Table of contents:
- Dilute breast milk is usually produced early in the breastfeeding period
- What causes thin breast milk?
- Does the amount of milk production affect the wateriness or thickness of the milk?
Watery milk texture is sometimes a problem that breastfeeding mothers worry about. Even though every milk that comes out contains all the nutrients the baby needs for immunity and later development. What causes runny breast milk? Is it normal or not?
Dilute breast milk is usually produced early in the breastfeeding period
Initially, milk production begins around week 16 of pregnancy, but only in very small amounts. After giving birth, there are three main stages of the milk production process, namely colostrum milk, then transitional breast milk and finally mature breast milk. Furthermore, the composition of the milk that comes out is adjusted to the needs of your baby from time to time
Breast milk that is watery is usually at the colostrum stage. Colostrum breast milk actually works as a natural vaccine and is 100% safe for babies. It also contains a large number of antibodies secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA), which is good for newborns. This colostrum breast milk is yellowish in color, contains high levels of lactose, and is low in fat so it is easy to digest.
What causes thin breast milk?
Actually, the cause of watery milk is low fat content. Because basically there are 2 types of texture of breast milk. First, watery milk, and second, milk with a thick texture. Both are natural, and can occur at any time to all breastfeeding mothers.
Did you know that milk that is thicker is affected by the amount of fat? Yes, whether or not breast milk is diluted, it is usually influenced by the nutritional content or fat in breast milk. When the mother first breastfeeds, there is still a lot of milk in the breast. Then, breast milk at this time usually contains lower fat, the texture is thinner, but has a lot of nutrition. Meanwhile, the less breast milk, the higher the fat, contain lots of calories, but the thicker the texture.
Does the amount of milk production affect the wateriness or thickness of the milk?
No, milk production and texture have nothing to do with it. The more frequently you breastfeed, the smoother your milk production will be. The baby's suction on your breast is a stimulus for your body to continue producing milk.
Watery or thick can usually occur at any time. And as the baby gets older, the intake needed is different. Also pay attention to the food that the mother eats. The reason is, what you eat can also affect the taste and composition of breast milk, especially the type of fat contained in breast milk. So, it is very important for you to stick to a balanced nutritional diet to produce healthy breast milk and also to maintain the health of your body.
If your food intake does not meet your needs for certain nutrients, you may need additional vitamin and mineral intake from supplements.
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