27/09/2025
🌏 World-first research from WA has revealed something shocking.
We’ve always known colostrum is liquid gold 💛 — packed with human growth factors that line and protect a newborn’s gut.
In those first days, a baby’s gut lining is thin and leaky — designed this way so it can absorb colostrum’s protective compounds. Growth factors in colostrum help the epithelial layer of the gut to mature, tighten up, and form a strong protective barrier. This not only supports digestion but also educates the immune system, teaching it to recognise what’s safe and what’s harmful. Formula simply cannot do this.
Now, WA research has shown just how critical those first feeds of colostrum really are:
👉 Babies exclusively fed colostrum in their first 72 hours were 5x less likely to develop peanut allergy.
👉 They were 11x less likely to develop multiple food allergies such as egg or cow’s milk.
👉 And not a single baby who had 9+ colostrum feeds per day in the first 72 hours developed peanut allergy.
⚠️ To be clear: the answer here is not antenatal expressing. The research didn’t specify antenatal vs postnatal, and fresh is best when it comes to colostrum. What this evidence highlights is the importance of ensuring babies receive as much of their mother’s colostrum as possible after birth — and not defaulting to formula unless there is a genuine medical reason.
❌ What really shocked me? Right now in WA, 1 in 2 newborns are given formula top-ups in their first 72 hours — before colostrum has had the chance to finish its vital job of sealing and protecting the gut and shaping the immune system.
This is despite the research and best practice guidelines like the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) being crystal clear:
👉 Formula should only be given if there are clear medical reasons.
Colostrum isn’t just “first milk.” It’s a powerful biological tool — uniquely designed to protect babies in those critical early days.
✨ That’s why evidence-based prenatal breastfeeding education matters so much. Parents who understand the role of colostrum are confident to say no to unnecessary formula in those critical first hours — and know how to make sure their baby gets only colostrum unless a true medical need arises.
This is exactly why I cover breastfeeding and those first 72 hours in my classes and consultations—so parents walk into birth ready to protect those feeds and give their baby the best start.
I also have an online course because this is so important!
https://birthsavvy.com.au/breastfeeding-course/
Parents deserve better support.
Babies deserve colostrum 💛
📖 Reference:
Bhasin M, Cooper M, Macchiaverni P, Joys RS, O'Sullivan TA, Keelan JA, Venter C, Palmer DJ, Lowe AJ, Prescott SL, Silva D, Verhasselt V. Colostrum as a Protective Factor Against Peanut Allergy: Evidence From a Birth Cohort. Allergy. 2025 Sep 18. doi: 10.1111/all.70043. Epub ahead of print.
*EDIT Free Access here: https://doi.org/10.1111/all.70043
