Why is My Breast Milk Sticky?
When a mother expresses or pumps why is my breast milk sticky, it is often sticky in texture. It’s important to know that this is normal and there is nothing wrong with the milk, so long as it has not gone bad. In this article, we’ll dive into the fascinating science behind why breast milk is sticky, and how it affects a baby’s ability to receive the nutrients it contains.
A Healthy Body Produces the Right Formula for Baby
As breastfeeding mothers know, breastmilk is a complex substance that has been optimized for babies and offers incredible health benefits. Its composition includes a delicate mixture of proteins, fats, sugars, carbohydrates, hormones, vitamins, and minerals that work together to provide the essentials for a newborn’s well-being. Breast milk’s stickiness serves a purpose, as it supports the transfer of these components to a baby’s gut.
When your baby first sucks from the breast, it triggers the release of enzymes that break down some of the fats in the milk. However, some of these fats remain undigested and can contribute to the stickiness of a nursing mother’s breast milk. Additionally, the proteins in a mother’s mature breast milk can also stick together and contribute to the thick, sticky consistency of her milk.
The stickiness of a woman’s breast milk can also change depending on the type of milk she is producing at any given time. The first milk produced after delivery, colostrum, tends to be thicker in consistency and darker yellow or orange in color. This is followed by transitional breast milk, which can be sticky or creamy in texture.