ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the factors which are known or believed to influence the total lipid content of human milk. It is well documented that the lipid content of human milk is the most variable major constituent. The content varies within a nursing, from breast to breast, diumally, longitudinally, and among individuals. Hall hypothesized that changes in the composition of milk which occur toward the end of a nursing might provide a signal for the infant to stop nursing and assist the infant to develop a method for appetite control. Anderson noted that the composition of milk from mothers delivering preterm received little attention until the mid 1970s. With acute medical problems of the infant under control, there have been recent efforts to define and provide optimal nutriture for the preterm infant. Hibberd et al. presented data on the composition of term milk only, but discussed their results in terms of feeding preterm infants.
