Tommee Tippee

Breastfeeding Advice Index

Breastfeeding terms explained

Areola

The dark area of the breast around the nipple.

Latching on

This is the way your baby takes your breast into their mouth

Kangaroo care or Skin-to-skin

Having your baby next to you with naked skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth and in the early weeks. This calms your baby, stimulates feeding and enhances your maternal instincts.

Colostrum

Your breasts produce colostrum immediately after the birth. It’s yellow, creamy and rich in nutrients. Colostrum changes to breast milk between 3-5 days.

Engorgement

This is when your breasts get very full and swollen with milk – typically when your milk first comes in around the 3rd day after the birth.

Foremilk

The first milk released during every feed. This is the more watery, thirst-quenching part of the feed.

Hindmilk

This is released as the feed progresses and is richer and more sustaining.

Let down reflex or milk ejection reflex

The process that sets the milk flowing inside your breasts.

Let down pains or after pains

Mild to moderate stomach cramps that you may experience in the first few days while feeding, caused by your womb contracting back to its normal size.

Mastitis

Inflammation of the breast tissue, resulting from blocked ducts.