I think my boobs are making Skim Milk...

[nickle730]

So Miss P is almost 6 months and we're happily BF with FF top ups due to supply issues post breast reduction surgery. Tonight I had to go out for a couple of hours and DH gave Miss P a bottle of formula while I was gone. By the time I got home she was asleep but my boobs were full so I expressed using my Medela Swing. I got plenty of milk, around 160mls (that's a fair bit for me, I had to stop because the bottle was full and my boobs felt comfortable!) BUT the milk looked very watery and sort of grayish in colour. Like a really bad skim milk! It wasn't the normal creamy, whitish colour and didn't appear to contain much fat. DH commented that the milk looked different to how it usually looks. Looked like it was all fore milk and no hind milk but surely I would have hit the hind milk in 160mls??

Anyway, Miss P has not seemed as satisfied after a BF in the last week or so and I just figured her demand was increasing at a greater rate than my supply... but is it possible my boobs have started producing skim milk??

[onthefly]

No. It's because you went longer between feeds. As your breasts get fuller, you produce more watery foremilk, so it looks a bit different. That's all.

[MummaBee]

I have to agree with MadB i also have had these skim milk feelings whilst breastfeeding lol. 160mls you go girl

[Barb Glare]

Not a chance that your breasts are making skim milk! What your breasts were producing was perfectly normal human milk- and it told the story of your day as well as you did. (and isn't it weird that we compare our own fabulous milk to a substance made primarily to feed baby cows - and think that that is normal, not our own milk)
The amount of fat in the milk remains fairly constant, but when your breasts are relatively fuller, there is a higher amount of water and lactose - so your milk looks paler/bluish. If you feed/express frequently your milk has a relatively higher proportion of fat, so it looks whiter - but if it came out of your breast it is perfect for your baby. You are doing great, don't doubt yourself

[nickle730]

Thank you, ladies. What you have said makes perfect sense and explained exactly why the milk looked different! Hopefully Miss P is just seeming less satisfied as she's reaching the age for some solids? Thanks again.