Colostrum has nutrients and antibodies that help babies grow and stay healthy. Your baby will need colostrum for the first three days until the mother produces mature milk. Colostrum is produced in the last few months of your pregnancy. And to not let it go to waste, you may start collecting this clear, golden-yellow, or light-orange milky fluid called “first milk” or “liquid gold.”
Since your body makes colostrum before your baby is born, collecting it early using a trusted Colostrum Collection Kit can be helpful. This way, you are sure that your baby benefits from its benefits. If you want to know more about colostrum and why it’s important to collect it, then read on.
Boost Breastmilk Production
Antenatal colostrum harvesting “fires up” the milk ducts. This can be very helpful for mothers who have had breast surgery or have a low milk supply. And mothers who had diabetes during pregnancy or have a history of the disease may be advised to save their first milk. Babies born to diabetic mothers may have low blood sugar after birth. That is why they need more colostrum feedings.
Bring Plenty Of Benefits To The Newborn
Some health complications or medications after birth makes it more difficult to breastfeed. If you save your colostrum, your baby can get the benefits and give the immune system a boost. Remember that the immune systems of newborns aren’t fully developed and this is where colostrum can help. With this, babies will have antibodies, boost white blood cell production, and other nutrients to boost immunity.
Practice How To Hand Express
Both breastfeeding and chestfeeding are good for babies. Expressing by hand will let you collect more milk and save them for your baby in case you will not be available to breastfeed. If your baby is having trouble learning to latch on, collecting your breastmilk by hand will ensure that your newborn will have enough for later.
Supplement Breastmilk For Newborn
Colostrum can be given to a baby who is having trouble nursing or is losing weight. It is high in protein and other nutrients needed by the newborn. Colostrum is the best thing a mother can give to her baby. When supplementation is needed, infant formula and human donor milk can help.
Colostrum Harvesting – When Should You Start?
Since you don’t make enough colostrum to collect until about 37 weeks of pregnancy, collecting early might be uncomfortable for you, and at times, even painful. But you can only start collecting at this point. If you are not sure when you should start collecting colostrum, it is best that you talk to your doctor first. They would be able to advise you if this method is applicable to your pregnancy situation.
