Kika Your research sounds as if it's going to be really useful for us. I have been thinking very much along the lines of Barbara Robertson's recent post - the reason the first expression is so high in volume is because there is colostrum stored already in the breasts. The second and subseqent times the mom expresses she is only expressing the volume synthesized since the previous time, so it's bound to be less. I also find that when working with a mother whose baby is gaining slowly, and the plan is to express frequently in order to provide supplements of the mother's own milk and boost breastmilk synthesis, the first time she expresses the volume is quite impressive but if she's diligent in expressing often, the volume appears to dip - if you measure the 24 hour cache of course it begins to increase, but mothers often need to be warned that this will happen. Keep us posted Kika! Pamela Morrison IBCLC Rustington, England ---------------------------- I have wondered about this too and think maybe it is the fact that it is the first milk removal ever and there is colostrum built up from pregnancy. I have found this in a mother who is not expressing often. We will get an ounce or so with that first pumping or nursing but then if she removes the milk regularly, she won't get as much per time as she did at the first milk removal when her breasts were storing the milk. Of course, with better milk removal, her supple gradually increases. I wonder if this is what is happening during those first hours after birth. All during her last trimester, colostrum is being made and stored in the breast. So you get that "stored" amount of colostrum in the first milk removals. Because oxytocin is so high after a natural birth, the body will be pushing it out through aveoli contractions as well as the pressure from the hand so you will get even more. Have no idea if this is true. What does anyone think of this idea? Barbara Robertson, MA, IBCLC, RLC The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor bfcaa.com *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome