What causes yellow breast milk?

Many mothers will breastfeed their babies after giving birth. For babies who cannot eat by themselves, breast milk is the best food at this time. It can not only provide the baby with the nutrients needed for activities, but also enhance the baby's resistance. However, many mothers may find that the milk they feed their babies is not white, but yellow. Many new mothers are also confused about this. Is there something wrong with their milk? If you want to know the reason, let’s read on.

What causes yellow breast milk?

colostrum

After a woman becomes pregnant, the mammary glands in her breasts begin to grow and develop under the influence of the placenta's endocrine system. Two or three days after the birth of the fetus, the mammary glands begin to secrete milk under the influence of prolactin from the pituitary gland. The milk secreted in the first few days is yellow due to its high fat content. This milk is rich in nutrients and also promotes the excretion of meconium by the baby.

High milk quality

The yellowing of breast milk during breastfeeding may also be due to the high quality of the mother's milk. Generally, the milk of a mother will be egg white in the first one or two days after she starts producing milk, and it will be yellow on the third or fourth day. After seven days, the milk will become mature and turn white. However, some mothers still have yellow milk after more than ten days. This shows that the mother has a good physique and high-quality milk, and the baby will feel full after eating.

Negative emotional impact

If breast milk turns yellow during breastfeeding, it may be that the mother's emotions affect milk secretion. If the mother is in good health, well-rested, in a good mood, and properly nourished, she will secrete more milk. If the mother is depressed, irritable, or fearful, she will secrete less milk and the color may be yellowish.

How should breastfeeding mothers pay attention to diet:

The nutrients contained in breast milk of lactating mothers are related to their normal diet, so mothers should pay special attention to their own dietary nutrition to ensure the nutritional needs of their babies.

1. Increase the supply of various nutrients, especially high-quality protein, calcium, zinc, iron, iodine and B vitamins.

2. Pay attention to the intake of calcium and vitamin D. If breast milk is calcium deficient, in order to ensure the stability of the calcium content in the breast milk, the mother's bone calcium will be mobilized, which may easily cause bone softening, osteoporosis, low back and leg pain, etc.

3. Pay attention to reasonable supplementation, because the water-soluble fiber in breast milk, such as vitamins B1, B2, C, and fat-soluble vitamin A, may change due to changes in the content in the mother's diet.

4. Breastfeeding mothers should have a light diet. If they consume too much salt, the sodium and chloride content in breast milk will be significantly high, which is not conducive to the development of the baby's kidneys.

Tips:

It is normal for breast milk to turn yellow during breastfeeding. This is colostrum, which is rich in nutrients and disease-fighting substances. The amount is small, the milk is thicker, and the color is yellow. However, if the mother's milk remains yellow for a long time, it is best to see a doctor and find out the cause to avoid affecting the baby.

Diet adjustment for too much milk:

1. Do not eat foods that may cause weaning. Some mothers with too much milk want to eat foods that can reduce milk production due to milk swelling. However, as the baby continues to grow, the baby's stomach opening will gradually become larger. Doctors recommend that mothers with too much milk should not often eat foods that can reduce milk production, because after eating foods that can reduce milk production, it will be difficult to stimulate milk production again. Of course, mothers who have just given birth should be careful not to eat too much food that may cause milk dry up.

2. Eat a balanced diet. Fish soup and tofu soup have the function of promoting lactation. It is recommended not to eat such food when the mother has a lot of milk. At this time, you can eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, which is conducive to a balanced diet and is also of great help to the reduction of milk and the health of the mother.