>Hi
>I wonder if some kind person could point me to the information about 
>why the second breast's let down is creamier than the first breast 
>at a feed. I need to have a really good explanation for the Mums who 
>are reluctant to offer the second breast at a feed for fear of the 
>baby having fluro green stools.
>BW
>Sally RN MW IBCLC

I have never heard of this, and I'd struggle to understand why it 
should be the case.

Milk changes its level of 'creaminess' ie fat content in  proportion 
to the *volume of milk in the breast*.

Low volume of milk = higher fat content.

There are sound physiological/theoretical reasons why this is the 
case, and it has been shown empirically , too.

I suppose if breast number 2 has been leaking copiously during the 
baby's time on breast number one, the volume of milk in the second 
breast would be less, and the fat content proportionately 
higher.....that's the only explanation I can think of :)

Mothers who want to deliberately withhold a second breast, despite 
the baby looking as if he'd like it,  have been reading the wrong 
books or speaking to the wrong people :)

There are over-supply situations  when deliberately withholding it is 
a good idea, so the mother can 'block feed' but most mothers are fine 
to offer the first breast, allow the baby to decide when he's done 
with that one, and then when the baby cues again, often just a very 
short while later, to offer the second one.

This is the usual way to ensure the 'milk production line' gets 
underway and produces the volume of milk needed.

In fact, it's almost certain that truly natural feeding is not 
'episodic' like that - babies just feed so many times in 24 hours no 
one is counting or working out which breast's turn it is now :)

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
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