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Does the child have enough colostrum in the first days. The nutritional value of colostrum for the baby immediately after birth

If the baby is worried, they often say that the mother does not have enough milk or the milk is not nutritious enough ... At first, it is not entirely clear whether the newborn is full? How to understand this - I will tell you in this article.

In the first days after childbirth

As food, the baby receives colostrum. It can be called a transitional stage between feeding the baby in the womb and breastfeeding.

Colostrum is less liquid, it is allocated quite a bit and it is more high-calorie than milk. This composition of colostrum is associated with the work of the gastrointestinal tract, the launch of the kidneys and the need to populate the intestines of the baby with mother's native microflora.

So there is no need to worry about the malnutrition of the baby during the colostrum period. The process is provided by nature!

Is there enough milk?

You can check if your mother's milk is enough with the wet diaper test. To do this, we count the number of baby pee per day. Normally, there should be at least 12 of them. We count, for example, from 9 in the morning of one day to 9 in the morning of another.

It is important to determine the number of subscriptions per day. The data will be inaccurate if you find out the amount in 4 hours and multiply by 6, since the excretory process is not so even and depends on the periods of sleep and wakefulness.

In the first 10 days, the minimum number of subscriptions is calculated differently. It equals the child's age (in days) +1. Accordingly, if the baby is 2 days old, the wet diaper test will show at least 3 per day.

Important

Wet diaper counts are relevant when the following key points are met:

  • Correct attachment to the chest. The baby must be taught to deeply grasp the breast, then he will receive not only liquid anterior milk, but also a fatter hind milk.
  • Chest alternation. The "duty" of each breast takes 1.5-2 hours, not more often. This is important so that the baby has time to empty the breast, and as a result, get back milk.
  • Feeding on demand and initiative. For a newborn, about 12-15 feedings per day are normal. That is, the topic of feeding once every three hours is an indicator of the incompetence of the person who gave such advice.
  • Sucking without limits. Breastfeeding for a child is not only food, it is also a way of comfort, contact with the mother, and there is no need to limit sucking in time. In addition, children are different, someone quickly sucks out milk and falls asleep, and someone can stretch the pleasure for a long time, and it is impossible to say whether the baby has eaten in 5-10 minutes or not. When he came off, then enough.

Weight gain

It is the observance of the rules of application that affects the weight gain of the child. In case of mistakes in application, one water will come in (the foremilk is more liquid), but the nourishing part is not.

It is important to understand that in the first days after birth, the newborn loses weight. This is fine. Weight gain is calculated from the figure determined after discharge from the hospital.

How do you know if your child is gaining enough weight? Weighings are carried out in the same clothes, at the same time with an interval of one week. The minimum weight gain for this period should be 125-200 grams. If there is a minimum increase, then everything is in order.

This criterion is relevant for babies for the first six months. Further weight gain is slower.

If the baby vomits

Regurgitation in the amount of one tablespoon after each feeding is the norm. For control, you can pour a tablespoon of water nearby and compare the stains. Also, once a day, regurgitation is possible with a fountain.

This feature is associated with the immaturity of the sphincters of the digestive system, and is also a protection against overeating by the baby. (I hear how some of the mothers breathed a sigh of relief now.)

Psychological aspect

In this whole story, it is important to understand and track, what is your concern about? One of the missions of this blog is to convince young parents that excessive nervousness about the health and development of the child is not a harmless thing.

In our culture, this is considered almost an obligatory manifestation of love and a sign of a “good mother”. I urge you to think about this moment, and here's to help you)

What is the danger? Well, for example, in the fact that the mother’s concern that her child is not full, in most cases, does not lead to breastfeeding, but to supplementary feeding with mixtures. Then this supplement is likely to reduce breastfeeding to nothing, thereby depriving the child of the most valuable resource for his health.

Read, there is a very truthful example with a pool. Then tell me how you

Let's summarize!

If the baby is exclusively breastfed, after the tenth day he pees at least 12 times a day and gains from 125 grams per week, then he is full.
All factors determined by mood, mother's flat nipples, mother's nutrition and other factors have nothing to do with the issue of nutritional adequacy for a child.

Do you have many questions about newborn care? This is good, because a proper understanding of these topics will serve the health and well-being of your child. Pay attention to the excellent courses of the doctor Irina Zhgareva, which will help you navigate at the beginning of your motherhood:

"Natural Parenthood: Myths and Reefs"

"Secrets of happy motherhood"

This article was prepared with the support of mother art consultant Evgenia Starkova. You can ask her a question on the topic of the article in the comments, or using the form feedback.

Adequate nutrition of a newborn child is the key to health and proper development. Nature made sure that the baby from the first minutes of life receives all the most useful and nutritious with mother's milk. However, not all expectant mothers know that milk is not produced immediately and for the first time the child feeds on colostrum.

First drops of nutrition

Colostrum appears in the breast of a woman in the last months of pregnancy. It is an invaluable product in terms of its nutritional qualities. The clear liquid that is secreted from the breast is rich in vitamins, immune bodies and calories. Despite the small amount of fluid released, it is enough for the baby to get enough in the first days after birth.

According to WHO standards, the child is applied to the mother's breast in the first minutes after birth. It is at this moment that the baby receives the first drops of an invaluable product called colostrum.

These droplets help the baby adapt to the environment, protect the baby from infections and help improve the digestion of the newborn.

In the first days after childbirth, many mothers are worried about the lack of milk, they worry that the child does not eat enough colostrum. Today we can say with confidence that these fears are groundless. Nature itself took care of everything. The fact is that in the first days of life, the baby's digestive system is not yet ready to digest milk. In order for the baby to be able to eat mother's milk, he needs to cleanse the intestines from the original feces, and it is colostrum that prepares the crumbs' intestines for normal work.

Composition of the first meal

After childbirth, the composition of colostrum changes significantly. Vitamins E and A, present in large quantities in colostrum, are antioxidants. These vitamins help to activate the immune system of the crumbs and remove toxins that have accumulated in the intestines. Proteins nourish the body of the crumbs. Immunoglobulins contained in the first meal in large quantities help to populate the child's intestines with beneficial bacteria and form immunity.

Is flu and breastfeeding compatible?

Thanks to these substances, the child is protected from various infections, including herpes, and E. coli. Also, colostrum contains a large number of leukocytes, insulin and cortisol. All these valuable substances help the baby in the first days to adapt to new living conditions and protect it from possible infections.

Number of first meals

In the first days after birth, the baby does not need a large amount of food. The volume of his stomach these days is 7 ml. It is for this reason that mothers' worries about the fact that their baby is hungry are groundless. A few ml of colostrum is enough for the baby to be satiated.

The main condition for feeding in the early days is frequent breastfeeding. The more often the baby suckles at the breast, the faster the mother will have milk.

Calm baby

Many mothers complain that the baby cries a lot in the first days after birth. They think that the crying of the baby is due to hunger. However, this is not quite true. Children are all different. There are babies who sleep peacefully in the crib and wake up only for feeding. And there are children for whom it is very important to feel their mother's presence and they cry, simply because they want their mother's warmth.

If your baby was born restless and cries all the time, take him in your arms, give him a breast and, first of all, calm down yourself. It is very important for a child to feel his mother's calm, because even in the womb he has already learned to determine the mood of his mother. As soon as you stop being nervous yourself, your baby will calm down.

When milk appears

In most cases, milk begins to be produced in the mammary glands 3-5 days after birth. It is at this time that the baby's intestines are ready to digest milk. By the fifth day, the baby already knows how to suckle properly, and the mother is ready for breastfeeding. In the first days of milk production, a mother may experience pain in her breasts. Calluses and cracked nipples may also occur. The tightness in the chest will pass in a few days, when lactation is established. During this period, it is important to put the baby to the breast as often as possible.

But calluses and cracks on the nipples appear from improper feeding. If such phenomena occur, it is necessary to seek the advice of a breastfeeding specialist. Ideally, feeding a baby should not bring pain and discomfort to the mother.

Remember that breastfeeding is very important for your baby. Only this product is able to protect the baby from infections and give him all the substances necessary for the full development.

The orange or bright yellow color of colostrum is due to the fact that, unlike mature milk, it is very rich in leukocytes and other anti-infective proteins. Leukocytes are protective white bodies that destroy pathogenic bacteria and viruses. All anti-infective proteins provide the first immunization against diseases that the baby may face after birth. So, colostrum is saturated with antibodies called immunoglobylin A. It protects the weakest places in the body where infections are easiest to penetrate - the mucous membranes of the throat, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, experts compare colostrum with medicine - in the first application of crumbs to the breast immediately after childbirth, the baby sucks out about a teaspoon of colostrum, but this is enough to reduce the risk of developing bacterial infections.

Many components of colostrum help further growth and adaptation of the baby's body. So, beta-casein7 affects the functions of the central nervous system, helps to develop intellect, emotions, and general mental development. Special nerve growth substances promote the development of the peripheral and central nervous system. The growth factor in colostrum promotes the development of the baby's immature intestines after birth. Colostrum protects the child from the development of allergies and intolerance to other foods.

Oligosaccharides (also known as prebiotics), of which there are more than 130 types in colostrum, protect the baby from intestinal infections. Prebiotics nourish healthy intestinal flora. Two of these 130 oligosaccharides have been added to newborn formulas today to bring them a little closer in composition to mother's milk. And a colostral component, lactoferrin, helps babies absorb iron without being a breeding ground for harmful intestinal flora - which is artificially added iron in the mixture.

In addition, colostrum also has a mild laxative effect, which cleanses the baby's intestines of meconium (primary dark-colored stool). That is why colostrum-fed babies poop much more often than they pee in the first days of their lives. At the same time, the child's intestines are cleared of excess bilirubin, which prevents the development of pathological jaundice.

At the same time, colostrum is very concentrated and much more nutritious compared to mature milk. On the first day of a child's life, the protein content in colostrum reaches 14%, which is about three times more than in mature milk. The amount of colostrum can be different, but in any case, due to the increased nutritional value, it is enough for a newly born human. There is very little water in colostrum, which is good, because the baby is not yet able to process large volumes of liquid: his kidneys are not able to undergo instant adaptation from the intrauterine period. At the same time, the baby is already born with a supply of water that protects his body from dehydration until the mature milk rich in liquid arrives.

How does it all start?

If the mother has the opportunity, then it is best to attach the baby to the breast 15-30 minutes after birth, and let it suck longer (about 20 minutes for each breast). Just during this period, the baby comes to his senses a little after giving birth and begins to show search behavior - to look for his mother's breasts. He tries to raise his head, opens his mouth, sticks out his tongue. Sometimes the baby, lying on the mother's belly, begins to literally crawl to the chest! However, one should not expect miracles from nature - a healthy newborn can really get to the mother's breast, but it costs him a very big strain of all the forces remaining after the birth, therefore, of course, it is better to help him get what he wants. If this moment is missed, then the baby will fall asleep and then it will no longer be possible to attach him to his mother's chest by any persuasion - he will rest.

The sucking reflex of the baby is especially strong in the first hour after birth, and this helps to develop the correct attachment to the breast. It is correct attachment that should be given the main attention in the first days of life. Correct attachment can be briefly described as follows: the mother presses the baby tightly with her tummy to herself so that the nipple would point to him in the spout. The chest must be supported by the hand so that the thumb is on top, where the child's nose is, and the index finger and the rest are below, parallel to the baby's lower lip. The index finger should be far from the nipple, no closer than 5 centimeters, so as not to limit the baby's opening mouth. Wait until the child opens his mouth wide - as if yawning. At this moment, press the baby even closer to you, directing the nipple to the upper part of the mouth: the nipple and areola will be deep in his mouth, more from below than from above. The lower and upper lips turn outward when sucking.

Most often, on the first day after childbirth, the breast is soft to the touch and seems empty. Very little colostrum is secreted, although in some women it can slowly flow out of the chest on its own, while someone, on the contrary, squeezes out a single drop with difficulty. This still does not say anything about the actual amount of colostrum, and even more so milk in the future - it all depends only on the individual characteristics of the structure of the breast. The babies themselves behave differently: most of them sleep off, recovering after childbirth, and are applied to their mother's breasts only 5-7 times a day, but for a long time, sometimes up to an hour. But some, on the contrary, already from the first days of life ask for their mother's breasts very often.

There is another interesting pattern: on the second or third day of life, provided that they stay with their mother, even calm and rarely suckling babies suddenly begin to demand to kiss literally every half an hour. This means that the baby has already matured to receive food more abundant than colostrum - and thanks to more frequent breastfeeding and the changed movements of the mother's mouth, milk production begins.

And it is at this moment that young mothers are often afraid that the baby is “starving”, and they run after the mixture, trying to feed at least something, if only the child - whom the mother herself tears off from the chest in such cases - does not cry. But is it worth it if the mother has the opportunity to put the baby to the breast?

Why is supplementary feeding with a mixture dangerous?

Indeed, a baby who has had enough of the mixture usually falls asleep for several hours, but this happens not just because he is full, but because the mixture is digested much harder than breast milk. The child's body simply does not have enough strength for anything other than sleep. And, of course, the arrival of mother's milk is inevitably postponed.

At the same time, supplementary feeding with a mixture is not at all harmless, especially if the mixture replaces colostrum and turns out to be the first thing a newborn baby received. Materials on the theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2008 - "Breastfeeding in the first hour after birth would save a million lives" - have the following data. One study clearly showed that 41% of all babies who died between days 2 and 28 of life could be saved by a simple intervention: starting breastfeeding within the first hour of birth.

What kind of food a newborn baby receives has a direct impact on the development of the intestinal microflora. Breastfeeding women have a lower intestinal acidity of approximately 5.1-5.4 pH during the first six weeks, represented mainly by bifidobacteria with a small amount of pathogenic flora. And babies fed exclusively formula have an acidity of approximately 5.9-7.3 pH with a variety of putrefactive bacterial flora. That is why formula-fed children are much more likely to suffer from intestinal infections and various forms of allergies. Unfortunately, in families with a high hereditary risk of developing allergies, even after one feeding with formula instead of colostrum, sensitivity to cow's milk protein can develop.

In breastfeeding infants, when supplemented with formula, the acidity is average - 5.7-6.0 pH during the first four weeks, by one and a half months it decreases to 5.45 pH. Unfortunately, the intestinal flora under such conditions develops very similar to the one that occurs with formula feeding - very unstable, with a predominance of pathogens. Even one feeding with a mixture per day, but regular, quickly leads to the fact that an imbalance of the intestinal flora develops - the number of enterobacteria and enterococci rapidly increases, the number of clostridia and anaerobic streptococci increases. This is the same phenomenon that is usually called dysbacteriosis. If in the future the mother will adhere to exclusive breastfeeding, then it will take from two to four weeks to return to a state that supports positive flora in the intestines.

In addition to disturbing the formation of normal intestinal flora, supplementary feeding with a mixture during the period when the baby should still receive colostrum increases the likelihood of difficulties with the breast (the occurrence of cracks and stagnation of milk against the background of not quite correct attachment). And statistical studies of both foreign and Russian doctors showed that mothers whose children were supplemented with formula in the first days of life usually stopped breastfeeding earlier than if the child had been exclusively breastfed from birth.

At the same time, of course, there are cases when supplementary feeding with a mixture is objectively necessary - it is prescribed by a doctor, and, as a rule, this is due to the serious condition of either the mother herself or the baby. But if there are no strict indications for the introduction of supplementary feeding with a mixture, a freshly baked mother needs to understand what exactly she risks when she goes to the nursery to ask for “just one bottle of formula” there.

But does he still have enough colostrum?

Yet the fear that the child is malnourished often haunts new mothers. And here it is important, first of all, to calm down yourself and think about the fact that nature could not count on the invention of the mixture. If colostrum really wasn't enough for a baby, then humanity simply wouldn't survive as a species.

There are also clear guidelines that a mother can rely on to be sure that everything is in order with her baby. Weight loss, which doctors will definitely tell you about, is common to all children on the third or fourth day of life. By this time, the baby is getting rid of meconium - the original stool that accumulated while still in the womb, and of the moisture reserves that should have helped to pass through the birth canal without injuring the baby's skin. If weight loss is within 5-8% of birth weight, then this is normal, and such a loss is called physiological. For comparison, with a newborn baby weighing 3500 g, it is quite normal if on the third or fourth day of life he loses 175-280 g. But with a greater loss, the doctor can already prescribe supplementary feeding.

To know for sure that the baby of the first days of life receives as much nutrition as he needs, you can count the number of wet diapers. Until the child is a week old, with adequate nutrition, he will write as many times as he has turned days old, sometimes one time more. So, a baby two days old, if his need for nutrition is satisfied, will write 2-3 times, in three days - 3-4 times, and so on.

If the baby still needs supplementary feeding, it is better to give it not from a bottle, but from a spoon, a small cup or a special system for supplementary feeding at the breast. All this reduces the likelihood of problems with the further behavior of the child under the breast.

The issue was prepared by the breastfeeding consultant Irina Ryukhova (Barnaul).
AKEV member Irina Maltseva (Voronezh) took part in the work on the issue.

It is better to apply the baby to the breast more often, at this stage it will still be enough


Borislav

In our maternity hospital, we were supplemented with expressed breast milk.


It is necessary to do what is good for the child and mother - feel your child, what he needs - the mother's heart will not deceive ....


In colostrum, the most useful substances will first be missed by colostrum.


It seems to me that if a child is supplemented from the first days, then there is no guarantee that enough milk will come. It is better to let it hang on the chest for days that there was a signal for milk that they (milk) are waiting for it =))))


Both of my babies were fed at the maternity hospital. in the first case, I didn’t know how and didn’t understand how, and the second time the milk came only after 5 days .... where to go to starve the baby is absurd! of course lure


I also do not want my child to be fed, this is not very good.


Milk comes on the 3rd day, rarely on the 4th. The baby receives more colostrum than you can squeeze out yourself. He has enough for the 2nd day and for the 3rd. And how women used to cope when there were no mixtures Siska and no options, well, if milk didn’t come, they either gave goat milk or corn broth. we just got spoiled. Nature has provided for everything, and she is wiser than us.


If everything is normal, then the milk will appear exactly when you need it, and up to this point, colostrum is enough. of course there are some problems, milk does not come, and the baby is hungry, of course, the child needs to be fed. it’s just not worth feeding it up, this will make the baby suckle the breast worse, and this is necessary for the milk to come, the baby can get used to the bottle with the nipple and generally stop taking the breast. and it’s good for mom when the baby sucks intensively at the breast - this makes the uterus contract better.


My milk came on the third day, before that I fed with colostrum, no one supplemented it with anything. Colostrum is like a natural vaccine for a child in the first days of his life, moreover, it contains all the substances he needs before the arrival of full-fledged milk.


Well, of course, they feed while mothers have no milk .. and there is nothing terrible in this.


When the baby was born the second night, I cried all night and I asked to eat with him, probably he didn’t have enough colostrum, I go up to the sisters, and they look at me how much colostrum you have, he can’t be hungry !!! 4 in the morning deigned to bring half a small bottle of milk, my baby blew it all out and immediately fell asleep !!! Bastards


Nonsense is complete. If the child is not fed, then imagine what will happen to him. After all, not all mothers bring a child immediately for feeding, as a rule, milk arrives for 3-5 days and during this period the child will no longer have enough colostrum. Do not keep him hungry until milk appears.


I had problems with milk after caesarean. The sisters fed me at night, otherwise I wouldn't have a child who wouldn't fall asleep. And this is nonsense about the fact that colostrum is enough in the early days. For many primogeniture girls, babies were supplemented at night in this situation, normal healthy sleep is more beneficial for both the young mother and the baby. P S after discharge, there were no problems with breastfeeding


Colostrum should be enough. A friend's daughter was supplemented - then it was very difficult to establish breastfeeding.


They shouldn't, but they can if mom doesn't mind.


The first few days the child may not eat, such is his physiology

Any girl during pregnancy is worried about when she will have milk and what to do if there is no colostrum after childbirth. Colostrum is called unripened milk, this is the first thing that is released at the end of pregnancy, as well as immediately after the birth of a child. When the first drops of fluid appear, the mammary glands noticeably swell, the chest hurts, itches, or a tingling sensation is felt.

Beneficial features

Colostrum contains many nutrients, the consistency is similar to milk, usually with a yellowish tint, this makes it easier for the newborn to get used to new conditions. In different periods, colostrum has features - thick, liquid, saturated color, pale, without color.

The manifestation of the first fluid occurs during the second trimester of expectation of the child. There are times when there is no colostrum or milk even after childbirth. This is not scary, it can appear in two to three days.

Why there is no colostrum after childbirth:

  1. in case of caesarean section;
  2. separation from a child;
  3. the baby is not applied to the breast.

If milk does not appear at all, then there are certain problems in the body. In this situation, it is necessary to contact a doctor who prescribes tests, after which treatment is selected.

Colostrum has a large nutritional composition, it contains proteins, fats, vitamins, enzymes, hormones, minerals. These are the first immune cells for a newborn, as the baby's immunity starts after six months of life.

Thanks to colostrum, a variety of bacteria do not penetrate into the stomach and intestines of the child. Cells are considered 100% beneficial bifidobacteria that fill the gastrointestinal tract. None of the formulas for babies have such beneficial properties. The child does not complain about the tummy, the chair is always stable. Therefore, colostrum is the right and healthy food for a small organism.

The manifestation of the first signs of lactation in a mother is influenced by her physiological characteristics. But when such necessary food for the baby does not arise, the woman worries. She wonders what are the reasons for this absence, because this is food that has no analogues in nature.

Reasons for absence

As soon as the child requires to eat, it must be applied to the chest without fail. In addition, each next time the baby is applied to a different breast. It is necessary that both mammary glands resolve correctly and evenly. If the newborn does not cry, then he ate or he has enough food.

If the children do not take the breast, this does not mean that they do not want to eat or there is nothing in the chest. It happens that the baby is unable to grasp the breast, in which case it is recommended to take a sitting position.

Some mothers complain that there was colostrum, and then it disappeared. This happens, in cases with the presence of pathologies, when it constantly pulls in the lower abdomen, in the back area, vaginal discharge appears. This contributes to complications after childbirth, respectively, you need to urgently go to the hospital.

If colostrum is gone on the second day after childbirth, it is worth using a breast pump, developing the nipple, squeezing out every drop and applying it to the newborn’s chest more often.

Weather conditions also affect colostrum. The air temperature should not be very hot and not very frosty. It is recommended to systematically rinse with warm water, because bacteria multiply quickly in colostrum if it is on the body or on clothes.

There are times when the liquid is invisible when pressed, it does not come out, but it is still there, and the mother complains that there is very little colostrum after childbirth. If the first drops do not appear or the signs of lactation have disappeared altogether, certain measures must be taken.

What to do if there is little colostrum after childbirth:

  1. drink plenty of fluids daily. It is recommended to drink one and a half liters of ordinary water per day, herbal infusions;
  2. eat the best food possible. If there is a lack of vitamins and essential elements, then this negatively affects health;
  3. protect yourself from stressful situations as much as possible. The period of pregnancy is a huge stress for the female body.

If a nursing mother adheres to these rules, then the breasts will definitely fill up after a certain time. But sometimes there is very little colostrum, so the woman does not feel it. Even a few drops are enough for a small child's stomach.

What to do if there is colostrum, but no milk:

  • drink tea;
  • use lactation drugs;
  • avoid stress;
  • eat right;
  • rest.

Will there be milk if there is no colostrum after childbirth? There are times when milk does not appear at all. This is alarming, so you should go to a specialist, you can even consult online. As a result, breastfeeding can turn into artificial.

Most inexperienced girls do not understand why there is no colostrum and milk after childbirth. Here, a consultation with a doctor is necessary, who will carry out an examination, take tests and make appointments to combat the problem that has arisen.

Nature so conceived that colostrum is released before the birth of a baby. This is the best food in the first days of the baby, thanks to which the small intestine is cleared for the next meal. If there is cause for concern, the mother is experiencing discomfort in her chest, then she needs to see a doctor. He will dispel all doubts, give useful recommendations on breastfeeding.