What is Colostrum? An Overview of Its Health Benefits

Colostrum is the first milk that is produced in women after pregnancy. The process of milk formation in the breasts of women starts during the end of the first trimester of pregnancy and the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy. The liquid formed in this process is called colostrum. Women experience leakage of this liquid at the end of the third trimester of their pregnancy. Along with the third trimester, this colostrum is also secreted at the time of delivery.

The amount of colostrum is very less, but despite being less in quantity, it is very beneficial for the baby. Some people also call colostrum liquid gold, looking at its importance. Colostrum contains high amounts of antibodies, but it has low amounts of carbohydrates and fat. It increases the immunity of the newborn baby and helps in expelling the first stool of the newborn due to its laxative effect.

(Read more - How To Take Care During Pregnancy)

What is the amount of colostrum?
The amount of colostrum produced in the initial days of the baby's birth is sufficient as per the requirement of the newborn baby. After the birth of the baby, about 50 ml of colostrum is produced in the woman's body within two to three days. But this amount fulfills the requirement of your newborn baby, because at the time of birth the size of the baby's stomach is very small.

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What does colostrum look like?
Colostrum produced in the beginning of your pregnancy looks thick, creamy and yellow in liquid form. As you come closer to delivery, this liquid starts changing to white. Most women experience colostrum leakage in the first week of the second trimester and the leakage of colostrum increases till the last stage of pregnancy (till the woman's body is ready for delivery).

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As you have already been told, colostrum is a special liquid or milk, which is very beneficial for the health of the newborn baby. The baby gets the following benefits from colostrum-

• Colostrum is the first milk fed to the baby after birth. It contains many types of nutrients. This milk is sufficient to fill the stomach of the newborn. 
• The laxative effects of colostrum make the process of the first bowel movement of the newborn easier and prevent jaundice by removing bilirubin from the baby's body. 
• Colostrum is also known as white blood cells. It strengthens the immunity of the newborn by providing an increased number of lymphocytes and macrophages in the body. 
• The antibodies present in colostrum protect the newborn from stomach infections, ear infections and respiratory tract infections like pneumonia etc. After some time, antibodies start forming in the baby's body on its own. 
• Leaky intestines of newborns are a common problem. To prevent this problem, colostrum closes the holes in the gastrointestinal tract and prevents external harmful substances from entering the intestines. With the help of colostrum, your baby is also protected from food allergies. 
• Colostrum contains many nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin K, zinc and calcium etc. All these nutrients are considered essential for the development of the newborn.
• Colostrum also has neuroprotective effects, which can be very helpful in preventing Alzheimer's. 
• The nervous system of a newborn baby requires cholesterol for development. Colostrum contains high amounts of cholesterol, which fulfills this requirement of the baby. 
• Some studies suggest that the protein present in colostrum calms the baby's hunger, which helps the baby to sleep well for a long time.

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This nutrient is produced in a woman's breasts for three to four days after the birth of the baby. Whereas from the fifth day after the birth of the baby, it slowly starts becoming thin and white in color. Also, the quantity of milk also starts increasing in this process. In very few cases, it takes more than a week for the mother's milk to arrive. Every mother must feed colostrum to her newborn baby because not feeding colostrum increases the chances of the baby getting sick. The reason for this is that it contains many such nutrients which are very essential for the newborn baby.

Sometimes your baby can be kept away from you due to health and many other reasons. But until your baby is not kept away from you, you should feed him your own milk. If your baby is in the nursery for some reason, the doctor can give you colostrum through a bottle or tube. Whatever the situation, you must consult a doctor to breastfeed your baby. If the doctor finds everything okay, he can give you many suggestions for breastfeeding. Along with this, the doctor also tells you about the correct position for breastfeeding.

(Read more - The Role of Folic Acid in Female Fertility)

Colostrum is a type of nutritious fluid produced by the mammary glands of mammalian women in the last days of pregnancy and in the first few days after the birth of the baby. It is the first nutrition to come before milk and is extremely important for the newborn. Colostrum contains high amounts of proteins, antibodies, and other important nutrients that help strengthen the immune system of the newborn, protect against infection, and promote healthy growth. Apart from this, the antioxidants and growth factors present in it are also beneficial for the physical and mental development of the baby. Therefore, feeding colostrum to a newborn baby after birth is considered very beneficial for his health.