Lactation

All mammals produce milk from specialised mammary glands. Humans are unipue in having permanent breatss but these are normally composed only of fatty tissue. Throughout pregnancy, however, oestrogen and progesterone stimulate the development of milk-producing tissue.

After birth, the first fluid released from the breasts is called colostrum. This contains no fat and very little sugar, but has important antibodies that 'lend' the baby immunity until it has time to develop its own. After about three to four days, normal milk is produced.

Milk is produced constantly and, although a certain amount of leaking from time to time…