During pregnancy your body starts creating colostrum as your breasts prepare to nurse your unborn baby. Some women begin leaking colostrum weeks or months before delivery. For first time moms who are unaware of what this is it can be a bit frightening and worrisome until they talk to their doctor or midwife who assure them it is normal. First time moms may start leaking colostrum during the third trimester, while previous mothers may start leaking as early as the second trimester.

Colostrum is a thick and sticky, yellow to orange colored milk that is created by your breasts to give your baby the nutrition he needs immediately after birth. It is low in fat, high in carbohydrates and has a laxative effect on the baby which helps him pass the first meconium stools that are sitting in his intestines. This also helps get rid of the bile and helps lessen the chance of jaundice in your newborn.

Not only does it provide nutrition, but also contains cells that act as agents in protecting your newborn against germs. The concentration of immune factors is much higher in the colostrum than it is in the later mature milk that your baby will receive when your milk comes in.

It is important if you plan on to nursing to nurse frequently and often during the first few days of your babies life so that your baby not only gets all the colostrum and antibodies he needs, but also so that your milk comes in strong.

Colostrum is also a 100% safe vaccine for your baby. Many parents will refuse to have the eye drops delivered to their babies after birth, and will instead use their colostrum to rub on their babies eyes in hopes of killing bacteria and preventing infection. This vaccine is referred to as immunoglobulin A (IgA) and is different from the immunoglobulin G (IgG) that your baby received from the placenta while you were pregnant. IgG worked through the baby’s circulatory system, but IgA protects the baby in the places most likely to come under attack from germs, namely the mucous membranes in the throat, lungs, and intestines.

If you do not start leaking colostrum during your pregnancy, it is not a cause for concern. Not all pregnant women leak before their baby is born and it is not known to have any effect on the success or failure of a mother nursing her newborn.

One of the most common causes of severe diarrhea among infants and children is a virus that most mothers have never even heard of…the Rotavirus. Until my first son got it, and was hospitalized because of it, I had never heard of it. After that experience I made sure that my second son received the vaccine at his two month well-check.

What is the Rotavirus? It is a virus that not only most children get by the time they are 3 years old, but most people get it every year. However, the symptoms range for each person. For a child, generally the most severe is the first time it is contracted. For adults it is likely to just cause a little diarrhea or stomach ache, which most would hardly notice. It is estimated that 70,000 children are hospitalized, and another 150,000 are brought into emergency rooms each year. Approximately 100 children die each year from Rotavirus complications.

Rotavirus has an incubation period of about two days and the symptoms of Rotavirus include diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some experience severe abdominal pain as well. Rotavirus also as a distinct odor to it — many say that once you have smelled it, you will never forget it. Rotavirus can last anywhere from three to nine days. Once you have it you can become immune to it, however like the common cold there are many different strains in the world that you can be infected by.

Rotavirus in its’ worst form can also be the cause of severe dehydration in infants and children. Signs of dehydration include dry, cool skin, sunken eyes, dry mouths, absence of tears when crying, and lethargy. It is important to watch your baby for these symptoms and try to keep him hydrated so that you can avoid hospitalization.

There is very little treatment for Rotavirus once it has been contracted; however they now have a new vaccine available for an infant that is taken orally. It is very contagious and is often transmitted from fecal to mouth when children do not wash their hands after using the bathroom. If you have older children and an infant in your home, it is very important to teach your older children how to properly wash their hands in order to help avoid your infant from catching the virus.

If your baby is sick and you think he might have the Rotavirus, call your pediatrician and have him seen. Your pediatrician might have suggestions to help keep your baby hydrated or more comfortable.