Changes in Breastmilk Nutrition Over Time
Did you know that breastmilk / chestmilk changes throughout postpartum as well as through the course of an individual feed? While it will contain all the same components throughout these different stages, the specific amounts of all those important nutrients will change slightly to meet your baby’s specific nutrition needs. That, in my opinion, is pretty amazing!
And if you haven’t read it yet, I recommend you check out this post all about the different nutrients found in breastmilk!
Stages of breastMilk / chestmilk
Colostrum
In the first few days postpartum, the milk that is produced is called colostrum. The volume of colostrum varies widely, but is typically a smaller volume compared with later stages of milk (an average of 30mL per 24 hours). These smaller amounts are perfectly fine during this stage as your baby’s stomach is quite small (only about the size of a cherry!).
However, even with such a small volume, colostrum is extremely nutrient-dense and often called “liquid gold”. It typically appears more yellow in color and has a thicker consistency.
Colostrum is notable for:
higher levels of immune-boosting components
rich in vitamins and minerals, especially higher levels of fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K
lower levels of lactose (the sugar naturally present in milk)
relatively high in protein
Transitional Milk
The next stage of milk occurs anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks postpartum and is called transitional milk. Milk production increases significantly during this period to accommodate increased demand from your baby (300 to 800 mL per 24 hours). The composition also changes as it slowly adjusts to what will eventually become mature milk.
You’ll notice a creamier color and texture compared to col0strum.
Some key components of transitional milk include:
higher level of fat, especially medium-chain fats
higher levels of lactose to provide much-needed energy
slightly decreased immune-boosting components
slightly lower protein content than colostrum
Mature Milk
By 4-6 weeks postpartum, milk is considered to be mature milk. After this period, the composition remains relatively stable (when compared with the early weeks of breastfeeding or chestfeeding), though nutrient intake will continue to impact the nutritional components of your milk.
higher levels of fat
lower level of oligosaccharides (complex carbohydrates) and higher levels of lactose (natural sugars)
higher calorie content overall
Overall, breast/chest milk is an incredible substance and I find it fascinating that bodies can produce milk that changes to meet the needs of a growing baby. And because nutritional science is still such a relatively young field and we’re always learning more, I can almost guarantee there are health benefits to breastmilk/chestmilk beyond what we even know today!
This content was originally published in the post “Composition of Breastmilk” on October 27, 2023 which has since been broken up into two posts for improved readability.
Interested to learn more? Check out these related posts!
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