Many young breastfeeding mothers are seriously concerned about the composition of breast milk. Very often there are “well-wishers” next to them, explaining any anxiety and crying of the baby by the fact that breast milk, allegedly, does not have sufficient fat and nutritional value. The first thing to remember is that the color, appearance and taste of milk are not indicators of its quality and fat content. The approximate fat content of your milk can be determined at home.
It is necessary
test tube, 150 mm high; marker; ruler
Instructions
Step 1
Take a clean tube. Measure 100 mm from the bottom of the tube. Use a marker to mark it accordingly.
Step 2
Fill the tube with expressed breast milk. This should be done immediately after expressing. Do not forget that human breast milk is conventionally divided into "front" and "back". “Front” is the milk released at the start of a feed. "Back" - at the end of feeding. The percentage of fat in the "front" milk "is much lower than in the" rear ". When measuring the fat content of milk, it is the fat content of the rear milk that should be taken into account.
Step 3
Place the tube in an upright position. The easiest way to do this is using a dedicated tripod or stand. Leave the tube with milk uncovered at room temperature for 6-7 hours.
Step 4
Measure the resulting cream layer with a ruler. Each millimeter division of the ruler will correspond to one percent fat. It should be borne in mind that the fat content in breast milk depends on the degree of breast emptying. The more milk there is in the breast, the less fat it is. And, accordingly, the shorter the break between feedings, the more fatty milk your baby gets.
According to the standards of the World Health Organization, the average fat content of breast milk is about 4%.
