Immediately after giving birth, a mama first produces a small amount of a milky fluid known as colostrum that is designed to be a baby’s first few meals.  After a few days, a mama’s milk will “come in” and the colostrum will become the more mature, later “breast milk” we are accustomed to seeing and hearing about.

A Deeper Look:

Colostrum, the name for the earliest breast milk, is sometimes referred to as “liquid gold.”  It is often yellow color in color, but can be colorless, and is great nutritionally for a baby.  It contains protective white blood cells and high levels of antibodies.  Many mothers will not see colostrum until after delivery; however, some mothers may notice they leak a few drops of colostrum as early as the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. 

Usually, a mama’s milk changes from colostrum to the lighter in color, thinner, more watery milk between the second and fourth day after giving birth.  However, sometimes it takes a little longer.  Once this change in milk has occurred, it is often said that your milk has “come in.”  During this period of change, your breasts may look and feel fuller, larger, and more tender. This is referred to as engorgement, which is caused by increased blood flow to the breasts and the beginning of milk production.  Engorgement often lasts between 24 and 72 hours and pumping can provide relief from this discomfort. 

This “second” milk is sometimes referred to in divided terms: foremilk is the low-fat milk that is expressed at the start of a feeding or pumping session, whereas hindmilk is the high-fat creamy milk expressed at the end of a session.  The milk at the end is fattier because the fatty bits of the milk stick to the sides of where the milk is stored and are gradually flushed out with each let-down you have.

On average, a baby will consume between 28 and 32 ounces of milk per day and will consume this amount until beginning solids.  That is not to say that a baby will not take more milk during growth spurts, but overall a baby’s intake will stay steady.

The EP&Me Take:

My Little did not latch well following delivery, and I began our breastfeeding journey by hand expressing colostrum in the hospital.  This was not at all what I expected!  The nurses provided me with a collection cup and small syringe, and I hand expressed what seemed like an extremely small amount of colostrum every few hours and syringe fed it to my Little.  At this point, hand expression was the best choice because the amount of colostrum I was producing was so little, it would have gotten lost in any pump parts!  These are an excellent option if you know ahead of time you will be collecting colostrum.

About 35 hours postpartum, my Little was still not latching well and a lactation consultant showed me how to use my first pump—a Medela Symphony—and I began the task of establishing my milk supply using a breast pump.  As my milk “came in” over the next few days it was fascinating to watch the color change from yellowy with a slight orange tint to white with a blue tint. 

On another note, more than one person in my life referred to the hindmilk that presents at the end of a pumping session as “dessert drops.”  I always thought that was a perfect nickname for hindmilk because the drops truly are thicker and creamier looking! Wishing you an abundant milk supply mama!