breast milk quality at 3 months

[DesperateHousewife21]

My friend has just told me that a mother's breast milk reduces in quality when their baby is around 3 months old.

She says its because they are hungrier and the body cannot keep up with the demands of producing the rich nutrients the baby needs.

Is this complete rubbish?

yes. rubbish.

Sort of, but the invert of what she's saying is true.

The milk changes because a baby's needs change as they grow. Newborn breastmilk is different to 6 month old milk and if a mum feeds long enough to deliver a new baby, the milk changes to newborn milk again which is magical, I think.

So, the milk does change but it changes to suit the baby's needs at their specific age requirements.

"Reduces in quality" is rubbish. "body cannot keep up with the demands" is rubbish. The milk is always just right to suit the baby whatever age they are (or whichever the youngest, therefore most needy, is).

yes, who is your friend? a qualified lacation consultant or just someone who thinks she knows about bfing? she does not.

Yes it is rubbish. Where the hell do people get these ideas from?

lol greythorne just someone who thinks she knows about bfing, I have a 3 month old, she has a 4 month old.

She part bf and part ff and keeps telling me to give my baby a bottle of formula cos it'll make him sleep better at night.

I ebf and this suits me perfectly, each to their own I keep saying!

Recent research shows that that bottle of formula would strip away the protective components of breastmilk (this tells you about that protection www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/science/03milk.html)

This research also explains why formula takes longer to digest - as less of it "goes straight through", so can keep them satiated longer (hence maybe sleep longer) but as the article says, the breastmilk is flushing out nasties which sounds good to me.

Often night waking is for comfort, not hunger, anyway, so even if she's feeling fuller she may well wake.

She's talking rubbish, don't let her discourage you :)

Thanks for the link organiccarrotcake was really interesting and just made me more determined to carry on as I am!