Colostrum โLiquid Goldโ
- A thick, yellow fluid.
- First milk mother produces.
- Persists for 5 days to 2 weeks, with gradual conversion to mature milk by 4 to 6 weeks.
Mature milk
- Is made of foremilk and hindmilk.
- Spend enough time on each breast to make sure your baby is receiving both foremilk and hindmilk.
- Both are vital for growth.
Foremilk
- Watery milk, at the beginning of a feeding
- Low fat concentrations
Hindmilk
- Thick and creamy milk, at the end of a feeding
- High fat concentrations
Do not limit breastfeeding time
- If the time spent on a breast is limited, baby will be receiving foremilk from both breasts and will become too full to obtain a significant amount of hindmilk from either breast.
- This high volume of foremilk, low-fat feeding can result in poor weight gain and colic-like symptoms.
Baby is feeding adequately
If baby has gained weight, has ~ 6 wet diapers and ~ 4 stools is probably receiving both foremilk and hindmilk.