How long does colostrum appear?

By the time of childbirth, all expectant mothers have fluid inside the mammary glands. This substance is called colostrum. It appears as a result of hormonal changes and the preparation of the body for breastfeeding a newborn baby.

What is colostrum

Colostrum is directly associated with a woman's breast milk. The appearance of colostrum is influenced by the action of the hormone oxytocin. Before colostrum appears, a woman's breasts increase and her sensitivity increases. At the same time, the ducts and channels of the mammary glands expand.

Colostrum is a thick and sticky liquid with a sweetish taste. Colostrum is usually translucent and slightly yellow in color. The main nutritional part of colostrum is a protein called albumin. This important protein contributes to the development of your baby. In addition to albumin, the nutrient fluid contains lacto and bifidobacteria, fats, lactose, globulins, vitamins and other useful substances. Most colostrum is water. Its percentage is 84%. Each 100 ml of colostrum contains 150 kcal.

After the baby is born, the yellowish color of the colostrum will remain, but it becomes more transparent. The duration of colostrum formation is up to a week after the birth of the child. Then the composition and color of the nutrient fluid changes and it turns into mature breast milk of the usual white color.

When colostrum appears

In fact, the breast of the expectant mother begins to prepare for the release of breast milk from the very first time after conception. At this time, hormonal changes begin, leading to the fact that colostrum begins to be produced from the very conception.

In the first weeks of pregnancy, the amount of colostrum is so small that the expectant mother does not notice it at all. But sometimes there are cases when it is by the appearance of colostrum that a woman learns about what awaits baby.

During the second part of pregnancy, the production of nutrient fluid is much stronger. At this time, many women notice sticky fluid coming out of their breasts. It can be from one drop to 5 ml.

In the third trimester, almost all women observe the secretion of colostrum. The liquid becomes less intense in color, but the amount of excreted colostrum does not change.

The process of colostrum formation is also influenced by some factors that affect the expectant mother:

• Emotional state of a pregnant woman. Moreover, it can be both positive emotions and the impact of negative, stressful situations.
• Impact on the mammary glands with a hot shower.
• Prolonged sexual intercourse.
• Breast massage.
• Hot and sweet drinks such as tea or coffee.

How to express colostrum

In some cases, the baby does not breastfeed immediately after birth. There may be enough reasons for this - difficult childbirth, the child was born ahead of schedule, birth trauma, or the child is temporarily separated from the mother. But even in this case, the child must feed on the mother's colostrum.

To feed the baby no need to use a bottle so that the baby does not get used to it. It is best not to use a breast pump to express colostrum. There is very little nutrient fluid in the early days and most of it will remain on the walls of the device. It is more convenient to use a glass or even a spoon as a container.

It is important to express colostrum correctly. Do not press down on the nipple itself, as this will not collect the valuable liquid. The fingers should be placed at the border of the areola of the nipple and white skin. Place your thumb on top and the rest on the bottom of the breast. When expressing, move your fingers with pressure from the border of the areola to the nipple. After receiving a portion of the nutrient fluid, return your fingers to the border of the areola and white skin.

The expressed colostrum can be used immediately to feed your baby. It must be picked up and placed vertically. Before feeding the baby, it is better to swaddle so that he does not accidentally spill his food with his pens. Do not try to quickly pour colostrum into your baby's mouth. Take your time to place the spoon against your baby's lips to taste the colostrum. The kid will stick out his tongue and begin to drink a little.