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To wonder on colostrum harvesting

3 replies

Jexa41 · 27/12/2024 17:04

So I’m a mother of several including a new baby, I’m also a midwife and we’re encouraged to promote colostrum harvesting in pregnancy. Personally I hated the idea of doing it so didn’t and successfully breastfed all my babies. I would have for baby’s sake still expressed postnatally if needed e.g prem baby/not latching but didn’t seem natural to do it in pregnancy for the sake of it. I promote it as we’re encouraged to, however now I’m on some of the breastfeeding forums I’ve noticed this does seem to be quite a source of stress to some women and has made me wonder whether women realise this is entirely voluntary and doesn’t mean they won’t be able to breastfeed if they don’t 🤷🏻‍♀️ Just interested in people’s experiences, did they feel it helped or did it more put them off the idea of breastfeeding

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Mushroo · 27/12/2024 17:08

I found it a chore but I did it because I had gestational diabetes and it helps with blood sugar.

It actually helped me mentally with breastfeeding because I knew there was something in there!

So whilst I didn’t enjoy doing it and it shouldn’t be forced on women, it was valuable in the early days and I did use it in the moments when my nipples were in agony

Iloveeverycat · 27/12/2024 17:10

How long has this been a thing. Just curious.

Jexa41 · 27/12/2024 17:20

Iloveeverycat · 27/12/2024 17:10

How long has this been a thing. Just curious.

Its been promoted for a few years for women with diabetes/gestational diabetes because is important these baby’s receive early feeds and may be case mother not feeling up to feeding or baby not latching etc and so potentially saved having to give the babies formula. However would say over last 4-5 years has been more heavily promoted for all women who plan on breastfeeding to do so that they feel confident with hand expressing in case they end up needing to do it postnatally

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