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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Colostrum harvesting

33 replies

Millylou3 · 09/04/2021 17:35

So I’m 36 weeks and been told to try and harvest colostrum - WHY IS IT SO HARD 😢😢 I’m getting a few teeny drops but no we’re near enough to put in a syringe - I’ve watched loads of YouTube videos and feel like I’m doing it right but just frustrating not seeing much - is this normal? Literally been trying for 5 days and I can see it but it’s like 1 drop - any help or advice?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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MaverickDanger · 09/04/2021 17:38

I didn’t get any colostrum until I was being induced, it was like it wasn’t there.

Suddenly it just appeared on the postnatal ward & I managed to get a few syringes full.

beckyyl · 09/04/2021 17:39

I had my baby 15 days ago and I was the same! Could not harvest anything at all was only getting the odd drop if I really tried. The more I researched the more I found people who said the same, sorry I don't have any advice on anything that can help - just know your not alone! X

sleepyhead · 09/04/2021 17:41

Totally normal. Is your baby likely to be early?

You may find it gets more productive over the next few days / weeks. I had virtually none before my babies were born but it came in once they arrived and I was able to syringe feed ds1 who had trouble latching on.

Original poster

Millylou3 · 09/04/2021 17:42

Ah thank you both so much this has made me feel much better - I’ve read people getting full
Syringes full and I’m thinking how??? I won’t stress and just keep trying but hopefully once baby arrives so does the colostrum xx

OP posts:

feesh · 09/04/2021 17:43

I did it - it started off really alowly, but it did pick up after a couple of weeks and eventually I was getting 2-5ml at a time IIRC. It was literally a lifesaver, as my DS was born with low blood sugar and (as with my previous) I had major issues getting breastfeeding going. We did forget to bring it with us to hospital, so my husband had to make a mad dash home for it after my C-section; as the docs were itching for me to give formula ASAP to get the blood sugars back.

Original poster

Millylou3 · 09/04/2021 17:44

I’m due a c section at 37 weeks and I’m type 1 diabetic so colostrum helps with the blood sugars my midwife said - it’s just the tiniest drop I’m getting I can see it there but there’s no were enough to put in a syringe for when he arrives x

OP posts:

StarDanced · 09/04/2021 17:45

I found this at the start, but after a few days started to get 0.2ml and then up to 1ml a few days later. I found that doing massage and compressions for 10mins before expressing really helped. I also found that putting on a nice tv programme and focusing on that took the pressure off expressing. I only started getting larger amounts once I was less focused on doing it. Even small amounts can add up over a few days. I would suggest you keep persevering but try and remove the pressure you are putting on yourself. Remember that anything you get is a bonus.

October2020 · 09/04/2021 17:45

I had my baby at 32 weeks and needed to express for her feeding tube - I absolutely mashed my breasts in the process!

The trick was to put your fingers on your breast, pull gently back and then roll forward, rather than just squeezing the hell out of them like I was doing. It also helped me a lot more to use both hands and have someone use the syringe to catch anything.

Remember you only need the tiniest amount. You're doing fab x

Original poster

Millylou3 · 09/04/2021 17:45

@feesh ah really I’m on day 5 now and it’s still there but the odd drop / I’m going to continue and just hope it does get a bit more for at least a few syringes 😢 xx

OP posts:

Twizbe · 09/04/2021 17:46

When I had my first no one said anything about this. 2 years later and we were all told about it and made to feel like we had to harvest it.

You don't.

I never leaked before having baby and I breastfed both for over a year.

Honestly, don't stress about it. Give it a go if you can but you don't have to. Put baby to breast as soon as your able and let them get it that way.

Original poster

Millylou3 · 09/04/2021 17:49

@October2020 @StarDanced thank you both I keep trying not to concentrate too much on it to see if that helps 😂 I watched a YouTube video and a lady said the same work back with your fingers and I am just trying to squeeze do the past few days I’ve changed that - I got a leaflet through the post and syringes as with Covid etc I couldn’t see any midwifes so they posted it out which is why I’ve watched a lot of videos to help / will watch some nice programmes aswell thank you xx

OP posts:

MeadowHay · 09/04/2021 17:51

@Twizbe

When I had my first no one said anything about this. 2 years later and we were all told about it and made to feel like we had to harvest it.

You don't.

I never leaked before having baby and I breastfed both for over a year.

Honestly, don't stress about it. Give it a go if you can but you don't have to. Put baby to breast as soon as your able and let them get it that way.

That's all well and good but unfortunately lots of babies are unable to breastfeed straight away for various reasons. Colostrum harvesting means they can be fed initially without needing to use formula if they are unable to breastfeed. It's not essential as obviously formula can be used instead, but it's to replace formula, not to replace feeding directly from the breast. I breastfed, but had to hand express colostrum to syringe feed on the first night feed after my DC was born as she was so sleepy she wouldn't latch at all.

BloodyCreateUsername · 09/04/2021 17:56

I’ve been doing this.

I went from 0.5ml and feeling pretty pleased to 7ml. Follow the same advice as with breast feeding, drink loads and relax. Hot water bottle also helps me.

I have about 30ml saved now.

Twizbe · 09/04/2021 17:57

@MeadowHay while you're point is a valid one, here is a soon to be mum who's stressing about harvesting colostrum. Let's not start with the feelings of failure because it's not working. Not everyone can do it and not doing it has no impact on being able to breastfeed once baby is here.

OP, please don't stress about how much you're harvesting. A few years ago it wasn't even a thing.

sleepyhead · 09/04/2021 17:57

Hand expressing is a definite skill and when theres not much coming it can be tricky to know if it's because it's not there or you're not using the right movements.

I became really good at it with ds2 and like a pp said, it was more a rolling motion pushing out the milk from the ducts than squeezing. I feel like I'd be quite good at milking a cow now

MissSmith80 · 09/04/2021 18:05

I did no colostrum harvesting while pregnant but hand expressed in between feeds when my little boy arrived. We BF until he self weaned at 13 months. Please don't stress about it, enjoy your last days of pregnancy

Original poster

Millylou3 · 09/04/2021 18:25

Ah thank you all so much you’ve made me feel a lot better - I’m going to try a hot water bottle and out a nice film on and see if hubby can help aswell 😂 tonight - yeah I’ve definitely changed to the rolling back as I was just trying to squeeze before I watched some good videos with different ways to do it xx

OP posts:

Original poster

Millylou3 · 10/04/2021 14:02

Finally after reading all the advice I got enough to see in a syringe - thank you all so much - I found a new technique aswell that made it a lot easier so fingers crossed it keeps coming

OP posts:

DiabeticFirstBaby · 12/04/2021 09:28

Does anyone know how often should I be trying to harvest colostrum? every day or every other day?

Original poster

Millylou3 · 12/04/2021 09:43

@DiabeticFirstBaby on the leaflet I got from the midwife it said you can try upto 4 times a day however I’ve only been trying a few times a day upto now

OP posts:

BloodyCreateUsername · 12/04/2021 09:56

How’s it going for you Milly? xx

DiabeticFirstBaby · 12/04/2021 09:57

Thank you, I managed to get 0.3mls yesterday over two sessions, it seems to take ages though! But that was twice as much that I managed compared to the time before. Will give it another go again today. Might try a warm compress too.

Original poster

Millylou3 · 12/04/2021 10:13

@BloodyCreateUsername good i managed a few syringes over the weekend finally 🙏 so happy took everyone’s advise defo hells straight after bath with me on an evening

OP posts:

BloodyCreateUsername · 12/04/2021 10:19

That’s great news! It usually only gets better too.

omg35 · 12/04/2021 10:50

I couldn't get a drop before the baby was born and had to hand express for tube feeds once she was born. Two things I learned-

I had to be quite rough with my breasts to get anything. The YouTube videos show women stroking their breasts. I had to knead mine with my knuckles quite roughly

I was surprised how hard I had to squeeze!

Good luck With your baby

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