04/09/2025
How Do My Breasts Produce Milk?
Changes start during Pregnancy:
- Your breasts may feel tender and your ni**les and ar**la may darken, all part of the journey of preparing for your baby.
- Mammary Glands: These amazing glands are getting ready to produce the nourishing milk your baby will need.
Milk Production Parts:
- Alveoli: These fantastic sacs produce milk and are surrounded by muscles that gently squeeze the milk into ductules.
- Ductules: These channels efficiently carry milk to the milk ducts.
- Milk Ducts: This intricate network delivers milk to your baby. Remarkably, they increase in number and size during pregnancy to meet your baby's needs.
After Birth:
- Hormones: Prolactin, the wonderful hormone, is released, signaling the start of milk production.
- Colostrum: This incredible first milk is thick and yellow, packed with nutrients and antibodies to help your baby grow strong and fight infections.
- Mature Milk: A few days later, colostrum transitions to mature milk, which is more liquid and greater in volume, perfectly tailored for your growing baby.
Breastfeeding:
- Frequency: Newborns feed often, which is great as it stimulates milk production.
- Milk Supply: The more you feed, the more milk your body produces. Your breasts are amazing and never fully empty, ensuring a continuous supply of milk for your little one.
If you are concerned about your milk supply do access support.
