How long did it take for you to get a decent amount of colostrum?

[BeMorePacific]

Hi, I’m just coming up to 37 weeks, so have been doing a little bit of hand expressing. But getting next to nothing.
I’ve been trying once a day after a shower.

How long did it take for your supply to increase? How frequently did you express for and for how long?
Did you find it painful at all?

Thank you ♥️

I never even tried. Expressing before birth wasn’t a thing until quite recently.

Your body is designed to produce milk when baby sucks regularly. I found I only produced colostrum after days of feeding every 2 hours. I had to express with my third and it was the same, took a day or two and about 8 attempts before anything came out. And that was with a hospital grade machine, not a little home pump. It was so much harder as my baby wasn’t there to get the hormones working.

Is there a specific reason you need to have colostrum ready? If not I wouldn’t worry, your body will respond much better to a baby than a machine.

I sometimes tried to hand express a drop out of curiosity but nothing much came out. Babies are much better at getting it out. Is there a reason you need to collect it before the birth?

I didn’t bother, I had a really good supply that started when baby was born. Is there a reason you’re trying already?

I had nothing until after my baby was born. Unless you're expecting baby to be going to SCBU shortly after birth, or trying deliberately to trigger labour, I wouldn't bother tbh.

This wasn't a thing when I had my children. I don't think I produced colostrum in pregnancy anyway as I never leaked.

You really don't need to do this, especially if it's difficult or painful. Your baby will get as much as they need after birth, and you'll have all the hormones you need to produce it. Plus a baby will be much more efficient at extracting colostrum than a pump.

It comes when the baby comes.

Why are you doing this? Is it a new thing? (Haven't been pregnant for 16 years).

I just don't understand why?

It was the week that I was due before I got any decent amounts but my little boy didn't latch for 36 hours after he was born so the colostrum I had expressed was a god send, I also found it much easier to express more once he was born as I had practiced and new what to do. Keep going if you are happy to, it's all good practice

If you're able to squeeze out the odd drop, this is all you really need to reassure yourself that your body is producing colostrum! Even once your baby is born and more is produced, babies only need tiny amounts at each feed (just a teaspoon or thimble sized portion) as their stomachs are minute. There really is no need to harvest colostrum unless specifically advised to do it (for example, it's sometimes suggested for gestational diabetes or a few other reasons). Your baby will be vastly more effective at getting out the colostrum than any type of pumping or expressing will ever be. And as others have said, the more your baby sucks, the more you will produce as it works on a supply and demand basis. If you've been able to squeeze out a drop here and there, be safe in the knowledge that your body is doing its job!

I have harvested colostrum in all four of my pregnancies as I had gestational diabetes and they were all tiny. I started at 36-37 weeks and managed 2-3mls 3 or 4 times a day to start which increased to about 10mls 5-6 times a day by the time I gave birth. I either froze the syringes or put into a sterilised ice cube tray. Never painful and either did it after a shower or when time allowed. My midwife recommended I get something of baby’s out and look at it as I was expressing, and gently massage before attempting it.
I was fortunate I managed to express lots of colostrum (breastfeeding was a challenge though) but from conversations some manage it and for others it doesn’t amount to much no matter what they try prior to birth.
As for the why it helped my babies blood sugar levels post birth and feed them as they were tiny.

That's interesting EcoCustard. OP, is there a medical reason you're doing this?

(I'm just being nosy I guess, so feel free to ignore me )

@EcoCustard please excuse my ignorance, but I though GD caused babies to be born bigger rather than smaller. Were you induced early. I ask as I am waiting GD tests now. Thanks.

@Asterion

Why are you doing this? Is it a new thing? (Haven't been pregnant for 16 years).

I just don't understand why?

It's meant to stimulate milk production ready for birth and also to serve as backup colostrum for the freezer in case baby needs it at birth. The lactation nurses at my local hospital advised we do this at a recent breastfeeding webinar. My local area is renowned for offering exceptional breastfeeding support so there must be good science behind it.

I've just bought some syringes and now wondering if I can be bothered with it!

I don't think much comes out until you give birth the baby need that colostrum, so I don't think you are supposed to express before birth. Your body knows when it's time to let your milk flow. X

I didn't try expressing until after birth when I was unexpectedly separated from DS2.

Honestly it is THE MOST frustrating, demoralising experience so try not to set too much store by it!

Colostrum is supposed to be produced in tiny amounts, this is absolutely normal - between 1ml - 5ml at a time.

It's completely normal to be able to express only a fraction of what you're actually able to produce. This is because expression is not nearly as efficient as a baby at removing milk.

Modern pumps are also not very good for colostrum removal because of the closed filter system - an exercise in frustration management when I managed to get 0.002ml and it was all stuck in the sodding pump mechanism and would harden and solidify before I could get to it and hoover it up with the syringe!

Then by chance I managed to hire an ancient pump from a pharmacy (that was its own challenge) but because it had no closed filter system it allowed the colostrum to drip straight into the bottle - result!! I was OTOH paranoid that this old pump wasn't BPA free or properly sterile so I was a bit anxious about using it.

Anyway - would it have made a huge difference to have loads more colostrum ready to go? Probably not. He got a bit of formula when he was born. It was not the end of the world. We are still BFing at 2yo :)

I have heard this is being advised across the board now and I think it does have some benefits, but I also wouldn't stress yourself massively out over it, especially if you don't have risk factors meaning you're more likely to give birth early.

@EcoCustard same I had GD and expressed colostrum from 37 weeks. I was induced at 37+4. I didn't do it after a shower or anything just when time allowed and into a sterile syringe.
Used a couple of syringes in hospital when baby was slightly drowsy post birth. Her blood sugars were fine.
Baby was measuring small

Sorry posted to soon. @Asterion and @Grumpy19
It's advised for GD mothers to harvest colostrum as sometimes babies are born with low blood sugars and this helps then regulate their blood sugars as well.
Small babies is also a complication of GD as it can affect placenta function. I was induced due to IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction).
Have a look on the gestationaldiabetes uk site. There's a lot of information re GD. As it can cause babies to grow larger but there are other complications x

Thanks for the info and web site. The NHS website mentions nothing about low birth weight.

I was told not to bother but did out of curiosity and was glad.

Started in the bath with 1mm syringes and watched YouTube videos for tips.

It’s very very slow, literally a drop at a time. I ended up with about 8 x1mm syringes in the freezer. Husband thought I was bonkers.

When baby was born as lockdown was happening around us with no real support, he was smaller than predicted and very sleepy with low blood sugar at first. The syringes I honestly hadn’t expected to need gave him the energy boost to wake up to suckle properly.

@Grumpy19, many babies can be bigger for gestational age if GD isn’t controlled. However some can be smaller as it can affect the placenta as pregnancy progresses. Mine were all small, the tiniest was 4lbs10oz at 39+weeks. I was only induced twice at 38 weeks and 39 weeks for growth reasons, my others were spontaneous labours. GD doesn’t necessarily mean induction, but is very much pressed upon from diagnosis ( in my experience). If your GTT comes back over the threshold there is great advice on gestational diabetes UK webpage and their Facebook page has great advice and support.

Thanks @EcoCustard, I have low papp-a which has issues with small birth weight and placenta not working so well, so GD is something I really want to avoid!

1ml a session/day, took about an hour, wasn't painful. I found squeezing my areoles more effective then squeezing my breasts

I got nothing during pregnancy- not even 0.1ml!! Then only produced very small amounts after baby was born and he had to be topped up with formula. Ended up moving onto formula fully within a few days due to minimal support and already having to bother with formula. So wish I could have had a few mls for baby to have tried bf for longer.

Really helpful responses thanks so much.
@peakotter @Asterion @Oneandabean @DramaAlpaca the reason I am wanting a stock of colostrum is my 1st born ended up back in hospital with dehydration by day 6. My milk was delayed in coming in due to PPH and C section, I topped up with formula, but wasn’t aware that little to no milk was coming out. My son fed for hours at a time. I lost a lot of confidence in my breastfeeding after that, I carried on for 10months but always felt like I wasn’t able to produce enough. So I’m just hoping to be more prepared this time around. Boost my confidence a little and know that this little one won’t go hungry.
It definitely isn’t necessary for everyone.

@AndWhat I bet you have a perfectly healthy, happy baby. Just sometimes breastfeeding doesn’t work out.
Support makes a huge difference. NHS staff are so stretched that formula is definitely a quick solution at times.