Author Topic: Hind/Fore milk imbalance?  (Read 1054 times)

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Britterbug84

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Hind/Fore milk imbalance?
« on: December 09, 2009, 18:42:36 pm »
Hey everyone! I am a little curious about my milk supply. I pumped first thing this morning  ( my 4.5 month old DD is refusing to nurse among several other issues) so I could feed her with the bottle and this is what I got.

5 oz - of the thin clear-ish fore milk
2.25 oz - of thicker hindmilk

I always pump until 2 minutes after the last drop, but I was shocked that I didn't get more hind milk. Should I be concerned about this? Is it being caused by my DD's nursing strike?

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Re: Hind/Fore milk imbalance?
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2009, 02:20:27 am »
No need to worry! :-*  What you are describing is very, very normal.  In fact, you got much more hindmilk than I usually do when I pump!  I pumped almost exclusively for the first three months (various bfing problems) and I found that I would generally get anywhere from just a few mL to a max of 15-20mL (approx) of hind milk depending on when I pumped.

There is no sharp distinction between fore and hind milk.  We only produce one type of milk, but as the feeding (or pumping) progresses, the fat content of the milk increases gradually.  Here's a really good explanation:

"A woman's breast really only makes one type of milk, the higher-fat milk that we typically think of as hindmilk. As milk is produced in the breast, the fat globules in the milk tend to stick to each other and to the walls of the alveoli (where the milk is made). Between feedings, milk collects in mom's breasts and gradually moves out toward the nipple, leaving more and more of the fat "stuck" further back in the milk ducts. The more time between feedings, the lower the fat content of the foremilk available to baby at the beginning of the feeding.  As the breast starts to empty, the fat globules begin to dislodge and move down the ducts (let-down facilitates this process). So the further into the feed, the higher the fat content of the milk, as more and more fat globules are forced out. The end result is that the milk gradually increases in fat as the feeding progresses."
(http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/foremilk-hindmilk.html)

The amount of fat in human milk changes dramatically during each feeding and throughout the day, since fat content depends on the degree of emptyness of the breast (empty breast = high fat, full breast = low fat).  So you may notice that if you pump in the morning, when your breasts are full, you get less hind milk than if you pumped in the evenings, when your breasts are more empty.  Does that make sense?

HTH! :)
« Last Edit: December 10, 2009, 02:24:34 am by Vikki, Dylan's mommy! »
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!


Britterbug84

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Re: Hind/Fore milk imbalance?
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2009, 04:58:35 am »
Thank you so much! That makes me feel soooo much better!

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Re: Hind/Fore milk imbalance?
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2009, 22:29:12 pm »
That's great info Vikki!!  :D

I didn't know that and really glad I do know.