Importance of Colostrum: Why Your Newborn Needs This First Milk
- Selin Tamer
- Aug 19
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 25
The importance of colostrum cannot be overstated—it is often called “liquid gold” for your baby. Colostrum is the first milk your body produces during pregnancy and the first few days after birth. Though it appears in small amounts, colostrum is packed with nutrients and antibodies that help your newborn grow and fight infections.
What is Colostrum ("Liquid Gold")?
Colostrum is the name given to the milk that the mother produces from the 16th week of pregnancy until 3-4 days after birth.
Benefits and Importance of Colostrum
Colostrum is very important for your baby because:
Has certain type of protein content- that gives the baby protection against infection.
Contains a high concentration of white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria.
Is entirely suited to feed the baby, especially if baby is born prematurely.
It is specifically adapted to the needs of the new-born baby and entirely suited to feed the baby, especially if baby is born prematurely.
Frequent feeding and/or expressing stimulates your breasts to produce more colostrum and then at approximately 3-4 days after the birth, to produce more milk.
Save Every Drop!
When you express your colostrum, you can save every little drop by using syringes for oral feeding and/or small colostrum designed containers. Request support from your clinician.
Size of Newborn Baby Stomach
The chart below shows the size of a newborn baby’s stomach and the approximate amount of colostrum / milk per feed. A newborn cannot tolerate large volumes of milk as their stomach is really small. It is only natural for a newborn to feed frequently during the day and night.
Tips for Moms
Skin-to-skin contact right after birth helps your baby latch and stimulates colostrum production.
Stay hydrated and rest as much as possible to support milk supply.
Seek help from a lactation consultant if you have trouble expressing or if your baby struggles to latch.
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