When does my milk ‘come in’?

 Your body begins producing milk from around the second trimester of pregnancy. This early milk is called colostrum, often nicknamed ‘liquid gold’ for its incredible benefits. It’s rich in immunoglobulins, which protect your baby’s immature immune system by lining the gut and helping block germs, reducing the risk of illness and infection. Colostrum is also easy to digest, helps clear the first poo (meconium) to lower the risk of jaundice, and is packed with energy and nutrients.

Once the placenta is delivered, progesterone levels drop sharply. This allows prolactin, the milk-making hormone, to become more active, and milk begins to increase in volume. You’ll typically see your milk transition from yellow/orange/clear colostrum to a whiter, more plentiful milk between days 2–5. This change often comes with a feeling of fullness in the breasts. In some cases, this process may be slightly delayed depending on your birth experience or certain physical factors.

Milk production continues to build gradually over the first month, then usually stays fairly steady between 1–6 months, with most exclusively breastfed babies taking roughly the same amount of milk across 24 hours during this time.