You’ve made the awesome decision to breastfeed your baby, but now you want to know how to make breast milk fattier. If you’re asking this question, it is very likely that you are finding fault with your breast milk in some way. Whether you don’t think your little one is gaining enough weight, or you find that he or she seems to be still hungry after a feed, it may have put you on a quest of figuring out how to make your milk better. So, can you make breast milk more fatty? Read on for the answer in today’s post all about how to make breastmilk fattier.
Is Everyone’s Breast Milk Fatty?
First things first, and that’s whether or not everyone’s breast milk is “fatty” in the first place.
The answer? Yes!
Everyone’s breast milk is composed of two milk types known as “foremilk” and “hindmilk”. As their names imply, foremilk is the milk that typically comes first out of the breast, while the hindmilk follows closely behind. Both the foremilk and hindmilk are nutritious and provide vitamins and nutrients for your baby. But it is the hindmilk that is the fattiest.
When expressed either through a pump, by hand, or by your baby, you’ll notice that your milk is usually watery in the beginning. This is the foremilk. The thicker milk–the hindmilk–comes after the foremilk has been consumed. This hindmilk is highly nourishing and satiating and can help keep your baby fuller for longer. It can also help your baby to gain weight.
So, back to the original question– is everyone’s milk fatty? Again, the answer is yes. But remember that the amount of fat in everyone’s breast milk varies. This variation is usually determined by the amount of fat stored in a mother’s body but is not directly proportional to what a mother eats.
But don’t worry; we’ll talk more about your diet in relation to the fat in your breast milk very soon!
What Time of Day Is Breast Milk the Fattiest?
Generally speaking, a mother’s breast milk will have the most fat content at night. However, this also depends on a variety of factors.
One of the most important factors to consider when trying to assess how much fat will be in your breast milk at an appointed time is how often you feed your baby. Yes, believe it or not, how often you feed your baby will either positively or negatively affect the amount of fat in your breast milk.
The reason this is the case is because the longer you stretch in between feeds, the more likely you are to produce more foremilk (the watery stuff) for your baby. On the flip side, by feeding your baby more frequently with less time in between, your baby will get more of the hindmilk. This is because there is less time for the foremilk to fill back up.
The same is true for the length of time your baby nurses. If he or she nurses longer, they will drink up most of the foremilk and encounter hindmilk within the same feeding. This ultimately is the goal. You want your baby to get both the foremilk and the hindmilk to keep his or her diet balanced.
If, however, you are unable to get your baby to feed long enough you may offer your breast to within an hour or so your baby can get the leftover hind milk. We have several other tips for you to achieve more balance in your breast milk fat. Be sure to stick around until the end!
Does Breast Milk Get Fattier as Baby Grows?
Yes! Actually, observations of breast milk for older children revealed that the milk was predominantly made up of fat. This would make sense, as older children would require more fat, calories, and protein. This is just another testament to the amazing way in which our bodies were designed to provide nourishment to our young.
How to Make My Breast Milk More Nutritious
By now you may have some questions. How can I make my breast milk more fatty, nutritious, and filling?
The answers to these questions may not be what you think! Let’s look a little deeper into these questions.
How Can I Make My Breast Milk More Fatty?
There isn’t any one single way to make your breast milk more fatty. Unfortunately, this isn’t something you have much control over.
Many mamas believe that it is their diet that will inject more fat into their milk. Thus, by eating double cheeseburgers, fries, and donuts, their baby is ensured nutritious and healthy breast milk. Right?
Not quite.
Actually, it is far better for you to grab nutritious foods and beverages (like oat milk), and stay away from unhealthy and sugar-laden foods and drinks to keep and better establish your milk supply. Still, it isn’t these foods or even nutritious foods that can make your milk fattier.
So, what does?
How to Make Breastmilk More Filling
Since how much fat is in your milk is often determined by the fat stores incurred during pregnancy, there just isn’t much you can do to control the amount of fat in your milk. If, however, you feel your milk isn’t satiating your baby enough, try the tips below to help remediate the problem.
If nothing seems to be working, talk with your doctor about your options. You may or may not opt to supplement with formula. If your doctor determines that your baby is making enough wet and dirty diapers, you may not need to supplement your baby at all!
But again, any changes in your baby’s diet should be determined by a doctor.
How to Thicken Breast Milk Naturally
Ready for some tricks on how to potentially thicken up your breast milk?
Try these:
Massage Your Breasts
Massaging your breasts can help get the milk flowing and get that hindmilk homogenized with the foremilk. This is beneficial for helping your baby get a mixture of both instead of just one.
Feed Baby More Frequently
This is possibly the most important tip, and that’s to feed your baby more frequently. If possible, you should never allow your breasts to fill up. This will ensure your baby is getting the fatty portion of the milk. Can’t feed your baby that often? You can express your milk using a manual or electric pump instead. Then, feed your baby this milk later to ensure he or she is getting what they need.
Pump Immediately When Needed
If your baby doesn’t tend to nurse for very long, it’s possible that he or she is receiving only foremilk in their diet. This is because the hindmilk typically comes after the foremilk has emptied. To fix this problem, try pumping as soon as your baby has finished eating. This will pull the fattier milk out of the breast for your baby to consume later.
Upon the next feed, be sure to feed your baby with the hindmilk. Be aware though, that pumping after nursing often makes the breasts produce even more milk. This may or may not be a good thing, depending on your needs.
Take Care of Yourself
Though it’s true that what you eat while breastfeeding doesn’t typically affect the nutritional content of your breast milk, it can if you are severely malnourished. Take care of yourself and eat the right amount of healthy fruits, vegetables, and meat. If you are seriously ill or have developed a condition such as anorexia, be sure to speak with your doctor for help and tailored advice.
Boost Your Milk Supply (Naturally!)
Last but not least, if you are finding that your baby just doesn’t seem to be satiated enough, it may help to look for ways to boost your breast milk. Many mamas have had luck with coconut water, eating healthy foods, and scheduling a visit with a lactation specialist.
In addition, you may find that certain foods like oatmeal, raisins, and the intake of more water can give your breast milk production a boost too.
And as always, allow your baby to suckle and breastfed as often as you can. Not only will this increase the amount of hindmilk they receive, but it will give your breast milk production a major boost as well!
What Food Makes Breast Milk Fatty?
Remember that there aren’t any specific foods to eat to make breastmilk fattier.
The best thing to do is to take care of yourself, follow the tips spelled out above, and speak with your doctor about specific concerns.
How to Make Breastmilk Fattier? Go For Longer, More Frequent Feeds!
Remember that everyone has fatty breast milk to feed their babies with. Yes, the amount of fat in each mother’s milk varies, but the thicker hindmilk is present in every mother’s breasts. Still, there are certain techniques you can use to draw more of it out.
We hope our tips have helped! Until next time!
FAQs
The breast milk that does not appear fatty may be the foremilk. Try feeding your baby or pumping more frequently to see thicker breast milk emerge.
You are likely looking at the foremilk. This may mean you are waiting too long between feeds or that your baby is feeding for only short bursts of time. Check out the post for ways to remediate these issues.
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