hand expressing before birth?

[squizita]

The parent education MW told our ante natal class we should be doing this so we were producing colostrum by the time of birth.
She said colostrum comes in 34-36 weeks: where I am. But I don't seem to have any, just clear fluid and hardly a drop of that.

Neither my NCT BF lady nor any books said to do this, and I was under the impression colostrum started early/later in different women and to let nature take its course.

Is this hand expressing thing new advice? Should I worry?

I would let nature take its course. Your body will produce what your baby needs when it needs it

Colostrum will come when baby is born. The milk may take a little longer, but I have never heard of anyone doing this

There's no need to do this at all (apart from in some very specific medical situations). It's very odd that you were all told to do this!

I may be wrong but isn't there only a certain amount of collostrum produced so if you started expressing it at 36 weeks and don't give birth until 40+wks then your milk will have come in properly and your baby won't get it's essential collostrum?

She told everyone in the room to do it... then warned us that the official BF advisors at the hospital were old fashioned ... It did strike me as odd.

I know if you're expecting a small or premature birth they might ask but had never heard of anyone else doing it.

She also massively praised a woman who was leaking already which annoyed me as I can hardly help it if I'm not (or don't want to announce it to a random).

Wow, she does sound a bit odd. Praising someone for a bodily function they can't control is very strange. I hope she hasn't unnerved anyone else in your class.

How bizzare! I never leaked during pregnancy at all, but still had plenty of colostrum at birth. Your boobs will do what they're meant to do when the baby is born.

Thanks ladies.
I'm quite thankful I read up on some "official" sites beforehand, as otherwise I might be more worried.

There are local NCT and clinic BF classes near me, think I'll stick with them!

Hogwash! Colostrum accumulates during pregnancy and the delivery of the placenta triggers the body to produce mature milk. Expressing is not advised (pre 37 weeks) unless there is a reason for colostrum harvesting as it could potentially trigger labour.

Whether you leak or not is not an indicator of anything, neither is breast size.

Clear fluid will be your colostrum btw.

I would consider complaining if she was advising expressing 0re 37weeks and also because she clearly is wrong.

That fluid is colostrum - it's produced in tiny quantities but is packed with antibodies. I expressed a bit at the hospital (post birth!!!) as my Dd wouldn't latch on and it was literally measured in ml - I had a midwife hovering over me with a syringe sucking up drops, I think I got about 3 ml out or something and they were all very impressed!

It sounds utter nonsense to tell you to express beforehand, your body and your hormones will sort all of that out.