You're right that an experienced IBCLC still keeps gathering new 
information (and it's even harder sometimes to un-learn and relearn!).

And, yes, human milk is a dynamic substance, that changes within the 
feeding, within the day and across the months, and so there might be 
seasonal changes as well. (Though perhaps that's more evident when 
people live closer to the land -- many of us have the same workload, and 
the same food at the grocery store, all year round.)

But the cozy act of breastfeeding is also dynamic, and the baby who is 
breastfeeding well accommodates those changes.  None of us eats the 
exact same amount at every meal.  We might have a high-volume meal of a 
delicious salad, or take a smaller portion of a calorie-dense entree.

Parents often get told that their baby "needs more hindmilk" and that 
they should only feed on one side at a time.  And, yes, it's good to 
drain the breast reasonably well (and not just "coast" on catching the 
initial let-down).  But studies show that it's not the "type" of milk 
that's the issue -- babies need to have the overall volume to gain well.

Studies also show babies are gaining well on widely varying daily 
volumes of milk.  So, unless someone is trying to tame an obvious 
oversupply,  it's always polite to offer the second side, and let the 
baby decide.

So it's useful that you're addressing the slow weight gain -- slow gain 
creates that difficult cycle of frequent, but ineffective, sleepy feeds, 
which can let the supply drop, so milk-removal gets harder, etc....

Feeding  longer won't always help if the baby isn't removing milk well 
(100 X 0 is still zero).  And sometimes a baby needs to be gaining well 
to breastfeed well.  The pump can be a temporary tool to break the cycle 
-- to boost the supply and get the baby gaining, so the stronger baby 
takes back an easier job.

In your "seasoned" status, you know all this, but it doesn't hurt to 
ponder the basics to welcome in those beginning their LC journey.

Margaret Wills, IBCLC, Maryland

   Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2020 11:22:47 -0400

> From:    Mary Collins <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Breast milk composition and seasonal changes
>
> Good morning,
> I am a seasoned IBCLC and love when I am challenged to learn new or relearn old information.
>
> I am working with a mother and infant who is slow growing, due to various factors that we are addressing.  The mom is utilizing many resources for information and is sometimes not compliant with suggestions depending on what she likes to hear.
>
>   Yesterday she mentioned that she was told the "fat content in her milk could be low due to the summer season.  That infant's do not require as much fat in the summer as they require more hydration and the milk composition accommodates this need."
>
> I honestly do not remember learning that in all of my  years as an LC, but I did begin to research this topic yesterday.  I did see an article that mentioned a study in Guam and how the rainy season and work load of the moms affected the composition of the milk.
>
> I am asking for your expertise to direct me to information that either supports or disputes this claim.
> Thank you in advance for your wealth of information.
>
>               ***********************************************
>

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