Please don't worry about the difference between fore milk and hind milk. The way the breast works is much more complicated than "
the baby needs to feed for 30 minutes".
When the breast is full of milk the milk has more sugar and less fat in it - this is called fore milk. When the breast is emptying (note: the breast is never empty) the milk has more fat and less sugar this is called hind milk.
If you have a small breast capacity the baby tends to get fore milk at the beginning of each feed and hind milk at the end. If, however, you have a large breast capacity the baby is likely to get lots of fore milk in the morning when you are well rested and lots of hind milk in the evening. This doesn't matter as the baby needs both fore milk and hind milk.
The discovery of fore milk and hind milk is only about 15 years old. Before that we just fed our babies and didn't worry about the difference. And if you just feed your baby and not worry about the difference everything will be fine.
There is a condition called
fore milk/hind milk imbalance - this is very rare and the major symptom is failure to thrive. If your baby isn't doing well please contact me on 2548-7636 or
[email protected] and we can discuss how to improve the situation
The only way to tell if your baby is doing well is to look at the output (not the input)
We are looking for:
? Your baby may have only one or two wet diapers during the first day or two after birth. Beginning about the third day or fourth day, your baby will have at least six to eight really wet cloth diapers (five to six disposables).
? Your baby will pass meconium, the greenish-black, tarry first stool, over the first day or two. Baby will begin having at least two to five movements a day beginning about the third day after birth.
? Your baby may lose up to seven percent of his/her birth weight during the first three or four days. Once your milk supply becomes more plentiful on the third or fourth day, except your baby to begin gaining an average of six ounces (170 grams) per week or one and a half pounds (680 grams) per month. Be sure to count weight gain from the lowest weight (his weight on the third or fourth day), not from birth weight.
? Your baby will nurse frequently, often every one and one-half to three hours, averaging about eight to twelve times a day.
? Your baby will appear healthy, his colour will be good, his skin will be firm, he will be filling out and growing in length and head circumference, and he will be alert and active.
Best wishes,
SARAH
