Colostrum – What Is Colostrum And How Does It Help My Baby?
Your body starts to produce colostrum while you are pregnant, although you may not realise unless your breasts leak. After the birth, it will take on average three days for your milk to come in. Until then, your body will be producing colostrum to feed your baby.
Colostrum often has a yellow colour, or may sometimes look clear. Colostrum is a thicker fluid than breast milk which can be quite watery. It is often refe...rred to as the magic milk because of all the goodness it contains.
Health Benefits Of Colostrum
Colostrum is widely referred to as nature’s vaccine for babies. It is full of antibodies and immunoglobulins that kick start your baby’s immune system. The immune factors are much more concentrated in colostrum than in mature breast milk. Newborns do not yet have their own immune system, and this first milk of antibodies will help to protect your baby in the months to come. Colostrum contains lots of oligosaccharides, prebiotics and probiotics that are not found in formula milk.
Colostrum is lower in fat than breast milk, this is because newborns’ stomachs are not yet able to cope with fatty foods. The colostrum features growth factors which will stimulate gut development in preparation for the milk coming in.
