RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the mass of colostrum ingested by exclusively breastfed newborn infants during the first 24 hours of extrauterine life. STUDY DESIGN: Milk ingested during the first 24 hours of life by 90 healthy newborn infants was evaluated by use of a scale with high sensitivity. The masses were measured during 8-hour periods. Associations of the mass measured with prenatal and postnatal variables were tested. RESULTS: The mass of colostrum ingested was evaluated in 307 feedings, with 3.4+/-1 feedings recorded per 8-hour period of observation. Mean gain per feeding was 1.5+/-1.1 g. The daily mass of milk ingested by newborn infants was estimated at 15+/-11 g. This volume did not show a tendency to increase during the first 24 postnatal hours, nor was it related to perinatal or postnatal factors or to breastfeeding time. CONCLUSIONS: During the first 24 hours of life newborns ingested 15+/-11 g of milk.