Colostrum Is Amazing For Your Baby - But What Is It?

If you are pregnant, particularly nearing the end of your pregnancy, you may have come across the name colostrum. But, what is it and what do you need to know?

Colostrum is the first milk produced, and is perfect for babies straight after birth. This thick, yellow/gold fluid is ready in the initial days after birth, before the production of regular breast milk begins.

Even before your baby arrives, your body is set to feed them but your pregnancy hormones suppress the full production of milk. Once your baby is born, and the placenta is also out, your hormones start to change and your body gradually starts to produce milk – as we would picture it. This usually take a few days and many women will be aware of milk ‘coming in’ around day 3. Your breasts will feel larger, fuller and maybe uncomfortable as they fill with milk. Until this happens you have colostrum to feed your baby and it is just the most perfect thing for them!  

As a side note – if you get to day 3 and are wondering where the milk is, don’t panic! Sometimes it takes a few days longer and this is especially true when your body needs a little more time to heal and recover, for example from surgery or blood loss. Keep your baby close, lots of skin to skin, lots of rest and plenty of time at the breast and the milk will come a little later. In the meantime, colostrum is just right.

Colostrum is packed with nutrients, antibodies, and growth factors that are crucial for your newborn’s immune system and development. It contains more protein and less fat than mature milk, and is especially rich in antibodies which help protect the infant against infections while their own immune system is developing.

It even contains sugars that your baby can’t digest, but are perfect for feeding the bacteria which is just starting to colonise their gut, setting up a brand new microbiome to support their health throughout their life.

Because of its unique composition, colostrum is often referred to as “liquid gold” and is considered vital for the health of newborns, providing essential nutrients and immune support at a critical time.

Colostrum is a thick, sticky consistency and you produce it in really small amounts which are manageable for your baby’s tiny tummy. So it might be surprising that even these early feeds can take a while (10-45 minutes is pretty normal). And then those tiny tummies empty pretty quickly and need refilling again frequently. Your baby won’t be taking lots of mls of colostrum but they are getting just the right balance of nutrients packed into a small amount.

Plus, the time they spend at the breast is all letting your body know the baby is here and ready for milk production to really kick in. Lots of feeds signal to your body that it is time to step up production. Not that your baby isn’t getting enough right now, but that the time is right to start producing more. Responding to your baby’s cues and bringing them to the breast when they show signs of wanting to feed will help set you up for the future weeks and months of milk production.

This is all good if you are able to feed your baby straight after birth but what if you can’t? This could be for any number of reasons; your own health, your baby needing care in the neonatal unit, baby being sleepy and not latching well and so on.

It is possible to express colostrum to give to your baby if you are not able to feed them directly. Increasingly I am speaking to women who are being advised to express before baby arrives so that, whatever circumstance they find themselves in, they have colostrum to give to their baby.

A few years ago this was mainly recommended to those with diabetes in their pregnancy as these babies needed to maintain their blood sugars and it was important that they feed soon after birth. Having some colostrum frozen in advance meant this could happen even if there were any factors that made immediate breastfeeding tricky. Now more women are expressing antenatally as a back up.

This is potentially a whole other topic but let’s just say some people find expressing at the end of pregnancy easier than others. If it isn’t working for you, don’t worry it doesn’t mean there isn’t anything there. Some find after trying for a few days they get some colostrum but, don’t forget, we are talking about really small amounts. For this reason hand expressing is the easiest approach whether you are doing it before baby arrives or afterwards.  

If you need to be separated from your baby you should be given help to express so that you can still give them colostrum. When you are back together spend lots of time skin to skin to help them bond and connect and to stimulate your milk supply.

If you feel strongly about your baby having colostrum as their first feed it is worth expressing some antenatally just in case, and being clear on your birth preferences, and with your birth partner, that you have it with you and don’t want your baby to have formula without a discussion.

In some cultures colostrum is considered bad for babies, that it isn’t clean or healthy for them and so is discarded or babies are not put to the breast. This isn’t the case, there are many, many well documented benefits to colostrum and no negatives.

What about if you don’t want to breastfeed?

Of course it is up to the individual if they choose to breastfeed or not. But, for those choosing not to breastfeed there are still a couple of approaches women take.

You can opt to express the colostrum and feed it to baby via a syringe, and you might continue to express beyond those colostrum days if it works for you and your baby.

Alternatively some will put baby to the breast for the first few feeds so they have colostrum that way and may then express or switch to formula.

Or, you can opt to use formula from birth knowing that will be your route and you are happy to start introducing bottles to your baby straight away.

Whatever your choices, as ever, make sure you are clear on your pros and cons and decide what is the best approach for you and your baby.

Beth x