Colostrum harvesting tips

[flossiegrippiter]

I'm 36 weeks and just started trying, I'm having a hot shower first and massaging the breast tissue, I know it's a slow process but I have a section booked for 38 weeks so not as much time to build up a supply and breastfeeding DC1 was a disaster after a stay in NICU so would just love to have a good few syringes full in case. Any hints and tips welcome, esp for someone with big saggy boobs!

No tips I’m afraid and not sure what happened with your DC1 but when my son was in NICU I collected quite a lot of colostrum. So after he was born (obvs!). Was the disaster physical or because no one in the hospital pointed you in the right direction? I only managed to harvest the teeeniest bit before he was born tbh! I had some leaks but it never translated to the syringe.

You could try placing a hot flannel on your breast as well, and I used to spend some time just stroking my bump and thinking about my baby to get the hormones going.

I found it easier to express the colostrum into a sterile teaspoon and collect with the syringe from that, as opposed to trying to collect with the syringe straight from my nipples.

Warm flannel and a massage.
It takes time but I didnit 3x a day in the end for prob a hour per boob at a time.

It was so hard to get it in the syringe so my husband was the collector in the end. Very handy as every drop was caught and none stuck in a pot etc

I hurt my nipples so much desperately trying to harvest colostrum so when I did start feeding my dd it was soooo painful. My point is if it doesn't work don't force it (I used a hand pump a little and shouldn't have!).

I gave it another try last night before bed and managed a whole syringe, I think I was just more relaxed but the hot flannel sounds like a good idea thank you I'll try that tonight. Yes the syringe is such a faff painstakingly getting each drop in!