Expressing colostrum before birth - any luck?

[Alyssum34456]

Have tried a few times but nothing happens and the skin on my boobs just gets sore from constantly rubbing them. Any tips to make it work?

Also sorry if tmi but is it definitely liquid? Sometimes I get a discharge from nipples (not when I've tried expressing though!) which is orangey and hard, is this the same thing?

I'm being induced on Wednesday and been told to collect some colostrum. I couldn't do it by hand but I'm getting a few drops out with a manual expressing pump.

Why would you collect if when your baby could just feed from your boob and get it??

I froze for my second as my first was in special care so I wanted to be ready. I got some tiny syringes from the hospital I'm sure they were like 2.5ml syringes and I hand expressed tiny drops of colostrum and caught it in the syringe - I then labelled and froze them to give to my baby when she was born.

She did have it and then I had to top up work formula but it did really help having the colostrum.

It did give me tightening over my bump.

@Horehound there are many reasons why women are advised to harvest colostrum before birth.

I started expressing at 36 weeks and keeping the colostrum in the freezer, but had been able to squeeze out a few drops from about 24. As PPs have said, the C-shape is right but you shouldn't be rubbing your fingers over the skin. Try positioning your hand in a c-shape about an inch back from the nipple, then squeezing your thumb and fingers together whilst simultaneously pushing back towards the chest wall - but without sliding your fingers over the surface of the skin. Sometimes it's easier if you've put a warm compress/flannel on your breast for a bit first.

@Horehound - women have all sorts of reasons for doing this. I'm doing it because I know a few women who have been separated from their babies for the first few days of life, either because the baby has gone to NICU or in one case because the mum haemmorhaged so profusely that she was in ICU herself and too unwell (I believe they even kept her unconscious for a day or so) to breastfeed. Even if you're not physically separated from your baby, if the birth is very difficult or traumatic you might struggle to breastfeed (or even if the birth is 'straightforward!) and you might want to have a little stock or breastmilk you can give if you're not keen to start with formula.
Also as PPs have mentioned there's some evidence it can induce contractions and avoid a medical induction if you go overdue.
Hth.

Why would you collect if when your baby could just feed from your boob and get it??

I've been advised to start trying to express from approx. 36 weeks because I have Gestational Diabetes. Unfortunately in some cases baby cannot always be guaranteed to be able to immediately feed once born so its better there is some colostrum available if not everything goes to plan and feeding baby is not an option.

I just asked my DH he said they were one ml syringes! Ask at hospital/midwife.