How your body produces breast milk
…in pregnancy
From around six months of pregnancy, your breasts start producing colostrum, a thin and watery liquid which contains all the nutrition your baby needs in their first days of life. Don’t worry if your breasts leak a bit as this is perfectly normal. It’s a good idea to keep some breast pads handy, just in case
…1 or 2 days after giving birth
Immediately after your baby’s birth, your breasts will continue to produce colostrum. It will take between 2-3 days for your milk to ‘come in’:
Colostrum is a thin and watery liquid that is full of protein and antibodies, and will help your baby pass meconium (the sticky, black poos they have in their first few days of life). Don’t worry if they only feed a little at a time. As long as you feed your baby whenever they show signs of wanting to suckle (‘on demand’), you’ll stimulate your breasts to start producing milk and they will get all the nourishment they need
…2 or 4 days after giving birth
Your breasts become fuller as your milk comes in. Mature breast milk is thicker and more milky coloured than colostrum, and comes in two parts:
- ‘Foremilk’ comes first. This is watery to satisfy your baby’s thirst
- ‘Hindmilk’ comes second. This is rich in fat to satisfy their hunger
It’s important to let your baby feed for as long as they want – so they get enough to satisfy both their hunger and their thirst