Understanding breast milk...
Well, nobody can tell you how breast milk is made. But we can at least tell how it flows and when!
The process of birth is complete after the placenta has been delivered. Upon completion of this stage, your body understands that the baby and it's life support system are out of the body. It prepares to feed the baby outside the body, the reflection of which is breast milk.
Colostrum:When your milk comes in initially, it flows slowly as a thick, cream yellow colored substance with butter taste called the colostrum. It contains cholesterol. When the baby is exposed to cholesterol this early in life, her body will easily manage cholesterol later in life.
Cholesterol contains all the nutrients that are essential to kick start baby's life outside the womb. Even if you are separated from the baby because of other reasons, it is important to pump the milk and give it to the baby in a bottle. Feeding the baby this early, or pumping the milk is important not just for the baby, but also for your own milk production. If no stimulation is given to the breasts, your body will mistake that it is not needed to produce milk anymore. The more milk is being taken out, the more the production. Hence make sure you nurse or pump every 3 hours to keep the supply up.
Most mothers find that they can pump only a few mls of milk initially. It is very normal and it must be kept in mind that the baby can always suckle more milk than a pump does. In normal cases, the little amount of colostrum that the baby suckles is enough for the baby's growth. In special cases though, if you find that your colostrum level is extremely low, or you do not get a sufficient amount of milk at all, you might need to supplement your baby with formula. Even if your baby is formula fed initially, make sure that you pump as much as possible, to give your best for the baby, and to try to increase your supply.
Transition Milk:During day 4 or 5 post partum, your milk changes color and consistency. It becomes whiter and more watery. The flow of milk is faster and it is filled with essential nutrients to prepare the baby's digestive system for the next stage - actual milk.
Actual Milk:By the time actual milk starts to come, your flow would have become better and the baby would be getting enough milk. This happens by day 10. This is also the time when the baby starts to gain weight, after losing some during the first week.
When the baby starts to suckle, the milk ducts are opened, which is followed by 'let down'. 'Let down' is a sign that your milk supply is well. You experience a sensation in your breast when it occurs, which is mostly tingling, painful or just a full, warm feeling. The time required for 'let down' to happen varies with different women. Some women experience it within a few seconds, and some only after 5 minutes.
Some women do not feel let down. It's normal even if you don't. But if your baby is not gaining enough weight like he should, then the lack of 'let down' might be a cause for concern.
The milk that flows initially is called foremilk. It is very watery but contains most nutrients needed for the baby's growth and no fat.
The milk the follows fore milk is called hind milk. This is thicker in consistency and is rich in fat, essential for baby's weight gain. To ensure baby gets the most advantage, he must feed long enough on each breast to drink as much hind milk.
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