Colostrum - What’s the big deal?
Colostrum is the first milk produced by the breast during pregnancy and in the days following childbirth. It's a thick, sticky, and yellowish fluid that is packed with nutrients, antibodies, and growth factors that are essential for a newborn's health and development.
Colostrum is often referred to as "liquid gold" because it provides a wide range of benefits for babies. Colostrum is easily digestible and contains high levels of antibodies that help protect against infections and illness. It also contains growth factors that help support the baby's immune system and promote healthy growth and development.
Colostrum is typically produced in small quantities, and is perfectly designed to meet a newborn's nutritional and immunological needs during the first few days of life. After all, a baby born at term (40 weeks) has a stomach the size of a marble and can only fit a teaspoon or two in their tummy at each feeding. As the baby grows, colostrum gradually transitions into mature milk, which provides a different balance of nutrients to support continued growth and development.
A common question we hear is whether or not leaking colostrum during pregnancy or using pumping as a strategy to induce labor naturally post term can “use up” the colostrum and not leave enough for the baby. The answer is no: the breast will continue to produce colostrum through pregnancy regardless of how much is extracted. In fact, it is the detachment of the placenta after the baby is born which signals to the body that it is time to start producing milk. And if you don’t notice leaking colostrum during pregnancy, that’s okay too - it doesn’t mean it isn’t being produced in the breast.
During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone plays a role in suppressing milk production. After childbirth, progesterone levels drop rapidly, which signals the body to start producing milk. As milk production begins, hormones such as prolactin and oxytocin are released, which help stimulate milk production and letdown. The amount of milk produced during the transitional stage gradually increases, and the milk's composition changes to meet the growing baby's needs.
It's important to note that the transition from colostrum to transitional milk is a gradual process that varies from person to person. The speed and timing of the transition can be influenced by factors such as the parent's breastfeeding frequency and milk removal, the baby's suckling behavior, and the parent's overall health and nutrition.
If you are planning on breastfeeding your baby, and don’t want any precious drops of colostrum to go to waste, you can purchase these little Haakaa colostrum collectors. Another alternative is to get a Haakkaa or similar Lansinoh brand silicone manual breast pump. While you can manually pump with it, you can also just suction it to the breast that your baby is not feeding on. When you have a let down, and the colostrum/milk begins to flow, you have a hands free way of collecting it for your baby. While the colostrum collectors are great for collecting colostrum, and make sure that not a single drop goes to waste, the silicone manual pumps are the better option for your long term breastfeeding journey and the hands free feature is a big deal!
As always, remember that the breastfeeding journey is exactly that - a journey. There will be hills to climb, plateaus to traverse, and times where you can just coast. Just because breastfeeding is natural, does not mean it is easy. Give yourself grace and patience while you and your baby learn together, and please don’t hesitate to reach out for support when you need it. This parenting thing is so much easier and enjoyable when we don’t feel like we’re in it alone.
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