Colostrum: what your first milk is and how much your baby needs
In this article
Colostrum is the first milk your breasts make, in the first few days after birth. HealthHub describes it as yellow, thick and sticky, and very rich in protein, minerals and antibodies. There is only a little of it, but that is all your baby needs in those first days, before your milk comes in.
| What it is | The first milk, made in the first few days after birth |
|---|---|
| Looks like | Thick, sticky and yellow or golden |
| Per feed | About a teaspoonful, the NHS says |
| Milk comes in | Usually between day 3 and day 4, SingHealth says |
| Then | Transitional milk, then mature milk by about 2 to 4 weeks |
What colostrum does for your baby
Colostrum is small in volume and big in what it carries. KKH says it contains high levels of antibodies to help your baby build a strong immune system, and that it is high in protein, vitamins and minerals.
SingHealth adds the detail: colostrum has more protein than mature breast milk, and much of that protein is antibodies, which help protect your baby against infection. It is also rich in minerals and in vitamins A and D.
That is why hospitals here push hard for those first feeds, even when it looks like your baby is getting almost nothing.
How much colostrum your newborn needs
Less than most parents expect. The NHS calls colostrum a very concentrated food, so your baby only needs a small amount, about a teaspoonful, at each feed.
What makes up for the small amount is how often your baby feeds. The NHS says a newborn may want to feed very often, perhaps every hour to begin with. HealthHub suggests feeding on demand and aiming for at least 8 feeds in 24 hours for the first 4 to 8 weeks. HealthHub lists feeding on demand, often, as one of the ways to build a good supply.
If you are worried your baby is not getting enough, ask the nurses on the ward or a lactation consultant to watch a feed and check the latch.
When your milk comes in
Colostrum is the start, not the whole story. SingHealth says your milk usually comes in between the third and fourth day after delivery, and that the timing depends on milk being drained regularly by feeding or expressing.
After that, HealthHub says breast milk changes to transitional milk and then mature milk by about 2 to 4 weeks after birth. If your breasts turn hard and painful around then, read about engorgement.
Colostrum in Singapore hospitals
KKH is accredited under the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. It says it encourages skin-to-skin contact and starting breastfeeding within the first hour of birth when you and your baby are both well. HealthHub suggests placing your baby on your chest within five minutes of delivery, for at least an hour of skin-to-skin contact, because the sucking reflex is strongest in that first hour.
If your baby cannot feed at the breast for medical reasons, for example in the neonatal unit, KKH encourages you to express regularly so your baby can still be given colostrum. KKH says electric breast pumps are available in its wards free of charge, and you buy the disposable funnel and bottle kit.
Frequently asked questions
Is colostrum enough for my newborn?
For most healthy full-term babies, yes. HealthHub says colostrum is small in quantity but is all your baby needs in the first few days. Feed often, at least 8 times in 24 hours, and ask the ward nurses if you are unsure your baby is feeding well.
What colour is colostrum?
Usually yellow or golden, and thick and sticky. The NHS describes it as thick and golden yellow.
Can I express colostrum?
Yes. KKH encourages mothers whose babies cannot breastfeed for medical reasons to express regularly so the colostrum can still be given.
How long does colostrum last?
A few days. SingHealth says your milk usually comes in between day 3 and day 4, and HealthHub says it becomes mature milk by about 2 to 4 weeks after birth.
Related terms
- Latch: How your baby attaches to the breast to feed. A deep latch takes in the areola as well as the nipple.
- Let-down Reflex: The reflex that makes your stored milk flow when your baby sucks. Some mums feel a tingle, others feel nothing.
- Engorgement: Breasts that are overfull, hard and painful, most often in the first days after birth as your milk comes in.
- Cluster Feeding: When your baby feeds again and again over a few hours, usually in the evening. Normal, and it builds supply.
- Expressing (Pumping): Taking milk out of your breasts by hand or with a pump, so your baby can have it later.
- Lactation Consultant (IBCLC): A breastfeeding specialist; IBCLC is the international credential. Helps with latch, pain, supply and pumping.
