Colostrum: why it is important for your baby to benefit from this liquid gold

Colostrum is the precursor fluid of breast milk. It is secreted by the mammary glands during pregnancy and the days immediately after delivery, and provides the baby with everything he needs in those first days of life.

Colostrum is composed of immunoglobulins, water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and other components, forming a serous and yellow liquid, although its composition is not always exactly the same.

Today we are going to talk about colostrum, also known as "liquid gold". We explain why is it so important for the baby and what should we keep in mind so that our newborn benefits from it.

The precalostro

The precalostro occurs during pregnancy. The breasts are preparing during pregnancy for breastfeeding, and one of the results is this secretion that precedes colostrum and to mature milk.

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It is a mammary secretion in the lumen of the alveoli, composed of exudate of plasma, sodium, chlorine, cells, immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, seroalbumin and a small amount of lactose.

This "first milk" is produced as the cells in the center of the alveoli dissolve and flow through the breast ducts to the nipple, and it may be common to have small losses of colostrum during pregnancy.

Colostrum

Colostrum occurs in the first three or four days after delivery. It is a yellowish and thick fluid, composed of precaloster that mixes with the milk that begins to be produced. Its volume reaches between two to 20 milliliters per dose in the first three days postpartum, enough to meet the needs of the newborn.

Colostrum contains about 54 Kcal per 100 milliliters, 2.9 grams per 100 milliliters of fat, 5.7 grams per 100 ml of lactose and 2.3 grams per 100 ml of protein (three times more protein than milk mature).

It also highlights its high concentration in IgA and lactoferrin (proteins that help the body fight infections), its content in lymphocytes and macrophages (100,000 / mm3), and its high amount of oligosaccharides (20 g / L), which provides the newborn with efficient protection against environmental germs. Among the fat-soluble vitamins of high concentration in colostrum, b-carotene (responsible for its yellowish color) stands out.

Differences between colostrum and mature milk

If we compare it with mature milk, both have anti-infective components, both humoral (immunoglobulins, enzymes, lactoferrin, bifid factor, prostaglandins and other immuno-regulatory substances), as well as cellular (macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophilic granulocytes).

But there are some differences between colostrum and mature milk:

  • The most obvious visible to the naked eye are color and consistency. Colostrum is yellowish and has a consistent texture, while mature milk looks more liquid, lighter and generally white in color.

  • Colostrum contains fewer amounts of lactose, fat and water-soluble vitamins, but more protein, fat-soluble vitamins (E, A, K), carotenes and some minerals such as sodium (which gives it a slightly salty taste) and zinc.

  • In colostrum, the concentration of protective proteins Ig A and lactoferrin is high, and although they are diluted by increasing milk production, an important daily production is maintained later.

From the fourth day after delivery the transitional milk that will give way to mature milk, always according to the needs of the baby.

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Why it is so important that the baby benefits from colostrum

As we just saw, Colostrum is authentic "gold" for the newborn, because it gives great protection against infections and diseases. Not surprisingly, some people classify it as "the first vaccine" the baby receives, as it is loaded with antibodies and protective substances.

That's why healthcare professionals insist on the importance of not deprive the baby of this food (even when the mother has made the decision not to breastfeed her baby), being indispensable in premature babies.

To favor the fact that the baby can benefit from this "liquid gold", it is important that mother and baby do not separate after childbirth, facing start breastfeeding as soon as possible. In case of doubts or difficulties, the support of the health personnel is essential, since the mother needs to feel understood and covered in these delicate moments after the birth.

There are women who feel insecure in the first moments of breastfeeding, because they do not feel their hard breasts and sometimes colostrum is not easily seen, so they interpret, erroneously, that they are not producing milk and their baby is hungry. But nothing is further from reality, because just a few drops of colostrum are enough for the newborn to get everything he needs in those first days.

Video: Colostrum ''Liquid Gold'' - Nurturing Mums @Ciruciera (March 2024).