What is Colostrum?
Colostrum is the first form of breast milk produced after a pregnancy, and usually is present for 3 or 4 days until a mother’s normal breast milk comes in. It has a yellow tinge to it and a thick consistency. Colostrum is extremely important to a newborn infant while breastfeeding. Beneficial factors include: easy for the infant to digest, packed with antibodies to help fight off infection and sickness, and acts as a natural laxative of sorts to help the baby with his or her first bowel movements.
Colostrum has a lower fat content than normal breast milk, thus, it is easier for the baby to digest. However, with faster digestion comes more frequent feeding times. An infant may need to breastfeed every couple hours for this reason.
Colostrum Benefits
Colostrum is also high in protein, carbohydrates, and antibodies. The antibodies in colostrum make it the optimal food source for a newborn infant. Because infants have very low immune systems at birth, this natural source of antibodies helps protect the infant from sickness. Colostrum is richer in antibodies than normal breast milk, so it is important a baby gets his or her mother’s colostrum for the first few days of life.
Colostrum also acts as a natural laxative for the baby, in that it help loosen and pass the baby’s first stools, also known as meconium. Meconium is a thick, green, tar-like stool that passes when the baby has its first bowel movements. With colostrum helping move the meconium through, the baby stand at less of a risk for complications.
Many mothers fear that since colostrum is produced in seemingly low quantities, it is not enough food for their infant. The reality is that colsotrum is all a newborn baby needs, as a baby’s stomach is very small at birth, and the colostrum a mother produces is the perfect amount of milk and nutrients to nourish a baby.
For the next couple weeks, the colostrum will turn into breast milk, and while the antibody benefits will decrease, the quantity of milk produced will increase.
Colostrum is extremely important to a newborn infant, and is a key aspect of breastfeeding.
