What is colostrum and its benefits?
Colostrum is the ideal baby formula produced by your body. It is a thick substance produced by your breasts before the mother’s milk is released.
It appears after birth and remains the main nourishment until your breasts begin to produce mother's milk some 48 hours or more after birth. For the first 2 to 3 days, however, your baby will rely on colostrum for all its needs.
After the delivery of your child and the expelling of the placenta, your body seriously settles down to produce breastmilk for your baby. Yet, before you can provide your body with mother’s milk, your body initiates lactation, producing the first baby food - colostrum.
Colostrum is an incredible substance. It has several benefits:
First, it is a complete nutrient package of superfoods for your newborn. It contains all the basic nutrients. Colostrum is higher in protein and lower in fat and carbohydrates than your mature mother’s milk. As a result, your baby requires very little to survive during these early days of breastfeeding.
Second, it is an immune inducing meal. Colostrum helps your baby maintain its defense against bacteria and other possible problems. This is because it is high in antibodies.
Third, colostrum coats the baby’s stomach. In doing so it prevents the occurrence of bacterial infections. It helps pave the way for the baby’s stomach to handle the upcoming mature breastmilk.
Finally, colostrum acts as a laxative. It stimulates the newborn’s bodily defecation processes.
What color is colostrum?
It can be yellow, orange or clear in color. Since lactation of mother's mature milk
starts after 3-5 days the breastmilk changes its color, see below
How long will I have colostrum?
Per American Pregnancy Association your body will produce colostrum for 2-5 dasy after birth.
To jumpstart your mother's milk supply after birth, we recommend taking two Lactation Smoothies with you to the hospital and drinking one smoothie after you gave birth and the 2nd smoothies in 4 hours
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colostrum
1. Hanson, L., Korotkonva, M., The Importance of Colostrum, Breastfeeding May Boost baby’s Own Immune System. (2002). Pediatric Infectious Disease Jour; 21:816-821.
2. Dionna. (2010). The Composition on Human Milk Part 1. Attachment Parenting.
https://attachmentparenting.org/blog/2010/01/12/the-composition-of-breastmilk-part-1/
3. O’Conner, M.,(1998). Anatomy and Physiology: Milk Composition.
4. Spangler, A., Randenberg, A., Brenner, M., Howette, M., (2008). Belly Models as Teaching Tools: What is Their Utility? Journal Of Human Lactation. May 2008, vol 24; no 2.
5. La Leche League, International. Colostrum: General.
https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/colostrum-general/