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Date: | Tue, 9 Jul 1996 10:21:53 -0400 |
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Thank you, Sanna, for finding that.
>A reference for colostrum and "mature" milk composition:
>Nutrition During Lactation, National Academy of Sciences, Wash., D.C., 1991
There is a copy of it in our Health Science Library here at Dartmouth and I
have used it extensively, but not for a few years. I wish I owned that book.
Nothing beats having a reference right on the shelf in front of you! I
heard that some people were getting copies for free but never did find out
exactly how.
So, bear with me:
5.3 grams per 100 ml would be 5.3 x 4 = 21.2 calories per 100 ml
And, 2.9 x 9 = 26.1 calories for fat per 100 ml [aided in digestion by the
lipase in the milk]
Just those two alone without the protein would give 47.3 calories per 100ml.
I assume these are kcal or Calories with the big "C" [The reason I am
reluctant to include all the calories form the protein is that much of it is
sIgA some of which turns up later unchanged in the large intestine (and also
in the urinary tract of the infant) so I don't think it contributes as many
actual nutritional calories as we might think.]
A reference I have [Blackburn ST & Loper DL: MATERNAL, FETAL, AND NEONATAL
PHYSIOLOGY. A Clinical perspective. Philadelphia, 1992, W. B. Saunders
Company] on p. 411 says that the "gastric capacity of an infant is
approximately 6 ml per kilogram of body weight." For a baby around 8 lb. or
approx. 3000g that would be only 18ml.
So if an 8 lb. baby were to take in approx. 20 cc at a feeding this would
supply at least 9 Cal. If the full 58 Cal per 100 cc of colostrum is
utilized it would supply about 11.6 Cal.
Laurie Wheeler told us that D5W has 6 cal per ounce. One (1) fl oz = 29.573
ml [cc] so 20 cc of D5W would supple only 4.4 Cal.
I included all these numbers so someone could check my math. But I guess all
those newborns look so satisfied after a long session at the breast after
birth for a reason. I wanted to believe colostrum had to have at least the
same amount of calories as D5W. It made sense that what the breasts make
should be uniquely suited for the needs of the newborn. The wisdom of the
eons. So it sure looks as though colostrum has more.
Part of this problem of Drs. wanting to give D5W prabably has to do with the
fact that someone can see the D5W disappear but if uneducated about bfg they
have little sense that there really is colostrum there and that the baby
really is consuming it. It's just easier to give the sugar water than to
become informed about colostrum and milk. Same ol' excuses.... and so
frustrating for us. Hope this gives some ammunition.
I must confess that I just found the same values for colostrum that Sanna
listed in Neville & Neifert's LACTATION Physiology, Nutrition, and
Breast-Feeding [1983].
Mardrey
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