In plain words
Colostrum is the first milk. It is thick and often yellow or orange. It is made during late pregnancy and in the first days after birth, before the larger flow of mature milk arrives. Colostrum comes in small amounts, often a few drops to a teaspoon at a feed, and that amount matches a newborn's small stomach. It is rich in protein, antibodies, and immune cells. Many mothers are told that colostrum is enough for the first days. Mothers may also hear the older word beestings. Your provider can check that the baby is feeding well and getting enough in these first days.
The deeper version
Colostrum is secreted before and contains high concentrations of immunoglobulin A, , leukocytes, and oligosaccharides, with lower lactose and volume than mature milk. Volumes in the first 24 hours are typically small, with each feed often under 10 milliliters in the first day according to test-weight and volume studies (Kent and colleagues). Secretory activation, or , usually occurs between 48 and 96 hours after birth, and delayed onset is associated with excess early weight loss and lower breastfeeding duration. Colostrum has an established role in neonatal gut maturation and the early immune environment. Its use in the first days is supported by the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine and the WHO.
Where it comes up
- Colostrum and the first days before milk comes inFeeding Your Baby
- The first 24 hoursBirth and the First Days
- Newborn weight: the early drop and regainingBaby Basics
- Diaper counts and what newborn poop looks likeBaby Basics
- Feeding prep: what nobody tells you while you're pregnantGetting Ready for Birth
- Breastfeeding after a cesareanFeeding Your Baby
- Medications and breastfeeding: how to checkFeeding Your Baby
What mothers here say about colostrum
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine — Clinical Protocol #3: Hospital guidelines for supplementary feedings in the healthy term breastfed neonate, 2017
- World Health Organization — Exclusive breastfeeding for six months: recommendations, current edition