First-time mothers are always filled with fear of what to expect. The worst experience is when they notice something unusual with the newborns. Nana Owiti, King Kaka’s wife has shared what scared her most after the birth of her daughter, Gweth.
Through her instagram account, she wrote; “Now, a couple days after I had My first baby Gweth Geezy, I realized that both of her breasts were inflamed a little. I think she was born like that and I think I didn’t realize that because I was scared of bathing her so King used to do it. We were not living together but he knew he had a duty Delegated by God because I was scared of this 2.7Kg baby slipping from my hands as I bathed her.
What did I do? Panic!! Called King then we met at the hospital. The nurse squeezed one of her breasts and to our surprise,Milk came out of her nipple! It is here where we learnt of another phenomenon. It’s called THE WITCH’S MILK!!! Witch’s milk also known as neonatal milk is milk secreted from the breasts of some newborn human infants of either sex.
Neonatal milk secretion is considered a normal physiological occurrence and no treatment or testing are necessary. It is thought to be caused by a combination of the effects of maternal hormones before birth, prolactin and growth hormone passed through breastfeeding and the postnatal pituitary hormone. Also caused due to the mother’s hormones penetration through the placenta.
Breast milk production occurs in about 5% of newborns and can persist for two months though breast buds can persist into childhood. Witch’s milk is more likely to be secreted by infants born at full term, and not by prematurely-born infants.
WHAT TO DO:- Should you find out that your infant’s breast is inflamed. Ask your doc to rule out infant mastitis. If it’s Witch’s milk, Do NOT squeeze or Massage breast. WHY Because the squeezing, massage and manipulation of the breast tissue may force bacteria into the milk glands, which can lead to infection/mastitis.”
