Is breast milk the mother's blood? Why does breast milk turn red after a long time?

We all know that after giving birth, pregnant mothers will breastfeed. Mothers will secrete milk and feed their babies every day. Some people will find that fresh breast milk will turn red after being stored for a long time. So is breast milk the mother's blood? Let's take a closer look!

Is breast milk the mother's blood?

Of course not!

Breast milk is secreted by the mammary glands, and the mammary glands will only perform their function of secreting breast milk after receiving information from prolactin. Prolactin is generally secreted by the pituitary gland. When mothers see their babies or their babies suck, they will continue to secrete prolactin, thereby continuously secreting breast milk.

Judging from this process, the formation of breast milk actually has nothing to do with blood.

But in fact, breast milk and blood are still connected. The transmission of breast milk relies on blood circulation. That is, the smoother the blood circulation, the smoother the mother's breast milk delivery. To use a more popular metaphor, blood is like a courier, responsible for delivering breast milk and oxygen to the baby.

Generally speaking, the formation of breast milk has nothing to do with blood, but its delivery has something to do with blood.

What is the difference between breast milk and blood?

Breast milk and blood are made by different manufacturers

Milk is secreted by mammary gland cells under the stimulation of prolactin and stored in mammary gland lobules and mammary gland ducts. The raw material is maternal blood. The production of blood is more complicated. It is produced by the liver and spleen in the fetus, and the mother provides nutrients. After birth, it is produced by the bone marrow. After the age of 5, only part of the bone marrow still retains the hematopoietic function.

The composition of breast milk and blood is different

The main components of breast milk are lactose, fat and protein, and the proportions are different at different stages. Lactose provides energy, fat ensures the brain development and body structure of the fetus, and protein is a component of muscle and the source of lactoferrin and immune protein. Of course, there are also a considerable number of enzymes, which provide nutrition to the baby while also providing some antibodies to reduce the invasion of viruses. The main components of blood are plasma and blood cells. In addition to a large amount of water, there are also inorganic salts, various nutrients, and metabolites. Among them, blood cells, etc. are not contained in breast milk.

Breast milk and blood have different functions

Breast milk directly provides nutrition and is consumed by the baby all at once, while blood is continuously circulated in the body as a transport vehicle for nutrients and waste. Powered by the heart, blood constantly passes through organs such as the liver, intestines, and lungs, exchanging nutrients and oxygen, and then is transported to where the body needs it, to ensure the normal operation of all parts of our body.

Why does breast milk turn red after being stored for a long time?

In fact, the reason why breast milk turns red after being left for a long time is because of some microorganisms in the breast milk. The metabolic products of these microorganisms are red. They contaminate the breast milk and multiply rapidly in the milk, causing the breast milk to turn red after being left for a long time.

Some mothers will find that the breast milk just squeezed out will have a hint of red. The blood may not be in the mother's milk at all. Sometimes the damaged nipples are cracked and the baby will bleed when sucking. Taking good care of the nipples can stop the bleeding.

Secondly, it is also possible that during pregnancy, the breasts and milk ducts grow rapidly. When the baby is born, the ducts are filled with milk, and the expansion can cause bleeding. However, new mothers do not need to worry, as this situation will stop within a few days.

In addition, small, harmless tumors that grow in the milk ducts can sometimes leak blood into the milk.