For breastfeeding mothers it is helpful to understand the structures of the breast, and the process of how milk is made – to the benefit of their health and that of their babies.
The breast consists of:
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The size of your breast has no relationship with your ability to produce enough milk. Women with small breasts do not produce less milk than mothers with large breasts.
Throughout the months of pregnancy your breasts prepare for nourishing the baby. Most women’s breasts get larger and heavier. The blood supply to the breasts increases and this is why the veins become darker and more visible. The Montgomery glands enlarge and start to secrete an oily substance that lubricates the skin and has anti-infective properties. You may realize your areola getting darker and eventually your nipples might become more prominent.
The first production of colostrum begins during the second trimester of your pregnancy. Whether you leak colostrum before birth or not, it does not predict how successfully you will breastfeed. The delivery of the placenta signals the body to begin producing mature breast milk. At this point the milk production does not yet follow a demand and supply process but is hormonal driven. Nonetheless frequent and unrestricted feeding is recommended from the very beginning.
Two to four days after the birth of your baby your milk volume increases rapidly and from now on the amount of milk you make depends on how often your baby nurses and how effectively milk is removed from your breasts. The more often you put your baby to the breast, the more he stimulates the production of more milk. This phenomenon is called supply-demand-response.
