Mother’s breast milk turns yellow to help her sick baby
- Ashlee Chase, from the US, posted image to explain benefits of breastfeeding
- Her paediatrician says baby’s fever prompted an immune response from mother
- Her body made milk with ‘more fat and antibodies’ to help infant fight infection
- Says she’s asked why she’s still nursing seven-month-old and says ‘100% why’
Claudia Tanner For Mailonline
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A mother has shared an astonishing photo showing how her body changed her breast milk a yellow colour when she was feeding her daughter to help her battle a fever.
Ashlee Chase took to Facebook to make a point about the benefits of breastfeeding to people who question why she still nurses her seven-month-old explaining ‘100% why.’
She posted a photo of a pouch containing her milk three days before baby Elliot became ill next to an image of her milk the day after she had ‘comfort nursed’ all night.
Ashlee called her daughter’s paediatrician, who told her that the breast milk’s change in colour was a result of her body producing ‘more fat and antibodies in the milk’ to help her infant fight the infection, reports Yahoo.
A mother has shared a photo online showing the change in her breast milk which doctors say is caused by her body creating extra antibodies
Ashlee Chase from the US pictured with her baby daughter Elliot who had a fever
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IMMUNE RESPONSE
One doctor explained to The Independent that the baby’s fever may have prompted an immune response from the mother.
‘First, it becomes more ‘watery’ in hot weather,’ said Alastair Sutcliffe, professor of general paediatrics at University College London.
‘If a there is a bug about, the mum makes greater amounts of Immunoglobulin A (IgA) in her breast milk to protect the baby from getting that bug.’
The yellowish colour of Ashlee’s milk could be down to an increased amount of colostrum, which is rich in immunoglobulins.
‘It is well known that human breast milk changes circumstantially,’ he added.
But he stressed that further enquiries would be needed to confirm this as there are several factors that could be in play.
Leigh Anne O’Connor, a board-certified lactation consultant told Yahoo Lifestyle: ‘We are only beginning to understand the complex elements of human milk. It is medicine at its finest.’
In her post, Ashlee, from the US, wrote: “‘Why do you still let your 7month old nurse she’s too old” “she’s just using you as a pacifier” “you need to put her in her own bed”
‘100% why.
‘Top milk is from 3 days ago when a healthy Elliot was nursing.
‘Bottom is from today, after sick Elliot with a fever comfort nursed all night.
This.’
‘The human body is beautiful’
The mother’s post has been ‘liked’ more than 5,900 times and has had 7,500 shares since it was uploaded last month.
More than a thousand people commented on it to share their fascination and opinions.
‘It’s amazing what mums’ bodies do to help our babies,’ one person wrote.
Another said: ‘This is blowing my mind, you knew this?’
One posted: ‘The human body is beautiful.’
A commenter, echoing lots of people’s responses, asked: ‘But how does the milk change before the baby drinks it?’
The woman’s post has been shared more than 7,500 times on Facebook
Ashlee pictured with her husband Dan who also have another daughter, 7-year-old Peyton
And plenty of mothers defended the right to breastfeed for as long as a mother wants or feel able to.
One wrote: ‘I breastfed my first for 3 years and my second is 14 months still breastfeeding and will keep going! You go girl!!!’
Another said: ‘I nursed till I couldn’t anymore my oldest nurser baby was 23 months when she quit… some I couldn’t nurse some I did for a few months some longer…. too many people make stupid comments about what’s best for other people’s kids… you’re the mom you know what’s best for your kids.’
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