Colostrum harvesting/storing

[RMarieClaire]

Hi ladies. 35+1 with my second and really want to harvest as much colostrum as I can. Just had my first go and expressed a measly 0.1ml - disheartening but I know it's normal for it to take a while to get going. However, wondering if it's OK to store this syringe in the fridge and add to it over the course of a day, so I have more before freezing? Possible issue is the syringes don't have caps? For now I've put back in the plastic wrapping and stood up in a clean cup in my fridge. Seems a bit pointless to freeze 0.1ml, but liquid gold and all that!

Thanks

You can keep in the fridge for 24hrs before having to freeze :)
Mine didn't have lids, so I just placed back in the wrapper and then in a tuppaware box in the freezer whenever I filled one up.
It can take time for some people, so keep on going and you'll have a great collection before you know it. Try after a shower of bath or lay a hot water bottle over your chest to move along - the morning is the best time (supposedly) also.
Good luck :)

From when (what week) is it safe to start expressing colostrum?

Think from 37 weeks is recommended.

37 weeks is advised but my midwives suggested starting early as my first arrived at 37 weeks

Thank you @th22 ! I’ll have another go tonight and again tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed!

My midwife recommended it from 31 weeks as I said at my appointment I was having some leaking, she gave me a pack of syringes so maybe speak to your midwife  @oopsydaisyyy

I've also been advised to start early (33 weeks) as I'm T1 Diabetic and will be induced early. I was leaking a little so my midwife said if the risk was that high of inducing labour, everyone would be doing it early.

The first few days I just expressed tiny amounts in the bath to get a bit of a flow going. Then I started adding to a syringe over the course or 24 hours. Within a week I can now fill a 1ml syringe in one sitting.

Does anyone know how much we should take in with us? My baby is likely to be born with low blood sugar as my sugars are all over the place.