Witch's milk
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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 infants born at full term, and not by prematurely-born infants. It normally resolves without treatment within one to two weeks after birth but in uncommon cases may persist for up to two months [1].
In folklore, witch's milk was believed to be a source of nourishment for witches' familiar spirits. [2] It was thought to be stolen from unwatched, sleeping infants.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ 'Witch's milk'. Galactorrhea in the newborn. Retrieved on 2008-03-09.
- ^ Potts, Malcolm (1999). Ever Since Adam and Eve: The Evolution of Human Sexuality, 145. ISBN 0521644046.