Colostrum harvesting

[Lemonysherbet]

Hello,

I'm 37+4 and have been trying to harvest colostrum for the last 4 days with no luck. I've got a friend due the same day and she's been doing really well so I'm feeling like a bit of a failure.

Has anyone got any advice on harvesting? I feel so disheartened I'm probably giving up too easily.

It’s brilliant that you are trying to do it, and you are stimulating your breasts. Don’t be too disheartened, the motion of sucking is far more effective than hand expressing. Also hand expressing is difficult to master, I’m not sure the technique you’re using.. but my advice would be to squeeze more of the breast than you think necessary and do long, rhythmic squeezing motions. Oxytocin helps boost milk supply, so I’d recommend you try it whilst watching a film you love x x

Unfortunately it doesn’t work for everyone, especially not so early. It maybe it becomes easier the closer you get to your due date so don’t be hard on yourself for not being able to yet.
I had a really successful first try and then nothing for days. Took me a good week to get in the rhythm and I’m due on Friday!
A few tips; do it in the evening, make sure you’re well hydrated, have a warm bath or shower and massage your breasts beforehand.
At this early stage, it’s unlikely you’ll get more than half a ml out at any one time so don’t be expecting loads. Are you using syringes to collect it?

Thanks both. I've been doing it after a bath, all relaxed, following video techniques of the c shape thumb and finger. I've got syringes but haven't used them yet as I can't get anything out. My midwife told me to try from 37 weeks.

I used Neals Remedies Mothers Balm to massage. I did it when I woke up, still in bed and nice and relaxed. Tended to sort of massage upwards and the whole boob.

Do you ever get any leaking out when you're asleep?

I've been doing it since 36w. Most I get is 2ml at a time. I find the best time to do it is in the evening. I've been tapping round my breast, above the nipple there is a hard area under the skin which I tap then hold and squeeze gently with one hand and use the other hand to make a c shape and squeeze from above the areola. I watch something baby related like the videos of harvesting colostrum on you tube or tonight I watched one born every minute on 4od and that was pretty good for stimulating. Kept bursting in to tears watching it!
It's slow and frustrating but great when you finally start getting some little drops. It takes me about an hour to get the 2ml though!! I'm now 38w.

I've found colostrum much tougher to express than milk and you really have to work the breast tissue in order to get a few drops. For my first pregnancy I had absolutely nothing but for my second I seem to have loads! I really wouldn't feel disheartened if you can't get any or as much as you would like... maybe next time?!

I find if I pig out on oat, sugary and fatty foods as well as being in a calm state of mind, I can express more however the amount expressed really is up and down... I find that colostrum supply is influenced by the same things as breastmilk supply. I've taken to recording my experience in a blog: antenatal-expressing-colostrum.blogspot.com/

Exercise also helps, but feeling tired or exhausted tends to reduce the amount expressed.

Hope everything went well with the birth xx

My first pregnancy I never would have been able to harvest colostrum, even when baby was born I was near being milked like a cow by midwives to collect some in a syringe and there was little coming out. This pregnancy i am 28 weeks and my breats have been leaking colostrum like mad I have to wear breast pads 24/7 and change them regularly. I reckon I could easily express some but obviously cant as its too early. People and pregnancies are so different, dont feel too defeated if you havnt been able to express any. The midwives will help you and show you good ways to express in hospital.

That's really interesting as there seem to be quite a few women on forums who experience something happening in the way of colostrum production around 27/28 weeks pregnant. I experienced breast discomfort at 27 weeks (like that full feeling) and have been expressing and collecting colostrum since then with guidance from my midwives and the La Leche League www.laleche.org.uk/antenatal-expression-of-colostrum/

Now I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant and everything is feeling very normal, like my first pregnancy. No cramps or any signs of preterm labour at all.

Hope all goes well with your pregnancy xx

Don’t feel bad if it doesn’t come OP. I tried and tried and tried and never got so much as a drop, but was able to breastfeed totally successfully. For some women, it’s just not ready before your baby comes but it doesn’t give any indication of how breastfeeding will go.