Patient's question:
Baby has been born, but as a first-time mother, there are many things I still don't understand. Could you please ask the doctor how many stages breast milk is generally divided into?Doctor's answer:
Breast milk is divided into three stages. Colostrum is the first type of milk that begins to be produced by the mother shortly after birth. Colostrum is a thick, golden-yellow milk. Although it may not look appealing, it has the highest nutritional value. Transition milk, around 3 to 14 days postpartum, the milk produced by the mother transitions from colostrum to transition milk. During this stage, the milk appears thin and white, containing only a small amount of colostrum and some mature milk. However, due to its lower fat content, Mature milk, around two weeks postpartum, breast milk begins to transform into mature milk. This stage of milk continues until the baby is weaned. Mature milk is further divided into foremilk and hindmilk. Foremilk is relatively thin and contains very little fat, primarily used to help the baby's lungs. Hindmilk is more nutrient-rich.