Antenatal milk expression/milk harvesting

[DanDanAdams]

Afternoon all,

Just wanted to touch on the subject of AME.

Have any of you done it? If so why did you do it?
For medical reasons or to bring on labour? Or just to be organised ?
Would you recommend?
There isn't enough research on the subject to say yes or no completely so wanted to get information from other people's experiences.

Look forward to your feedback

I did it as was having a planned section and with DC1 he'd been very sleepy so I needed to express colostrum post natally to feed him, which had been a bit stressful. I did it 3 times, got about 10ml, then went in to labour!

I'd do it again though. I express well though so it wasn't much effort for me.

Ok that's good to know thank you for getting back to me.
I expressed yesterday and my Braxton Hicks got more intense but no labour for me yet.

I started on Monday. My due date was yesterday. I just wanted to get a head start but I've literally had drips. Less than 0.1ml in about 4 attempts. I'm keeping up because I desperately want to avoid induction.

There is a loose link between expressing and labour, due to the same hormones being released during both processes, but there isn’t a huge amount of research to support/oppose it. But that’s the reason it’s not recommended till 37/40

It is usually recommended when there is a reason baby may have issues with feeding- I.e cleft lip, admission to SCBU, baby likely to go on feeding plans (those with diabetic mothers etc).

Antenatal expression will help build up your milk supply and help with confidence when it comes to hand expressing in the initial period.

Whether it’ll trigger labour is arguable, but braxton hicks during/following doing it is quite normal.

It’s very normal only be able to express off drops to begin with, and it’ll build up from there.

I plan to from 37/40 but only because I want to feel prepared. I have a friend who has terrible trouble breast feeding both of hers, so I'd like it get a head start of possible. I think if I do have difficulty at first, I'll be better able to resist a bottle of I have some of my own colostrum so supplement with.

I did with my second because my first was sleepy postnatally and I had to syringe feed him for the first few days. I started just before 37 weeks... And ended up being induced at 37+1, so I'd only done 3 days worth. I got about 7ml in total, getting better each time. As it happens #2 took to breastfeeding like a tiny barracuda but I gave it to him anyway since I had it.

I knew how to hand express from being taught in hospital with #1 so I just bought some sterile syringes and got to it.

I'd recommend it to someone who wanted to feel prepared and thought it would help, it is psychologically helpful to know you've got a colostrum stash if your baby has trouble feeding immediately. But I wouldn't say it's necessary - the hospital should teach you to do it postnatally if needed.

I expressed 10mls of colostrum. Had mote intense BH'S however it didn't help me go into labour had to be induced a week later anyway.

Thank you everyone for your input and hope this thread helps someone.
Good luck mummies

Congratulations OP!

Congratulations @DanDanAdams!

Congratulations OP!

Can anyone suggest any good syringes for colostrum harvesting? I did it last time post birth and the hospital gave me a kit, but I would like to have a stash before if I can.