COLOSTRUM, A Birthright for an Infant

Are you or have you once been a nursing mother? If yes, can you flashback to when you just gave birth? Are you there? Ok, did you give your baby the first milk that comes out of your breast? If yes, Congratulations! You have successfully given your child a vital inheritance he/she needs at that moment. If not, then you have deprived your baby of an important gift that you ought to give.

What am I talking about? I'm talking about that first natural inheritance/birthright that's required to be given to a baby immediately after birth and that's the COLOSTRUM.

Colostrum also known as First Milk is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands during the last stage of pregnancy.

Newborns have very immature and large digestive systems, and colostrum delivers its nutrients in a very concentrated low-volume form. It has a mild but active effect, encouraging the passing of the baby's first stool, which is called meconium. This clears excess bilirubin, a waste- product of dead red blood cells, which is produced in large quantities at birth due to blood volume reduction from the infant's body and helps prevent jaundice.

Colostrum is known to contain immune cells (as lymphocytes) and many antibodies.

The most pertinent bioactive components in colostrum are growth factors and antimicrobial factors. The antibodies in colostrum provide passive immunity, while growth factors stimulate the development of the gut. They are passed to the neonate and provide the first protection against pathogens.

Colostrum is also very rich in proteins, vitamin A, and sodium chloride, but contains lower amounts of carbohydrates, lipids, and potassium than mature milk.

It is a culture and custom of some women in some communities to throw this Colostrum away after delivery, believing that it is the dirty part of breast milk. Oh how wrong that is!

Colostrum provides all the nutrients and fluid that your newborn needs in the early days, as well as many substances to protect your baby against infections. Its color and thickness are because it is higher in these protective factors. (Compared with more mature human milk, colostrum is also higher in protein, slightly lower in sugar, and significantly lower in fat).

Your baby will be born with a suckling instinct, though it is stronger in some babies than in others. Since this instinct is intense immediately after birth, it is best to introduce him to the breast within the first hour or so of life. Not only will his suckling at your breast stimulate your breasts to produce more milk, thus beginning the establishment of a reliable milk supply, but it will signal your uterus to contract and decrease the chance of excessive bleeding after delivery.

This first feeding will also help the baby begin to learn how to nurse. Placing the newborn baby skin to skin against your chest will help to encourage your baby to smell the colostrum and want to latch on and begin his first feeding. In fact, the initial phase of breastfeeding is a learning process for both mother and baby.

Some newborns show little initial interest in nursing. Fortunately, newborns do not need much fluid, and their mothers’ breasts contain only small amounts of the very important colostrum. At this stage, it is more important that babies feed frequently than it is for them to feed for long periods. In these early days, it is normal for a baby to lose some weight. This weight loss consists of extra fluid accumulated during pregnancy. In the days after delivery, your baby’s appetite and need for fluids will increase. Approximately two to five days after birth, colostrum production will give way to a higher volume of transitional milk.

So, let us not deprive the infant of the natural birthright they deserve. Let us stand together to stop this culture of throwing away colostrum after delivery.

Oh, you are not a woman! Does that mean you aren't involved in this? No. Men also have a role to play to support their wives and educate them on the importance of colostrum to the baby.

Build your infant's immune system and body metabolic processes by giving them colostrum during that short period after delivery.