Colostrum is the first milk you produce and is absolutely amazing , it’s often referred to as ‘liquid gold’ because of its powerful protection qualities.
❤️ It helps to clear out baby’s bowels which are full of the first sticky poo called meconium. Colostrum provides all the necessary nutrients your baby requires in their first few days.
❤️ Provides a massive ‘boost’ of anti-infective properties.
❤️ Because your baby’s tummy is so small (about the size of cherry and can only hold about 5-7ml at full capacity), they only take small amounts each time.
❤️ It helps your baby to practise suckling and swallowing before the volume of milk increases around day 3 – 5.
The photo below illustrates colostrum on the left and more mature milk on the right. The difference between these is simply, water.
Initial production of colostrum and gearing up of your body to make milk happen during pregnancy and milk production in the first few days after delivery will happen whether or not baby is put to the breast as your levels of prolactin and oxytocin are high after birth. After a few days however, your body needs to know whether to keep on making milk or not.
Lots of skin to skin contact, frequent feeds and not using top ups unless medically indicated is really important to give your brain the clear chemical signal that you are breastfeeding and that you want to keep making milk.