Colostrum is nothing more than a substance that is produced in the mammary glands throughout the gestation process and a few more days after giving birth, said substance is composed of fat, proteins, water, immunoglobulins and carbohydrates, it is characterized Because it has a yellow hue, for babies it represents their first food, in addition to having a high nutritional value, it contains the first immunization for the neonate, which makes it the most important food during their life, usually the production of Colostrum stops after 5 days of delivery, to give way to final milk.
The process of production of colostrum begins during pregnancy, it is then when the mammary glands and the breasts themselves adapt to the process of breastfeeding, during the last three months of pregnancy what is known as pre colostrum begins to produce, which is a substance composed of immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, sodium, plasma, serum albumin and small amounts of lactose, in the last weeks of gestation it is very likely that colostrum leaks occur.
After childbirth, colostrum can be produced for the next 3 to 5 days, it has a yellowish hue, with a viscous consistency, made up of the pre-colostrum that was formed during gestation and the milk also produced in the mammary glands, during those In the first days of production, it may reach 20 ml for each feeding of the baby, which in most cases is enough to satisfy the newborn. Each 100 ml of colostrum contains in its composition 54 Kcal, 2.9 grams of fat, 5.7 grams of lactose and 2.3 of proteins (Lactoferrin, IgA) that is 3 times the amount that normal milk contains, in addition to this, the high concentrations of oligosaccharides which transmits colostrum, which represents a great protection for the baby against germs found in the environment, some vitamins are also noteworthy, among which beta-carotene stands out.
There is a difference between colostrum and mature milk, among which stands out the heat, since colostrum has a colored somewhat yellowish and slightly thicker, while milk is much lighter and its tone is clearer, colostrum has large amounts of fat-soluble vitamins and proteins, as well as certain minerals.
