having expressed colostrum antenatally, how did you use it?

[aendr]

Hi,

I've got gestational diabetes and with the advice of the local breastfeeding counsellor and support of my consultant, I've been expressing colostrum antenatally. This is partly because I had major problems breastfeeding last time (never ever got a latch) and they may well repeat. I'm expecting essentially a healthy baby who might well have a sugar crash after birth and struggle to feed because of that (and my breast shape and some other complications due to me).

The colostrum is currently stored in syringes in my freezer and I'm to take 20ml in when I go into labour, to thaw in the ward fridge and then my visitors to bring in further 20ml batches as needed. I have 65ml stored up so far.

My hospital doesn't yet have guidelines or facilities in place for expressing and using colostrum - I'm a guinea pig as it were. The plan for using it once baby is born seems a little vague to me - a little bit of see how it goes, so I wanted to see what others had done, especially if you are were with a hospital which has a policy for Gestational Diabetes antenatal expressing.

If you expressed colostrum antenatally for use in the first 48 or so hours after birth, please would you answer a few of my questions and add any more information you think relevant.

Where/how was your colostrum stored in hospital? (Freezer, fridge, SCBU, postnatal ward? If SCBU, was your baby in SCBU too?)
How much did you have stored up when you finally started to use it?
How much did you give at a time as a feed? And perhaps how much did you end up using in total, did you waste any?
How did you thaw and warm it?
How did you feed it to baby? (Dropper, from syringe, cup? It's been suggested to me that we will be cup feeding, which given the quantities I think will waste a lot of this "liquid gold".)
Extra items which might be relevant and affect the way you answered the above - why you expressed, if your baby was extra small, prem or had additional needs to make feeding difficult such as cleft palate etc.

Thank you for your time.

AEndr

Hi. Didn't express colostrum but did have gestational diabetes - so afraid I can't comment on those bits. My diabetes was only picked up shortly before birth so didn't know about expressing options etc. DS, despite b-feeding almost immediately did have a sugar crash and the nurses gave him formula in SCBU for approx 24 hrs. We tried bottles, syringes, spoon and cup feeding (in addition to breast feeding). Gave up as he wasn't keen and resorted to an NG (nose) tube. Although at the time I thought this was scary and 'last resort', actually I'd be much happier to do this if blessed with a second DC, especially if using precious colostrum. The feeds they gave him were approx 20ml - which sounds similar to your syringes. The tube got in the way of feeding much less than I thought it would and we could let him feed normally and then top up his tummy with the formula at the end of the feed.

His blood sugar stabilised within 24 hours and we went on to breastfeed successfully -he's still going at 23mo. Hope it all goes well.

Thanks GruffaloMama, that suggests to me that it's not clear cut but is whatever baby will take! My DS had an NG tube at about a year, when he had flu, which yes I agree sounded scary but wasn't.

I gave birth on Monday. I was suspected of having Gestational Diabetes but in the end the GTT proved ok.

Shortly after the birth, my baby appeared to have jittery movements, so they checked her blood sugar levels. They were 2.6, borderline apparantly. My husband immediately gave her 30 mls of formula.

The blood test that was sent to the lab showed that in fact the true reading was 4, so no problem.

However, this is my 3rd baby, and I always sruggle with breast feeding. I decided to continue formula feeding whilst also expressing.

I managed to express my colostrum, and I drew it into a syringe, and very slowly dripped it into her mouth drop by drop while she was asleep. Then, if she puked, it wouldnt all be wasted. Some did come out, i got carried away once and lost quite a lot which was upsetting.

I used mine from being freshly expressed so I didn't have to manage the storage.

My husband did cup feed her a few times, but witht the formula. I would not recommend doing this with your colostrum because quite a lot comes back out, it is messy. I find the slow syringe method the best because you know it has gone in. Cup feeding is good with the formula, but if I was trying to get blood sugars up, I personally would feed formula out of a bottle, just because it is fast and efficient. If baby is feeding well, you could put the colostrum in the bottle with the formula, just make sure that you dont put too much in the bottle and some is left. I would put the colostrum in a tiny feed, and then once baby has finished that, use your formula.

Hope this has helped, good luck.

Just to add, that once you have stablised the blood sugar, you could just breast feed??

OnEdge: thank you for your feedback. My DS didn't latch ever so we were preparing for this one not doing so. DD has now arrived. She's rather more eager for the breast and latched so quickly after birth that her blood sugar levels were pretty good by the time they tested. I'm doing feedback for my hospital, so I shall include your info.

Hello aendr. I expressed colostrum post-natally, as DS wouldn't latch on, and it was fed to him in a spoon, drop by drop.

Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy.