Alia

What you describe is perfectly normal.  If the milk is drying up from one 
breast it would contain gradually less and less water and the colour could 
be expected to change from whitish to more yellow as the proportion of 
protein and fat in the milk became higher.  This would happen in both 
breasts if the baby had weaned from both.  Since he is continuing to 
breastfeed unilaterially (also more common than we are led to believe) then 
the used breast continues to produce normal (whitish) milk.  When the baby 
finally weans from the used breast the milk will become yellow-ish 
too.  Long-term production of a little milk after weaning is also quite 
normal.  If you look in the archives you'll find reports of many reporting 
some milk production months and years (and years!) after the baby/child 
stopped breastfeeding completely.

Pamela Morrison IBCLC
Rustington, England

At 05:01 21/11/2005, you wrote:
>From:    Alia Heise <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Nursing Exclusivly On One Breast
>
>This may be a question I should be able to find the answer to and I 
>apologize if it is. I have looked within my resources and I am not coming 
>up with anything. Any help would be appreciated. I have the mother's 
>permission to post.
>
>I have a mother who is nursing a 18 month old. The baby weaned himself 
>from the right breast about 3 months ago and has been nursing exclusively 
>on the left. A few times a night and occasionally during the day. Almost 
>always only for moments, not minutes. The left seemed to keep up with the 
>baby's needs and so the mother did not worry about the right, she says it 
>was always the lower producer anyway. Every once and awhile the mother 
>would hand express a drop from the right to see how much milk was hanging 
>around. Recently when she did this it appeared to be yellow colostrum. The 
>left side is still producing "regular" white milk. She says it has been 
>this way a few days.
>
>I realize this might be an odd case, not many mothers nurse from only one 
>side, in the states as least? But is it common for milk to change color 
>when drying up? I couldn't find anything on that, again I am a newbie 
>perhaps this is common knowledge. Or course pregnancy occurred to me first 
>but the mother says if she is pregnant it is only by days, not even weeks 
>based on her last cycle. She would be due to menstruate again within a 
>week. I can't image her right breast would produce colostrum that quickly.
>
>The mother said she figures that it is no great concern why it is that 
>way, though if there is an explanation it is always nice. She just 
>wondered if this was in fact a normal thing or an odd thing. In fact, I 
>wonder too! I thank you for your wisdom and patience with me!
>
>Genuinely,
>
>Alia Heise
>New York
>WIC Peer Counselor

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