Hooray for the Human Breast!

A Look at the Amazing Milk Factory

Part 2

By Melissa Clark Vickers, IBCLC

The breast's signal to make more milk is the removal of milk. The more milk that is removed, the more milk the breast will make to replace it. And unlike a bottle, there is no such thing as an "empty" breast.

The factory is always working to make milk even during a feeding. Not only does this system ensure that Baby gets milk when he wants it, but it is also the basis for changing the amount of milk Mom makes. As her newborn grows, he'll need more milk at a feeding. He increases his nursing, and Mom makes more milk. If Mom is nursing more than one baby at a time, those babies will remove twice as much milk, so Mom makes twice as much! (See Breastfeeding Twins.)

As Baby grows and begins to eat solid food, the amount of breast milk he needs will decrease. He'll take less milk, and the breast responds by making less. Gradual baby-led weaning takes full advantage of this system. Interestingly, as the amount of milk a baby takes decreases, the amount of disease protection becomes more concentrated. So a toddler nursing just a few times a day will get plenty of protection.

The breast is truly a remarkable organ that does its job well. It works in concert with the nursing baby, with each providing continual mutual feedback. And the best feedback a new mom can get is the satisfied smile of her baby after a good meal at her breast!

Understanding how the breast works helps explain what you may have heard about breastfeeding:

• There's no such thing as an empty breast. The breast is constantly making milk, so there's no need to postpone feedings to let the breast "fill up" again. In fact, waiting may actually signal the breast to decrease milk production instead of increase it.
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Want to see more?

• Colostrum: Discovering Gold
• Breastfeeding: Starting Out Right
• First Nursings
• Talk about it!