plan on breastfeeding long-term, doing it for long enough so your baby gets colostrum in those early days means he’ll benefit from valuable nutrients and antibodies that will help kickstart his immune system.

Around four days after the birth, your proper breast milk comes in – and you’ll know it. Your breasts will likely feel hot and hard and you might even go up a few cup sizes across a single day! You may find that feeds get more comfortable now your baby isn’t having to work so hard to get the milk – but it can be difficult for him to latch on to engorged breasts, so you may have to express a little milk to make it easier for your baby.

Your breast milk is made up of two separate component parts. When your baby starts to feed, he gets watery foremilk, which quenches his thirst. After a few minutes, the thicker, calorie-rich hindmilk starts to flow. It’s the hindmilk that supports your baby’s growth, so ensure he gets enough by allowing him to fully drain your breast and then offering him the other breast too. If he doesn’t fully drain the second breast, you can express what’s left of the milk or be sure to offer him that side first when he next feeds.

It is important once your milk does come in that your breasts are regularly emptied in order to stimulate good production of milk. Your baby will probably need to take anything from six to nine feeds daily at first; this will mean feeding him around every three to four hours (see how often should I feed?).

It’s very important to get good support in the early days of breastfeeding. The main reason moms give up is that they’re finding it painful but this is usually due to poor technique meaning you’re not correctly positioning your baby at the breast. This can result in sore, cracked nipples and mastitis; and can prevent your baby from feeding efficiently. A lactation consultant will be able to help you perfect your technique – ask your OB-GYN or nurse-midwife to recommend one. See also how do I breastfeed correctly?.

Talk about this, or any other topic with other moms in the feeding and food area of our chat forum. If you prefer, you can join a feeding group. Remember to upload a photo of your baby into one of our galleries, which include I love my baby and funny photos.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

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Last Modified: 18/06/2007

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