Nov 17 2007
Breast Milk Content
Do you know that the breast milk content is different for:
Pre-term baby’s mother produces breast milk with the right composition for a pre-term baby, helping the baby to fight for survival. As the pre-term baby grows out of the stage, milk composition would change to suit a normal infant, and later for 2 months old, 3 months old, etc.
Also, on a very hot day, breast milk will have higher content of water, to help baby cope with water lost from sweat. On a cold day, breast milk will have higher content of fat, to help baby keep warm and satisfied.
Even during breastfeeding, when baby first latched on, the milk that he drinks is called foremilk – has higher water content to help quenching his thirst. It contains less fat (1.7%). Following foremilk, it is the hindmilk with higher fat content (5.5%) that helps the baby to feel full and satisfied after feeding.
I remember a case where a baby hasn’t gained weight after exclusively breastfed a couple of weeks and the mother associated this with ‘not enough milk’. Upon further investigation, only then discovered that she has actually switched her breasts too fast in every feeds. That allowed the baby drank only the foremilk.
After correcting that, the baby gained weight quickly and became very healthy and chubby.
When I breastfed Ian 2 years go, I always fed 15-20 min on one side before switching to another. And always started with the side that I ended previously to ensure each side is given the same opportunity to start with.
When I breastfeed Isabel, as she doesn’t feed for long in each session, I always let her feed 100% from 1 side, and feed on another side in the next feed.
Hi Suzette, I love your blog because it gives such honest information about being a breastfeeding mom! Thanks so much.
I’m a breastfeeding mom myself for the past 5 months and since I work, I express at the office…Not as much as yours, though, but bolehlah…
I always wondered about the breastmilk content. I too have heard that the content changes and here you’ve confirmed it that it changes month to month. In that case the frozen bm we express 2 months ago wouldn’t be suitable to give baby this month…? Would that be a right deduction? I’m at odds here… Please help.
The other thing I wanted to know about ebm during travels….I read that you’ve used dry ice before. How long can the dry ice remain cold? Reason I’m asking is that I’ll be away where I have to prepare in case there isn’t a fridge or anything equal…and I was wondering if I can “make” my own fridge by packing dry ice and some techni ice in a cooler bag to last for 3 days…is that a ridiculous idea?!
Finally, I was also interested in your entry about choosing a car seat…thank you for the tips but I am still having a hard time deciding which to get…can you recommend some brands and tell me which you personally use yourself? My son is 5 months old.
Thanks so much, I hope you can help this desperate mom!
Ena
Hi! Ena,
Thanks for visiting my blog and left a comment here. Congratulations for successfully bf 5 months. Another 1 month your ‘burden’ will reduce when your baby starts solid. The deman will gradually ease on you…
Well, actually fozen or chilled milk is definitely less superior than fresh milk (direct feeding). Not only because direct feeding allows baby to quench thirst with foremilk and followed by hindmilk, the nutritional benefit of our precious milk will decrease as the day goes.
However, it is important to note that, even in this case, the frozen or chilled milk is still MORE SUPERIOR than cow’s milk for our babies.
So, in my case, I try to feed directly as much as I can. The frozen stock is only to be used when I am not around with the baby. And the rule is also to use the old milk first.
This way, you will ensure the milk content will not be differ too much for your baby’s current needs.
If you keep to ‘fresh’ feeding as much as possible, then don’t have to worry too much about the lapse in your frozen milk. And remember, it is still better than cow’s milk!
For God’s sake, they are meant for cattles!
As for traveling with ice, what I used as ‘dried ice’ is the frozen CO2, which is hard to procure. A large chunk (max allowed by airline) could keep my milk FROZEN for about 28 hours. But only when my large cooler box was full with frozen milk. Another time when it was only half filled, it lasted only 18-20 hours then milk started melting.
Not a good idea to use this for 3 days. It wouldn’t last, unless you keep topping up – it is colder than the freezer itself.
I am currently using Graco TurboBooster for my 4yo son, and Cosco brand (can’t remember model name) for my 2yo daughter when she outgrows her rear facing infant car seat. Not intending to promote any brands, coz I didn’t buy because of the brands (never had brands in mind!).
Hope you get what you want here… Cheers!
Hi Suzette,
Thank you for your reply. I’ve got so much information from you… My trip turned out well. The place I stayed had a deep freezer and I was able to keep my EBM. I brought along my Avent manual pump and Medela mini e and was pumping 5-6 times a day, but by the 3rd and last day, I could feel milk lumps in my breast and the pain was gradually getting stronger. I was already stressed out that morning, massaging and trying to get the lumps to be expressed out. To top it all off, my afternoon flight got delayed (they used the word “retimed”) to 10pm. I didn’t think I could wait so had to pay premium price for an earlier flight.
The minute I got home, my baby suckled on me and everything was a great relief!
What an adventure…and yes, it continues next week when my baby turns 6 months and we can try solid foods on him…heheh!
Thanks for all your advice on your blog…keep on writing…
Ena: Wow, you had a deep freezer? That’s great. Where were you then?
Blocked ducks is what we worried. I remember during my very first trip after my first baby, Dr. Koe (Paed+Lactating Consultant) was very worried that I might have blocked ducks. It was 17 days trip, and if it happens it would be hard for me. Luckily it didn’t happen at all!
Glad that it only happened on your last day of trip.
Hi,
Where could I find research and/or statistics that support the fact that the contents of breastmilk are different for a mother of a pre-term infant verses a mother of a term infant?
Thanks!