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Does Your Baby Need Colostrum?Colostrum is a yellowish secretion from the breast before full milk production begins. It can begin to leak from the breast from about the sixth month of pregnancy. It is then gradually replaced by milk production from two to seven days after delivery. So, what is the purpose of this secretion? And doesn't your baby need the milk sooner? The length of time before lactation depends on how strong your baby's sucking is. And also how often you are nursing. What is in this substance, holds the key to understanding the benefits to your baby. It contains protein and minerals in a greater amount than in breast milk. It also has less sugar and fat present. Perhaps most importantly, it is rich in antibodies. Some may argue that the antibody benefit is limited because of poor absorption in the intestinal tract. Even if this were true, this secretion also acts to cleanse your baby's intestinal tract of mucus and meconium (baby's first stool). So since it also cleanses the intestine, wouldn't that then fix the suggested low absorption? The extra protein gives your infant the what is needed immediately after birth. Protein is used in building tissues and recovering from stress, as in the birth itself. Then there are the antibodies, a special gift from you to your baby. Something a formula just couldn't mimic. You may have already decided to breast feed. Good. You now have information to consult with your physician and determine what would be the best for both you and your infant.
Return from Colostrum to Prenatal
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