Did you know that you have colostrum in your breasts at 20 weeks of pregnancy?
At one time it was believed that colostrum was only for infection protection not nutrition? This is not true but the infection fighting components in colostrum are 10 times higher than in breast milk. Breast milk alone has a high capacity for infection protection capabilities.
Colostrum is the first substance produced and it is an amazing secretion. It helps to heal abrasions and burns. It is swallowed by your baby and it coats your baby’s gut to keep germs from penetrating your infant’s stomach and intestines.
In early lactation if you lay skin to skin with your baby often and manually express colostrum 5 times a day from your breasts (after your baby nurses) you can increase your milk supply by as much as 80%.