Witch's milk

Witch's milk

Witch's milk or neonatal milk is milk secreted from the breasts of some newborn infants. It is the result of influence by the mother's hormones before birth. Witch's milk is only secreted by some infants born at full term, and not by prematurely-born infants. It normally resolves without treatment within one to two hours after birth but in uncommon cases may persist for up to two days [cite web | url = http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/3/252 | title = 'Witch's milk'. Galactorrhea in the newborn | accessdate = 2008-03-09 ] .

In folklore, witch's milk was believed to be a source of nourishment for witches' familiar spirits. [cite book | first=Malcolm | last= Potts | authorlink= Malcolm Potts | year=1999 | title=Ever Since Adam and Eve: The Evolution of Human Sexuality | isbn=0521644046 | page= 145] It was thought to be stolen from unwatched, sleeping infants.

ee also

*Galactorrhea

References

External links

* [http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/3/252 'Witch's milk'. Galactorrhea in the newborn]


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