>> When the volume of milk produced is low ie in colostrum and weaning
>> secretions, the concentration is high,
>> however when the volume increases in established lactation then the immune
>> factors are diluted out and the concentration is much lower.
>> 
> 
> I understand this and have been teaching it, but for me the question remains
> how this is different for mothers feeding more than one child (multiples or
> tandem). Is the concentration just diluted more so that both children have
> about half of the immune factor or does the maternal body somehow know that
> there are two or more children fed and thus raises immune factors?

Based on the above premise - of dilution - one would say that the immune
components would become more diluted with the greater supply and would be
shared - and therefore each child receive a lesser amount - HOWEVER without
actually measuring the components in this particular situation we don¹t
really know if this is so. I think caution is required in assuming that this
principle (measured in the norm) can be applied to unusual or abnormal
conditions. For instance I have been measuring sIgA and lactoferrin (among
other things) in women with a perceived oversupply and their concentrations
of these components are significantly (statistically) higher than the norm -
not what I would've expected.

Regards
Cathy Fetherston
Perth Western Australia

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