I have been pumping at work for my 4.5 month old for about 6 weeks. Recently noticed a huge difference in the appearance between the expressed milk from one side to the other. One produces white thicker milk while the other is producing a clearer thinner looking milk. Any thoughts on what this is or why?
do you nurse before you leave the house? maybe always on one side? or always more or ending on one side? the side that is producing the thick hindmilk at work?
I had similar results - one side produced more, and thus all of the thin clearer milk came out quickly, followed by the thicker milk. The lesser-producing side let down more slowly so only really podued thin milk, never got to the thicker "hind milk." I tried pumping longer on the weaker side, but all it ended up doing was making that side ache. Drink extra fluids (it's easy to forget at work) and keep up the good work. Your baby is really lucky you're doing this!
Just like when nursing, one of your breasts will always work harder! :) My baby preferred one breast to the other, and I don't know if that CAUSED it to produce more...or if he chose that breast BECAUSE it produced more!
In any case, the same thing happened when I pumped. One side gave me skim and the other side gave heavy cream. Just mix 'em together for a perfect bottle!
The thicker white milk is called the hindmilk, it has a higher fat content. The lighter, almost blue-ish colored milk is the foremilk, it has a higher water content.
So when your milk lets down the first milk that comes out is the foremilk and the thicker hindmilk comes later. This is why it's important to let your baby nurse for a long time on a single breast, to make sure he/she gets to the higher fat content milk that only comes out later -- they need the fat, and it helps them sleep longer too!
hope this answers your question...
This happened to me too. My right breast got 3 times as much milk as my left, while pumping, and was fattier too. It's very normal to have your breasts produce differently. Great resources on kellymom.com regarding pumping and working. I would just mix the two milks together after pumping, so the fatty stuff evened out in the bottles. :)
In my experience I had one that produced more and almost every mom that pumps has one that is better. I tried over and over with my first to improve the supply but pumping it extra and such and it would improve, but didn't last long. Just keep a watch and make sure you aren't gettting a plugged duct. Perhaps try massaging just prior and as you are pumping to make sure all the ducts are open.
