What's with these women telling themselves that colostrum is "good enough" when breastfeeding?

Question

I just read a question about breastfeeding where several answerers mentioned just giving babies colostrum and then calling it "good enough".

What?? Where in the world are these women hearing that that helps their baby?

Yes, of course- colostrum is liquid gold. But so is breastmilk, especially in comparison to formula.

Is it miseducation? Are these women lying to themselves to help with guilt? If it were just one answer, I would write it off as a misguided attempt to do right- but several mentions of it really has me baffled. I really would like to know where that bogus claim originated.

Answer 1

I don't think they're "telling themselves" that... I really think it's a combination of misinformation, and lack of information.

I have to believe that they just don't know any better!!! I'm meeting (online and in my real life) so many women who're being incredibly successful at nursing their subsequent children after attempting with their first. Usually they lasted a week... sometimes a month or two. Many say their milk didn't come in, so by day 4-5 they "just had to give my baby some formula because he/she was starving"... which anyone who knows anyting about breastfeeding will tell you that until your "real milk" comes in colostrum is more than enough to sustain a child for a week or longer.

I just hope more moms read the right books, take classes from really good teachers, and have internet access and find the good websites like http://llli.org/resources/assistance.html?m=0,0 and http://www.kellymom.com/bf/index.html to get the right info they need so that their babies get more than just a few days worth of the good stuff.

Answer 2

Well, colostrum does help their baby and so that part is true. The part that many are ignorant about is why breastmilk is so much better than formula. Many, many people think there is little if any difference between the two, or that any complications aren't worth the extra 'effort'. That myth will take years to dispell and it's obviously slow going as there are so many people who are uncomfortable with the idea of letting a child suck on their breast (as to them they think boobs=sex). Not to mention formula companies with millions of dollars for advertising. Add to all that pro-breastfeeding supporters are deemed 'breastfeeding nazis' and whatever else by those who chose not to breastfeed.

Answer 3

I think in a way, it is to ease guilt. I have 3 kids, all of who have been bfed exclusively for 1 year or more. I know many moms who weren't able to do that much, or who had difficulties right away. To say at least the baby got colostrum, or at least I made it 6 weeks, etc is a way to say, well at least I tried and did what I could.

Colostrum has good qualities, so it's better than not at all! Any amount of breastfeeding is better than none, in my opinion. But I do agree that justifying it may be a way to help with feeling guilty, or something along those lines.

Answer 4

Well I read in a baby book that babies only need colostrum in the first few days before your milk come in because they were aquatic mammals (living in fluid) and when they are born they need to dry out and milk (formula or breastmilk) produces mucus, and the little babies need some time to dry out and get their lungs working to full capacity. If you formula feed them then they get water logged again and sometimes have to have mucus aspirated from their throat.

Clostrum is nutrient packed and the best nutrition they can get when born because their bodies aren't use to getting nutrition this way, it is all new to their poor little tummies.

I breastfed my daughter for a grand total of 10 days and still feel guilty about it. I managed to get it together and am still breastfeeding my son, though am trying to talk to him about weaning sometime soon (maybe around 12months, lol), and he is 11 months. It is definitely easier the second time around if you don't get it the first.

I think if you choose to breastfeed your child(ren) you don't get much of a say to what your body produces, it makes the right thing for your child at the right time. Who am I to second guess mother nature. Luckily both my kids are healthy even though they were both fed differently. Many mothers need to stop worrying about lack of breastmilk in the first few days because your baby doesn't need it until your milk comes in anyway. Colostrum is the best "first liquid food" for your new baby. Breast milk is the best "second liquid food" your baby can have and good quality solid foods are the best "third foods" your child can have. everything is done in stages. Just go with it ladies!!!

Answer 5

I disagree (respectfully) with Tanya here; I suspect they ARE telling themselves that.

There's so much "formula is just as good" here, which I wondered about in the same way you're wondering about this colostrum-is-all-you-need bit. Willful ignorance? Sheer malice?

No -- probably something you eventually come to believe if you tell it to yourself often enough. If you just listen to the "colostrum is very valuable for the baby" part of the breast-is-best message and block the rest of it out while you whip up the Nestlé Good Start, eventually, it probably starts to sound right. (After all, didn't the nurse at the hospital say that while you were trying to (ew!) nurse to get the nurse off your back?)

Same sort of selective listening that allows people to focus on "Now with DHA!" on the formula tin, but not the "Breastfeeding is the optimal method..."

Answer 6

no idea why they wold say that. colostrum is more nutritious than the milk and yes it does only come in the first few days. breast milk is absoloutley better than formula it does sound maybe as though they think if the colostrum is th best part than why bother with the milk but more than likely aswell they could be fed up with it by thancos your very sore in the early days.

Answer 7

i don;t know where it originated i think these women just need to feel like they are doing the best even though they aren't

i would also like to know why when i am on here i see alot of formula is just as good as breastmilk when clearly the can even says it is not people say what they need to hear and i think maybe once a nurse said well if you are gonna get deprssed about it then colestrum is good enough and then it just got passed around it is ridiculas
i strongly believe they should teach about this in school so children have the right info from early on and i also believe that the government (or any other) should not have to worry about saying things that are true fo fear of hurting the formula feeders feelings fact is fact and should be broadcasted load and clear!!!

Answer 8

I just read a question in which a lady mentioned that her pediatrician said it was because of breastfeeding that her baby had low weight gain! I'm like wtf?! My baby just turned 3 months, is exclusively breastfed and has almost doubled his birth weight. These pediatricians need to go back to medical school & society at large needs to start supporting & educating women about breastfeeding. We all need to admit that (sorry) but formula is not equal by any means to breastmilk! Not even close.....it's just nature's way. Don't mean to offend people but it is the truth. So basically it doesn't surprise me. I'm amazed at how many people tell me they formula feed because "they don't have time" to breastfeed. Meanwhile, there is a Mom at my son's preschool who breastfeeds her baby and she has 6 other children!

Answer 9

Im confused too, your questions are private so cant find the questions you are referring too. Do you mean timeframe based - quitting after colostrum. Im no lactation consultant, but thought like the above poster was that colostrum was only temporary.

Answer 10

I thought your breasts only produced colostrum for the first few days, and then you have your milk come in...? I don't think any of them meant that you can substitute colostrum for breast milk.