Expressing colostrum

[Moonicorn]

Hi ladies

If you expressed colostrum before birth, how did you take it to hospital please? Did you then just allow it to defrost in a fridge until baby born?

Please don’t say ‘you don’t need to do this’, I do, I’m diabetic and having a 37 weeker so anticipating feeding issues and possible low blood sugar.

thanks

Have a look on the NCT website for the most recent guidance,

If memory serves... take a couple in a cool bag for immediate use. Your partner can bring others as and when you need it.

Do check that though as I might be wrong. It was only just starting to be general advice when I had my second and that was a while ago

I’d take in a cool bag with ice packs - it should keep a long while like that!

I would second the cool bag idea but also just to say that harvesting colustrum worked so well for me and gave me the confidence that i already had some breastmilk available to give my baby even if latching wasn't going well. Wishing you all the best with it.

My baby was born in November by planned caesarean. On the day we took 2/3 syringes of fresh chilled colostrum in a special cooler pack bought online (one designed for taking chilled medicine like insulin abroad). My partner then brought in our frozen stash the next day which was signed straight in to the freezer on the ward. I wouldn't take your frozen stuff in on the day as it can get chaotic and will likely defrost, although that's probably not a disaster as it keeps for a bit defrosted, it was nice to know we had a lot in the freezer with no time limits. Make sure it is all in bags labelled properly as they are quite strict. Good luck!

I took some of the syringes frozen in a chiller bag which was handed straight to midwife and it went in neonatal unit freezer. A student was asked to fetch it when required and it defrosted in seconds under the tap. The rest my husband brought in when he next went home, baby was unexpectedly in neonatal unit with NG tube so it came in very handy.
Ask your midwife what the hospital's arrangement is and also tell them on the phone when you ring triage to come in during labour so they'll expect it.

At my unit we don’t have freezer facilities so don’t recommend bringing frozen stuff in. I would probably bring from fresh colostrum for the milk fridge on the wards as that lasts for 5-7days. If you’re being induced, express during that every few hours