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Gold Rush!
Discover the Power of Colostrum
By Ann Calandro, RNC, IBCLC
Long before a baby is born, nature begins preparing his food supply. Around the 16th week of pregnancy, changes begin to occur in his mother's breasts. Slight enlargement of the alveoli (the grapelike clusters where milk is produced) begins, usually unnoticed by the mother. By the time of Baby's birth, nature has prepared an early, very amazing food: colostrum.
As babies transition into life outside the uterus, colostrum is the ideal food. In truth, it is more than a food – it is also Baby's first immunization. It meets the needs of a newborn baby exactly. Each time the baby nurses, he will receive colostrum in teaspoons – the exact amount needed for his small stomach and immature kidneys.
Colostrum looks different from later milk: It is thicker and stickier. Sometimes it is golden, thus the nickname "liquid gold." It could be clear, or a different color, but it is always perfect.
Its composition is different from more mature milk, just as nature intended. It is higher in protein, minerals, sodium, potassium, vitamins A and E and carotenoids. Colostrum contains all 10 essential amino acids, the building blocks for the baby's body. It is lower in carbohydrates, fat and lactose. Colostrum is extremely high in secretory IgA, a major immunoglobulin and anti-infective agent. It is also full of protective white cells called leukocytes, which have the ability to destroy bacteria and viruses.
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