Foremilk vs. hindmilk seems to be quite a popular topic among breastfeeding mothers.  If I switch the baby too soon to the other breast, will he get the hindmilk?  How do I ensure that my baby is getting all of the fatty milk that he needs?  Sometimes I feel like too much breastfeeding information can add stress to a new mom.  And this is why….

All breastmilk, whether it is 1 minute into the feeding session or 25 minutes into the feeding session, has both foremilk and hindmilk.  As your baby drinks from the breast, she/he gets both the low-fat milk (foremilk) and the cream (hindmilk.)  The better your baby drains your breast per feeding, the more hindmilk she/he has access to, as this creamier milk hangs out back further in the milk ducts, so it has further to travel.

Here are some ways to know that your baby is getting enough breastmilk in the first few months: