Once on the Instagram of a breastfeeding consultant, I saw a photo of two bags of expressed frozen milk - from the same mother at the same time, but from different breasts. This mother feeds two children in tandem - each of them has “their own” breast. On the left the milk was pale yellow (for a newborn), on the right it was completely white (for a two-year-old child). One woman. One organism. And completely different milk - an amazing substance that managed to adapt to the individual needs of two little consumers. And there is scientific confirmation of this. A group of Harvard University scientists led by Katie Hinde has completely debunked the myth that mother's milk has a standard composition for any child. They proved that the mother’s body produces not only different milk depending on the sex of the child, but even on what kind of child he is. What else don't we know about mother's milk?
MECHANICS
A nursing woman's breasts produce milk twenty-four hours a day. 24/7/365 vitamins, microelements, fats, proteins and carbohydrates that protect the child, strengthen his immune system, saturate his body with energy...
However, milk (at least in the form in which everyone is accustomed to it) does not appear immediately. A few weeks before giving birth, and then for about a week after, a young mother's breast contains colostrum - a thick, viscous liquid of yellow or even orange color. There is very little of it, but the concentration of useful substances in it is off the charts, and it works as the most effective protection for a newborn, who comes into this world almost sterile and is immediately exposed to increased attack by bacteria.
After about three to five days, colostrum is replaced by “transitional milk”, the color of which may still remain yellowish, but there will be much more of it, the breasts will become fuller, and the baby will begin to latch on much more often. And only after two or three weeks the same milk will come.
The structure of the breast is described most simply by William and Martha Sears, whose books you are definitely familiar with. Even if you are not a proponent of natural parenting, you can't help but trust the pediatrician and pediatric nurse who raised eight children. In the book Breastfeeding (Martha has a total of eighteen years of breastfeeding under her belt), the Sears compare the structure inside the breast to a tree. Mammary glands (leaves) are grape-like cells (lobules), each lobule has from 150 to 200 alveoli in which milk is stored. Next, milk flows from the lobules through the milk ducts (branches). These ducts lead to the nipple circles, forming milk openings (tree trunk), which open with approximately twenty nipple jets (these are the conditional roots of the tree). The milk openings (exits) are located directly under the areola. This “tree” is nourished by two hormones: prolactin, which stimulates the breasts to produce milk, and oxytocin, thanks to which those same influxes occur and milk flows out of the breast due to the contraction of special cells. Visually, this was very well reflected in the flash mob that took place a couple of years ago under the tag #treeoflife, launched on Instagram, when mothers processed brelfie photos in the PicsArt program, superimposing a picture of a tree on the baby’s mouth and their breasts.
In short, the chain looks like this: the baby sucks -> the nerve endings of the nipple are excited -> they send a signal to the mother’s brain -> the level of the hormones mentioned above increases -> yay, milk appears!
I remember reading the instructions from the same Sears in case the milk doesn’t come in. It sounded something like this: relax, close your eyes and focus on the child. I tried it and it really works. Surprisingly, the process of milk flow in this sense is very similar to a female orgasm - it is largely an emotional thing. And this is not surprising, because the hormone oxytocin, which helps produce milk, is also released during sex and is directly responsible for the pleasure a woman receives. That is why it is not a myth at all when they say that there may be no milk due to stress: during experiences, adrenaline is released, which blocks oxytocin.
The “emotional” nature of HS is confirmed by the following fact. We read from the Sears: “Many mothers can attest to the strong emotional connection between the brain and the breast by the fact that they begin to produce milk only when they think about their baby, although they may be miles away.”
In search of material for the article, I watched the documentary BreastMilk (Dana Ben-Ari, 2014), which tells the story of breastfeeding of several completely different English families. For example, in a same-sex married couple, both women feed the newborn, although the second is not his biological mother. Here are her words: “I think the idea of a non-biological mother breastfeeding creates a kind of panic, as if there is something too unnatural about it. But for me it was absolutely natural. I simply put the baby to my breast and she started producing milk. <…> All I had to do was apply my daughter twice a day for three minutes to each breast, and after five days the milk came.”
Beneficial properties of breast milk
- balanced composition of fats, proteins and carbohydrates;
- the main source of food and drink for the infant;
- prevention of allergic reactions;
- milk can fight cancer cells.
Scientists from Sweden have proven that albumins in milk can defeat about 40 types of cancer; - normal functioning and strengthening of the immune system. Since it contains many protective antibodies, this is a good prevention of infectious diseases. The presence of stem cells in milk makes the baby resistant to diseases;
- facilitates the adaptation processes of the baby’s digestive system;
- intensive brain development due to lactose sugars and complex proteins;
- Breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from stomach problems.
COLOR
A priori, it is believed that milk should be white. And let it be. But not breast milk. It can be not only yellow or orange when it is colostrum, and not only white or “watery” when it is already mature milk. It turns out that it can even be greenish if a nursing woman eats a lot of green foods or food and drinks with dyes. Occasionally, the milk becomes pink or brownish due to a broken capillary or irritation on the surface of the nipple (a few drops of blood get into the milk). Breastfeeding experts say that it is safe to feed such milk - you can express it, wait until the blood settles to the bottom, and give the baby only the top layer of milk.
When stored in the refrigerator, expressed breast milk may separate, then a layer of cream floats on its surface (it looks like foam on milk) or fat remains on the walls of the container. All these are also normal options; you just need to carefully mix the milk or warm it with a warm stream of water. It is not recommended to shake the container with expressed milk, as this can lead to destruction of the structure of the milk. If the milk has spoiled, you will definitely know it - it will have a sharp sour smell.
COMPOUND
Let's start with water to immediately debunk the myth that infants need to be supplemented with water. Breast milk consists of 87-90 percent water, so that it is completely absorbed and does not burden the baby’s immature kidneys. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates are food energy.
Approximately seven percent of the total volume is occupied by carbohydrates , which are 90 percent lactose, which is responsible for the sweetish taste of milk. Carbohydrates are an easily digestible source of energy necessary for the development and nutrition of the brain and regulate intestinal microflora.
Fats , which are half as much (from two to four and a half percent), are also a source of energy (about half the energy contained in breast milk is provided by fat), plus they are responsible for the development of the brain and nervous system and good gains in weight (first place in the top 10 worries of all young mothers). It is the fats that make up the food that provide the infant not only with essential fatty acids, but also with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E.
By the way, about essential fatty acids. They are so important that if there are not enough of them in the mother’s diet, they begin to be produced by the mammary glands and enter breast milk. Sami. Are being developed. And they go into milk. And then the baby. Cool, right? And cholesterol, for example, which we are accustomed to consider evil, is, on the contrary, very necessary and important for babies. It not only promotes brain formation, but is also involved in the production of essential hormones, vitamin D and bile.
Proteins are only about one percent, but their content remains unchanged, despite the mother’s illness and any, even the most strict, diets. A little protein theory from the WHO brochure: “The biological value of any protein refers to its ability, being the only food source of proteins, to support protein synthesis and thereby ensure the vital activity and physical development of the body. According to this criterion, the highest value score – 1.0 – is given to proteins contained in breast milk and eggs.” Breast milk contains, for example, a unique protein called alpha-lactalbumin, which can kill up to 40 different types of cancer cells without causing harm to health. Alpha-lactalbumin also supplies the child’s body with essential amino acids (tryptophan, methionine and cysteine), accelerates the absorption of calcium and zinc, promotes the formation of peptides with antibacterial and immunoregulatory properties and stimulates the growth of intestinal microflora. Are you tired yet? Ahead of us are vitamins and microelements.
Vitamin A is important for the growth and development of tissues, especially the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Opinions vary about this vitamin. Many sources have information that there is enough of it in breast milk, plus there is even a “depot” of this vitamin in the liver, and only children with intestinal problems sometimes experience a deficiency. But WHO recommends additionally providing the baby’s body with vitamin A with the introduction of complementary foods, and also mentions that the amount of vitamin A in milk still directly depends on the mother’s reserves of the vitamin.
B vitamins . The most important in this group are, of course, folic acid and vitamin B12, the deficiency of which can lead to a number of diseases. It was mandatory for pregnant and nursing mothers to take folic acid according to Soviet standards, which are still preserved in many antenatal clinics and in the minds of old-school specialists. Any more or less adequate modern pediatrician will say that if you eat enough beans and vegetables (preferably from your grandfather’s garden, since there is a lot of folic acid in the soil), as well as fish and liver, you will definitely have enough of this acid. Vitamin B12 is found in dairy products, so lacto-vegetarians need not worry, but vegans should take extra. The WHO warns that “infants breastfed by mothers who follow a strict vegetarian diet without dairy or meat products may experience abnormalities in the development of the nervous system, anemia.”
Vitamin D : second place in the top 10 worries of all mothers. Why is it so important? WHO says: “Vitamin D plays an active role in calcium metabolism and bone metabolism, stimulating the absorption of calcium in the intestine and the release of bound calcium from the skeleton.” That is why a lack of vitamin D is associated with the word rickets, which is scary for young mothers. And yes, there is little of it in breast milk, so pediatricians recommend its mandatory use. “All children from birth and at least until school,” says Sergei Butriy, “need to take vitamin D all year round in a prophylactic dose of 800-1000 IU per day.”
Next come water-soluble vitamins (ascorbic acid, riboflavin, folic acid, B6 and others), the content of which directly depends on your diet.
We are only in the middle of the list, so be patient. So, mineral salts.
Iron : There is very little of it in breast milk, but nature provided everything. Firstly, it is very well absorbed by the child’s body (compare: 50 to 75 percent is absorbed from breast milk, while only four percent is absorbed from formula). Secondly, there is a reserve of iron in the newborn’s liver, and it is quite sufficient before the introduction of complementary foods. At the same time, doctors of the old school quite often point out low hemoglobin either in the mother or in the child and prescribe iron supplements. Or worse, they consider the mother’s anemia to be a sufficient reason to recommend switching to formula. Research the topic and think twice. Everything requires serious testimony. According to the WHO, your personal hemoglobin level and even your anemia during pregnancy do not affect the iron content of your baby in any way: “In fact, the loss of iron from the mother’s body through milk during breastfeeding is less than that lost during menstruation.” We exhaled. Let's move on.
Zinc : important for the synthesis of protein and nucleic acids. There is a lot of it in colostrum and not very much in breast milk, but it is very well absorbed (the child's body absorbs about 80 percent, while zinc from a formula based on cow's milk is absorbed only 30 percent). Before starting complementary feeding, babies are fully provided with zinc from breast milk.
Calcium : The importance of calcium, especially during skeletal development and formation, has not been questioned. There is enough of it in breast milk at least before the introduction of complementary foods, and it is perfectly absorbed in the baby’s intestines.
Hello, trace elements . You have very little space. All you need to know about copper, cobalt, selenium, iodine and company is that there is always enough of them in breast milk, no matter what.
And no, that's not all. In addition to a full set of vitamins and an ideal ratio of minerals and salts, breast milk also contains more than 20 types of hormones, growth and satiety factors, bifidus factor, which stimulates the growth of beneficial microflora in the intestines, and much more. There is also data that proves that mother’s milk has a positive effect on infants’ vision (most likely due to the fat content in it, which nourishes the retina), and improves hearing (due to the fact that breastfeeding children suffer less from ear infections ), helps to visit dentists less often in the future (mouth movements during breastfeeding affect the development and alignment of teeth) and subsequently eliminates snoring (thanks to the correct formation of the dental arch, which affects the location of the nasal passages), significantly reduces the risk of heart disease in adulthood (due to cholesterol content), reduces the risk of diabetes, has a positive effect on skin health (the subcutaneous fat of breastfeeding and breastfeeding babies differs in composition).
And even that's not all. In addition, breast milk contains: secretory immunoglobulin, which protects the baby’s mucous membranes; lipase is an enzyme that compensates for the amount of the baby’s body’s own enzymes; lactose is of great importance for the development of the central nervous system, improves calcium absorption, promotes brain and bone growth, and is responsible for the proliferation of beneficial intestinal bacteria. But it also contains leukocytes - tiny blood cells that destroy bacteria; lysozyme is an enzyme that dissolves and destroys bacterial cells; lactoperoxidase – stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria and fights pathogenic bacteria.
It all sounds as if babies on breastfeeding cannot and should never get sick. They get quite sick, otherwise how can they develop immunity? The only difference is how long and how severely they suffer from illnesses. Back in the 50s, Swedish immunologist Lars Hanson from the University of Gothenburg discovered in breast milk the content of antibodies synthesized by the mother's body that protect the baby from pathogenic bacteria that the mother had to face throughout her life (Immunobiology of Human Milk: How Breastfeeding Protects Babies by Lars A Hanson, MD, PhD, Pharmasoft Publishing, 2004). Simply put, with milk, your baby actually receives antibodies against diseases that you have already suffered.
Composition of human milk
Breast milk contains about 500 different components.
According to WHO, milk is valuable for a child during the first 2 years of life.
- The main component is water. It is about 90% in milk. It helps to avoid dehydration of the child's body.
- Protein, in a quantitative ratio of about one percent, is one of the most important components for normal growth of the body.
Ensures the development of the muscular, circulatory and nervous systems. As milk ages, proteins tend to decrease. This is due to the fact that the baby’s growth rate after a year is more dependent on regular food. The need for breast milk proteins decreases. - Fats. Available in small quantities - 4%, since it is very difficult for a newborn to digest fatty milk.
Carbohydrates - about 7%. Lactose is a substance necessary for the development of normal intestinal microflora. Helps destroy pathogenic flora.
LACTOFERRIN / LONG-FEEDING
In my personal list of beneficial substances in breast milk, the protein lactoferrin is in first place. It was first isolated from cow's milk in 1939, and from women's milk only 20 years later. Its main and most studied function is the binding and transport of iron ions (a deficiency of which is no less dangerous than an excess, as it can lead not only to the growth of microbes, but even to cell destruction), as well as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antiparasitic activity, antiallergic and immunomodulatory effects, plus it promotes intestinal maturation in newborns.
“Lactoferrin is important for adequate protection of the newborn, since of all mammals only in humans it makes up up to 50 percent of all milk proteins at the beginning of lactation,” says Alexey Sokolov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, head of the laboratory of biochemical genetics of the department of molecular genetics of the Institute of Experimental Medicine ", who, together with his colleagues, has been studying lactoferrin, including in breast milk, for more than 15 years.
Alexey began studying breast milk when he was an eleventh-grader, and today he gives presentations at international symposiums dedicated to this protein.
To conduct research, breast milk was collected through a specially created VKontakte group. Almost 400 women from St. Petersburg took part in the study. A total of 7,224 breast milk samples were analyzed from 15 women, who collected 1.5 milliliters daily, and another 100 milliliter sample from 384 women, who reported at what specific stage of lactation the sample was collected. The timing varied from the first day after birth to 5 years of breastfeeding.
Research by Alexey and his colleagues helped debunk the common myth that breastfeeding should be stopped after a year. This very arbitrary and, in general, figure taken out of thin air has always raised a lot of questions in me: why exactly at 12 months, and not at nine or 14? Exactly on the baby's birthday, does some kind of switch go off? Many pediatricians will defend this myth by telling you that milk gets “worse” after a year of feeding. Thanks to Alexey and his colleagues for the fact that now there are scientific facts that refute this opinion. According to the results of their studies (they can be found in the journal “Home Child” No. 17) in colostrum (the very first early milk, which is the most saturated with nutrients), the concentration of lactoferrin is 2-8 mg/ml, in the period from the first to the second year of lactation decreases and amounts to 0.5-1 mg/ml, but in the samples of mothers who breastfed for up to five years, the lactoferrin content was already 2-5 mg/l, that is, it was again approaching colostrum!
Big breasts on the black market: women with high milk yields
While in Russia such services have recently appeared, in America and Europe women have been earning decent money from selling breast milk for many years. But they buy exclusive goods from them, often not only for newborns. Recently, bodybuilders have been hunting for this children's delicacy. Bodybuilders are confident that breast milk improves muscle “pumping” and promotes rapid growth. Breast milk is also used for cosmetic purposes. Experts believe it can improve dry skin.
The cost of Russian expressed milk is quite high. In Moscow, 100 grams of frozen product costs 250 rubles and more. In the regions you can bargain for 100 rubles.
Online advertisements for the sale of breast milk look like this:
“I offer frozen milk at a price of 300 rubles. for 100 ml. Or fresh, every morning for 500 rubles. for 100 ml, if you are ready to pick it up yourself. Every day I walk in the park. There are copies of an exchange card for health reasons, a certificate of absence of HIV and syphilis. The milk is yellow and fatty.”
“Ivanovo. I will sell breast milk inexpensively (100 ml - 100 rubles) or give it away for things for the girl. I have yellow colostrum - I'll give it to you a little cheaper. I take vitamins. Without bad habbits. I follow a hypoallergenic diet. By agreement, I can limit myself to something or start drinking dill water.”
Ekaterina is 30 years old. The woman started selling breast milk a year ago, when she gave birth to her second child.
— There are enough veterans in our business, I know about ten of them personally. These women have been selling their own milk for several years; they are mothers of many children,” the woman began the conversation. “I mastered this business after the birth of my second.” I had at least enough milk. I advertised on the Internet, published my photos, wrote about myself. The more information about you is publicly available, the faster a buyer will be found. People need to know who they are dealing with. After all, breast milk can be contaminated with HIV, hepatitis, streptococcus, so in this case personal contact with the seller is necessary. Soon I started receiving requests from clients. Women came to me, checked my medical record, and even inspected my apartment. There was one who asked to express in front of her: she was afraid and didn’t trust her. For such a service I asked for 500 rubles per 100 grams.
— Why don’t they trust breastfeeding mothers?
— Unscrupulous sellers, under the guise of donor breast milk, sell diluted infant formula, cow's or goat's milk, and may dilute breast milk with water to increase its volume...
— Are low-income women engaged in selling breast milk?
- Mostly people do such things out of necessity. And it's dangerous. After all, a low-income woman will not be able to provide herself with decent nutrition, her milk will not contain enough nutrients, so many buyers pay extra for such women to eat normally. Or they invite them to work as nurses in their homes. But there are completely different prices.
— Could someone else’s child be allergic to your milk?
- Certainly. It is known that the wife of one of the most famous Russian bards did not have milk after giving birth. He himself, a former doctor by training, was categorically against the mixture. They were looking for a donor all over St. Petersburg. Found it with great difficulty. They paid a lot of money. And after receiving donor milk, their child developed a form of allergy in which the skin began to practically peel off. They had to switch to a mixture.
Catherine’s story is atypical for representatives of this profession. According to the woman, remote nurses are passed from hand to hand thanks to word of mouth. But newcomers to this business will have to work hard to find their first clients and sell the first 100 grams...
“Buyers were interested in the number of sexual partners”
Alena from Ulyanovsk recently posted the following ad on the Internet: “I will sell breast milk. Price for 100 ml - 150 rubles. There’s a lot of milk, I express more than a liter a day, it’s fatty, not blue.” Clients did not have to wait long.
“Not so many women, but men, began to write to me,” says young mother Alena. - I didn’t react. But recently a young man approached me, introduced himself as a trainer, sent him his business card, and described in detail how milk affects muscle growth. He said that he needed more product for his colleagues. I had a huge supply in my refrigerator, about 5 liters. I sold it all to him. As a result, I earned 10 thousand rubles. I doubted whether I was doing the right thing. But then I decided: what difference does it make what they do with my milk?
In the regions, breast milk is sold not only through social networks.
“In our areas, such a service is in demand,” says Svetlana from Rostov-on-Don. “For example, a girl came up to me in a children’s clinic and offered her services to a nursing mother. In the dairy kitchen, the women serving are always asking if anyone needs fresh breast milk. In maternity hospitals, doctors immediately advise who to contact if you don’t have your own milk, and hand out phone numbers for wet nurses.
Victoria from Krasnodar is 24 years old. Last December she gave birth to a boy. Married. Happy. The only problem is that there is not enough money to live on.
“I need money, so I took this step,” admits the young mother. — I didn’t inflate the prices, I set the average, like most: 150 rubles per 100 grams. I don't have any sales experience yet. Nobody has bought my milk yet, although there were plenty of applications. More than 10 people contacted me. People who have been diagnosed with cancer also write, saying that breast milk can help overcome the disease. But so far no one has gotten to me. Apparently, I didn’t like my appearance...
Before concluding a deal with the seller, the buyer carefully scans the past and present of the dairy mother.
Buyers asked me a lot of questions. They asked me to fill out some forms. They were interested in the details of my intimate life, asked about the number of sexual partners, and convinced me that having a permanent man affects the quality of milk. They also said that the absence of a husband had an adverse effect on the product,” Victoria continues. “Women were also interested in my lifestyle, found out whether I played sports, what books I read, what films I watched, what time I got up, how much time I spent sleeping, and, of course, asked to send me a food ration.
Many people asked me to remove foods that could cause allergies from my personal menu. I had to eliminate what was superfluous. I’ve been on a strict diet for a week now - I hope this will help sell the product. And, of course, everyone demands to present a medical certificate and take tests. Someone even asked to see a photo of my baby to make sure that the child was completely healthy. But what does this have to do with milk?..
Who doesn’t hesitate to buy someone else’s breast milk?
30-year-old Natalya from St. Petersburg told why she used the services of a dairy mother.
“I had a difficult birth, I knew that my milk would disappear. I wrote about my request to a group where girls sold milk,” says Natalya. — Many women responded. Some offered to buy the product, others gave it as a gift. I somehow trusted the latter more. I began to correspond with them and monitor their pages on social networks. In the end I settled on one lady. We met on the subway and she gave me milk for my son.
— By what criteria did you select the dairy mother?
“Purely in appearance, I liked the girl: she was 33 years old, had a higher education, and she just looked good, she seemed clean to me. She handed over 6 bags of 500 ml milk.
— They didn’t ask her for any certificates?
“I immediately sent her milk to the laboratory - my mother is a doctor, so it was not difficult for me to check the product for infections. The tests came back clean. Although they explained to me: if they had found hepatitis in the milk, then nothing terrible would have happened. The child would get sick, but he would develop immunity to this disease.
“I strained more than a ton”
Every idea has its opponents. Olga Rodicheva, a mother of many children from St. Petersburg, considers the sale of breast milk almost a crime. In her opinion, such a product should only be given as a gift to those in need, and not for money. That's why she created an alternative option - the Milk Mother volunteer movement. The organization exists only on the Internet. She has more than a thousand supporters throughout the country. On forums, women meet and agree to donate milk free of charge.
— We are against selling milk for money. The fact is that a woman may not sell milk of her own free will. There is a high probability that she is simply being exploited,” Rodicheva began the conversation. — A young mother can be used as a cash cow to make money. Women in the postpartum period are dependent on relatives, on husbands, on those who are close to them. And if their milk begins to be actively sold, it means that relatives will be tempted to use the woman and her body. Such cases did occur. To prevent slavery, we encourage everyone to stop buying milk.
— What if a woman decides to sell milk of her own free will?
— Such milk can be dangerous for a child. After purchasing, none of the buyers runs to the laboratory to have the product analyzed - many simply cannot afford it. But instead of human milk, they can easily slip you cow’s milk. It is not always possible to distinguish one from the other by taste. Breast milk is often diluted with water or milk from a mammal is added to it. There are plenty of fakes in this business.
-Have you heard of such cases?
— American mothers told about such cases. Women bought breast milk, which was diluted with cow's milk. I do not rule out that something similar is in use in Russia.
— Where is the guarantee that they will give normal milk for free?
- There is no point in cheating for free. Donation is carried out by responsible women who are socially concerned with the good of society.
— Do they provide certificates?
— All women undergo tests during pregnancy, they have an exchange card - these are the documents they present before donating milk. You can also get to know the breastfeeding mother, visit her, understand her lifestyle, and ask for additional test results.
— Isn’t it easier to feed a child with formula than to bother with finding a breastfeeding mother?
“But you don’t know what’s in the jars of formula.” It’s a big mistake to think that formula is healthy: it’s not even always sterile, sometimes it’s contaminated with bacteria... In the West, statistics are kept on how many children die after drinking formula. It's a pity that there are no such statistics in our country.
— Can someone die from someone else’s breast milk?
— There have been no deaths in the entire history of donation.
- But with breast milk, a woman can transmit her diseases to her child...
— If we talk about a disease such as HIV, then we must remember one of the principles of safe milk exchange: we are talking about pasteurization, which is easy to do at home.
- And in this way you can get rid of a dangerous infection?
— HIV is an unstable virus. It dies during pasteurization. But children with such diseases are usually not fed. HIV mothers cannot be donors in our country by definition - breastfeeding is prohibited for them. When they give birth, they are forced to stop lactation. They also cannot breastfeed their child. It is mothers with such diseases who often turn to us for milk.
— How long do free donors “work”?
— Free donors “work” from one to three months. It's very hard work. Those who pump for other people's children longer are heroines.
One of these heroines, Svetlana Grebenshchikova-Merkulova, described in detail her history of donation on the Milk Mother website. Her story is shocking.
“I experienced hyperlactation. The baby needed about 500 ml of milk per day, and my breasts produced eight times more: up to four liters per day. Each “milking session” took at least an hour and a half, and could last up to five hours. Before you have time to finish pumping the second breast, the first one fills up again, and so on in a circle. From constant hand expression, the milk corroded the skin on my hands; I had to express it in rubber gloves. Dry “labor” calluses appeared on the skin of the chest.
There was a lot of milk. It started to freeze. The freezer quickly clogged. I convinced my husband to buy a large freezer. I created a supply for six months. But the milk kept coming. It was necessary to place it somewhere.
On the Internet, I found a cry from the heart from the mother of a premature baby in intensive care, who took some milk from me, but then the doctor forbade her to accept donor milk. Another cancer patient, a non-breastfeeding mother of a newborn, contacted me through friends, but she soon refused, and the doctors also scolded her.
One day I saw a story on TV about a newborn child thrown into the trash. I called the hospital where he was lying and offered breast milk in any quantity. I was politely refused. It got to the point of being funny: I was walking past a church with a stroller. A gypsy woman with a baby in her arms came towards me and asked for some milk formula. I suggested breastfeeding the baby. She looked at my huge breasts with horror and refused. Like this. Even gypsies don’t need milk.”
As a result, the woman received her milk for free through the Milk Mother donor community. According to Svetlana, in a year and a half she “strained more than 1 ton of milk, more precisely, 1,027.8 liters. Of these, 250 liters were donated to three “milk children” (24%). The average daily milk yield for this entire period was 1879 ml: from 450 to 3700 ml per day. On average, there was 530 ml left, which she froze. At home I was able to provide high-quality storage of no more than 60 liters, or a supply for 2.5 months.”
“Nurses earn $800 a month.”
It is easier to buy breast milk through social networks. But you can find a wet nurse at home through an agency.
— I work in an agency that provides the services of nannies, tutors, and caregivers. Several years ago, we decided to try to introduce a new profession to the masses—nurses,” says Galina, an employee of a private company. — Our main clients are from other countries. In Europe, only very wealthy people can afford wet nurses; our prices for such services are humane.
This is what the advertisements for the search for a wet nurse look like, which are placed by employees.
“We urgently need a nurse for two babies. Meals, accommodation - all inclusive. Payment - 600 euros per month. Moving to Baku for a year with my child.”
“We need a wet nurse in Germany for a year. Lodging, food and insurance are provided. Salary 400–500 euros per month. Moving with a child. The baby will be born in April."
“It’s not so easy to find a wet nurse,” the interlocutor continues. — One of the options is to turn to a surrogate mother. By law they cannot feed their children. Such a woman in labor is given special pills immediately after giving birth to stop lactation. To prevent this from happening, we conclude a contract with her in advance, which she provides to the doctor.
On a specialized forum we found an advertisement from one surrogate mother: “I am a participant in the surrogacy program. I am 32 years old. As you understand, only healthy surrogate mothers are selected for the program. All certificates are available.
I want to find a family that needs a breastfeeding mother for their baby. I am currently 38 weeks pregnant. In 2 weeks, two babies will be born. I am looking for a family from Sochi or Krasnodar region. Reward wishes: 50 thousand rubles. Accommodation and meals on your premises, at your expense. I don’t need weekends for 2 months for sure.”
— What tests should the nurse take?
— Absolutely all tests, including fluorography. We also need to make sure that she doesn’t drink or smoke.
— How do you replenish the base of wet nurses, since there are not enough surrogate mothers for everyone?
— We go to the website of pregnant women, place our advertisements there: they say, who is ready to feed a child who will be born at such and such a time? Young ladies from the regions are responding. In fact, the search process is very painstaking. There are a lot of nuances. Milk at different stages of lactation has a different composition - this must also be taken into account. Well, women should be decent.
— Does the nurse live in the same house with the family she provides services to?
- Yes. But the wet nurse does not breastfeed someone else's child in order to avoid attachment to the newborn. She expresses milk into a bottle.
— Are there such agencies in the regions?
— The first such agency was opened 10 years ago in Nefteyugansk. Future nurses there prepared in advance to become a dairy mother. The company placed advertisements on the Internet and in newspapers to recruit wet nurses. In the seventh month of pregnancy, the ladies called the agency and offered their services. Then they collected certificates and documents confirming that they were healthy. But this office soon closed down. They went broke because they were greedy. For nurses there, an hourly rate for breastfeeding was set - 35 rubles per hour. The girls sat in a separate room where the babies were brought to them. They had plenty of work, but not all of them could withstand such loads.
— How much do nurse services cost in Moscow?
— Nurses in Moscow are paid around $800 a month. So if anyone is interested, you are welcome.
CARIES
Milk spoils teeth - another reason why many people stop breastfeeding exactly at the age of one. According to one version, food debris is the cause of caries. And then breast milk is quickly equated to cow’s milk or sweet compote and there is an unequivocal ban on feeding at night. I have not been able to find a single full-fledged study proving that babies' teeth deteriorate from breast milk. But there are studies that refute this information. However, at the moment they are very outdated, so whether to rely on them or not - I leave this question to your personal discretion. You can find a plaque with these studies on the website of the “New Level” organization, which is engaged in improving the qualifications of breastfeeding consultants.
The WHO is, frankly, unclear on the dental issue: “Breast milk has been linked to the development of dental caries, but this only occurs when breastfeeding continues for a long time (more than a year) and preventive measures are not taken, such as brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste . But even then, the development of dental caries is rare.”
Initially, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists did not recommend feeding babies at night after the appearance of their first teeth. However, already in a 2013 study she stated that the previous data were untenable. There is also data from scientists who studied fossil children's skulls from various museums around the world and came to the conclusion that such a phenomenon as dental caries appeared no earlier than eight to ten thousand years ago, despite the fact that, according to anthropologists, modern man exists at least about one hundred thousand years. That is, ancient babies who were only breastfed (and much longer than modern children) had no problems with caries at all.
So why is the data so contradictory? Firstly, studies often also involve mixed-fed children (MF). Secondly, they include children who already had caries at the time of the study (that is, the process from healthy teeth to the development of caries was not studied). Thirdly, tooth decay can also be transmitted from parents or other adults caring for a child - through kissing, sharing cutlery and dishes. In this case, breast milk is also defended by the fact that when sucking, the milk does not linger in the mouth and generally barely touches the teeth, but immediately goes almost into the throat. It seems much more obvious that teeth will be destroyed by what has direct contact with them - pieces of food from complementary foods, juices, compotes.
Heredity plays an important role in the occurrence of caries, even in infancy. So how to avoid caries - no matter what feeding? Oral hygiene is everything to us. Dentists recommend brushing babies' teeth as soon as they start teething, and doing this at least twice a day. And visit the dentist regularly.
Features of breast milk production
To answer the question of how breast milk is formed, you should know the structure of the mammary gland and the physiological processes of lactation.
The mammary gland consists of cavities between which there are narrow ducts. Near the nipple they expand and turn into milk sinuses. At the other base of the ducts there are cells that are responsible for milk production.
Several cells grouped together form an alveolus. There are several million similar alveoli in the mammary gland.
Prolactin is responsible for the production of milk in the alveoli. It enters a woman's blood after the birth of a child. If for some reason breastfeeding is postponed, there is no need to worry. Prolactin remains in large quantities even after a month. During sucking, the muscles contract and fluid is released from the cells.
The hormone oxytocin is responsible for the functioning of muscle fibers that carry milk through the ducts of the mammary glands.
It dilates the lacteal sinuses so that it can be freely released during sucking. The work of oxytocin can be felt due to the appearance of a feeling of fullness in the chest.
- Colostrum is produced in the first 4 days. It is light yellow. It contains a large amount of nutrients and antibodies. Colostrum is necessary for the child to adapt to a new way of receiving food.
- After a few days and up to about a month, transitional milk is produced. There is more nutrients needed for the growth of the body.
- Mature milk begins to appear after 3-4 weeks. It is rich in fat and water. There are fewer proteins.
It is important to know how much mature milk should be produced per day. Its quantity should reach 1.5 liters. Mature milk is divided into fore and hind milk. Each of them has characteristic properties.
Foremilk is bluish in color and is liquid. Appears at the beginning of breastfeeding. It is rich in carbohydrates, salts and water. The anterior contents help replenish fluid loss and quench thirst.
Hindmilk is yellow and thick. This is a complete food for babies. The formation of posterior contents improves due to frequent latching of the baby to the breast, during night feeding and with prolonged and frequent latching on the same breast. Hindmilk improves intestinal microflora.
In order for the baby to receive fore and hind milk evenly, you can give a different breast at each feeding. It happens that the baby refuses to suck out hind milk, as it requires energy. The woman hastily offers the other breast. As a result, the baby receives only foremilk. But foremilk cannot satisfy hunger.
As the baby ages, the composition of breast milk also changes. It adapts to the needs of a growing organism, which needs some vitamins in larger quantities, others in smaller quantities.
When the baby reaches 6 months, the need for fats and proteins decreases. A large amount of lipids and carbohydrates is produced. During tooth growth, the amount of calcium increases. It is useful to continue feeding after a year.
It is a great source of vitamins and antibodies that protect against infections. At this stage the milk is very thick and yellow.
NUTRITION
The body of a young mother spends many times more energy on lactation than during the previous pregnancy. WHO estimates that breastfeeding mothers need an additional 325-425 calories daily. However, everything you need to know about your nutrition while breastfeeding is contained in this phrase: “Even women with poor nutritional status can produce enough milk of sufficient quality to ensure normal physical development of the infant.”
The body, if driven into a corner, will gut your reserves. Almost like in a children's fairy tale - he will litter the bottom of the barrel, scrape the barns, and scrape up everything that is due for an infant. It goes without saying that the mother's nutritional reserves will be depleted.
Back in 1991, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States released a report on the results of studying the issue of nutrition during lactation: no matter where a woman lives, no matter what she eats, she is fully capable of breastfeeding a child. Capable. But can nutrition improve or, on the contrary, worsen the process? The nutrients in breast milk that are most affected by maternal dietary intake are primarily water-soluble vitamins and, to a lesser extent, fat-soluble vitamins. Simply put, the mother’s diet affects the content in milk of: thiamine, riboflavin, vitamins B6, B12, D, A, iodine and selenium; does not affect the levels of zinc, iron, folate and calcium.
The WHO brochure also suggests that "if the mother has reduced fat stores, this may reduce the fat content of breast milk." However, it is worth separating two concepts: the presence of fats in human milk (medical experts advise paying special attention to polyunsaturated fatty acids) and the total fat content of milk. So, to maintain the balance of PUFAs, a nursing mother’s diet should contain foods containing Omega-3: vegetable oils (for example, olive) and fatty fish (the most common are halibut, omul, salmon). At the same time, the mother’s diet does not affect the overall fat content of milk, says AKEV (Association of Natural Feeding Consultants) consultant Anna Osipyan: “I would like to warn women against the desire to increase the fat content of milk with the help of heavy fatty foods. Recipes with walnuts are especially often used for this purpose, but this can lead to increased milk viscosity and an allergic reaction in the baby.”
COFFEE / ALCOHOL
And finally about the main thing. If you consume no more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day, this will not affect the child’s body in any way. Caffeine is found in coffee (100 milligrams per cup), black tea (80 milligrams per cup), and green tea (50 milligrams per cup).
And now about the most important thing. Until recently, most recommendations boiled down to the fact that either you should not drink alcohol at all, or you should take a break between drinking it and feeding the child, the time of which depends on the amount drunk, as well as the weight of the mother. For example, a 40.8kg woman who drank three drinks in an hour would take eight and a half hours for the alcohol to clear from her milk, while a 95.3kg woman who drank the same amount would take five hours and 33 minutes. There are other formulas and numbers. However, there is a study that states that “even in the theoretical case of severe maternal intoxication, the child is not exposed to clinically significant amounts of alcohol. There were no behavioral changes in children exposed to milk from mothers who drank alcohol, but the literature is inconsistent. Any long-term effects on children of maternal abuse are not yet known, but the negative effects of occasional use during breastfeeding have not been conclusively proven. The development of specific recommendations aimed at breastfeeding women is not justified.” Let me make a reservation right away that we are talking about one or two glasses on holidays, and this is not information for those who have a holiday every day. NEN has already written in some detail about what and how a nursing mother can drink.
ALTERNATIVES
All we have to do is compare breast milk with its closest “substitutes” - cow's milk and formulas (many of which are made from cow's milk).
According to the Sears couple, the only thing against any animal milk is that it is intended by nature to feed young animals, which at birth have completely different needs: “Cows, for example, give their calves milk with a high fat content, which ensures rapid body growth, but cow's milk contains low levels of substances necessary for rapid brain growth. <…> This is why animals' legs grow faster in the first six months of their life, while the brain develops very slowly. Humans must rely on their minds to survive, which is why human babies' brains grow quickly. The brain of a human baby triples in the first year, but as for the legs, the growth of the body relative to them is slower.” Dr. Komarovsky shares the same opinion: “No one in the 21st century gives whole cow’s or goat’s milk to children under one year of age in their right mind.”
Plus, cow's milk contains 40 times less activity of factors that promote the growth and number of bifidobacteria, reduce fermentation processes in the intestines and suppress the growth of unfriendly microorganisms. And by the way, our old friend lactoferrin in breast milk, according to Alexander Sokolov, is 20 and even 100 times more than in cow or goat milk.
Comparing breast milk with formula is also often not in favor of the latter. A simple example. Breast milk contains more than 130 oligosaccharides - carbohydrates that affect brain development and the body's ability to cope with infections. How many oligosaccharides do you think manufacturers were able to add to the mixture? I won't torture you: two. Well, two are better than none. Here is, in addition, the opinion of Alexei Sokolov (he is a scientist, remember?): “Not a single dry formula for feeding a child will contain either lactoferrin, lysozyme, or a spectrum of immunoglobulins unique to each mother. We should also not forget that breast milk contains a certain amount of mother’s leukocytes, which also participate in the formation of the baby’s immunity. It is clear that you cannot add this richness of Mother Nature to dry mixtures” (interview from the magazine “Home Child” No. 17). Alexey also explains that other important microelements are added to dry formulas, but, apparently, in order to balance out the deficiency, they do this in doses that are many times higher than their content in breast milk. There is another important point: breast milk has its own protein transporters for each microelement: for iron - the already familiar lactoferrin, for calcium - caseins and lactalbumin, for copper - ceruloplasmin, etc.
Yes, breast milk is magical. But no, this is not a panacea. And not the only possible option. Breastfeeding could not have worked out for a number of reasons: improper attachment, hospitalization of the child, the mother’s need to work, the development of lactostasis, the baby’s refusal to breastfeed. Mom could have simply decided to formula feed without even considering breastfeeding as an option. And this does not make any of us worse or better. This is a choice that we make for our child precisely because this (among other things) is called “being a mother.”
How to tell if you have a little milk
If your baby is latching well and you are breastfeeding every two to three hours, you should be able to produce enough breast milk. But if you have any concerns, look out for the following signs that will alert you to a low breast milk supply:
- Your baby breastfeeds for more than 45 minutes at each feeding.
- Your baby still seems hungry after breastfeeding.
- You can't hear your baby swallow when he or she breastfeeds.
- Your breasts don't feel full before each feeding.
- Your breasts don't feel softer or less full after breastfeeding.
- Your baby does not have at least six wet diapers per day after the fifth day.
- Your baby is not gaining weight.
If you think your breast milk supply is low and you notice any of these signs, see your doctor.
