During the 72 hours after delivery, the breasts produce a thin, yellow fluid called colostrum, made up of water, protein, and minerals. Colostrum contains antibodies that protect the baby against a range of intestinal and respiratory infections. In the first few days, your baby should be put regularly to the breast, both to feed on the colostrum and to get used to fixing on the breast.
Once your breasts start to produce milk, you may be surprised by its watery appearance. When your baby sucks, the first milk that he gets – the foremilk – is thin, watery, and thirst-quenching. Then comes the hindmilk, which is richer in fat and protein.
The Let-Down Reflex
The sucking action of your baby at the breasts sends messages to the hypothalamus, which in turn stimulates the pituitary gland in your brain to release two hormones: prolactin, which is responsible for the manufacture of milk in the milk glands, and oxytocin, which causes milk to be passed from the glands to the milk reservoirs behind the areola. This transfer is known as the let-down reflex.
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