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Infant feeding

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Giving colostrum after milk has come in - any benefits?

2 replies

Tortoiseonthehalfshell · 13/11/2011 12:34

I have gestational diabetes, as I did last pregnancy. As a preventative against the baby having a hypoglycaemic attack after birth (which happens sometimes because GD babies often produce more insulin than usual to combat the blood sugar coming in from the mother - it's not serious as long as everyone knows to look out for it) I have some colostrum expressed. If the baby has a hypo we give it a top-up of colostrum from a syringe, blood sugar goes up again, everything's fine.

So if the baby does not have a hypo, I will have extra colostrum stored. Obviously I don't want to give it to the baby in the first couple of days on top of what I'm producing, because of confusing the supply/demand relationship, but assuming my milk comes in fine and everything goes smoothly, is there a benefit to giving in a bit later? Say, a week in or so? It's a syringe so no nipple confusion potential, it's obviously hardly any quantity at all.

It's just that everyone goes on about colostrum being liquid gold, and there I am with three feeds' worth in my freezer. There's no donation facility where I am.

Yes? No?

OP posts:
SirBoobAlot · 13/11/2011 17:57

Definately yes :-) You sound like you've really thought this all through. Colustrum is magic stuff - certainly can't do any harm giving extra. Best of luck.

Grumpla · 13/11/2011 17:59

I wouldn't waste it!

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