BREASTFEEDING

How Breastfeeding Works

During pregnancy our breasts will have changed and developed to be ready to provide milk for our baby. That milk is available even when our baby is born prematurely. It usually comes in (that is, the amount increases greatly) a few days after birth. The first milk in the breasts following delivery and often before it, is called colostrum. It is thicker, yellowish milk which is more concentrated than mature milk. It is also rich in protein and in antibodies that help to protect your baby from disease. The amount of colostrum in our breasts is particularly suited to our baby's small needs in the first few days after birth. Mature breastmilk, which is thin and bluish-white in appearance, gradually replaces colostrum over about ten days, although this changeover can take several weeks.



By sucking at the breast, your baby stimulates tiny nerves in the nipple. These nerves cause hormones to be released into your bloodstream. One of the hormones (prolactin) activates the milk-making tissues. The other hormone (oxytocin) causes the breast to push out or let down the milk.