Harvesting Colostrum

[lukiebebe]

Hi all

Just curious about harvesting colostrum. If anyone has done this..when did you do it? Was it successful? How long did you do it for? How did you store it? What's the benefits?

Sorry 101 questions 😆 I'm just intrigued to hear your harvesting stories etc..

Many thanks x

Bumping ☺️

I did, and it was helpful during the first night alone in hospital when DD wanted feeding every 30 mins.
You can do 1 x 1ml sterile syringe (get the special purple ones with a cap from Amazon) per day from 37 weeks (YouTube how to do it) and collect into the syringe. Anything more than 5 days before birth can be frozen. From then on it can be stored in the fridge for 5 days so make sure you date and use in reverse order. You take it in in a cool bag to hospital and they will put it in the fridge for you, mine didn't have a freezer.
You can bring it up to room temp in a little cup of tepid water and then squeeze in to baby's check pocket.
It takes a while to get the hang of hand expressing but just keep at it and it will start to come. Use a warm flannel for a few mins before you start.

I managed this with first child by squeezing nipples and then putting it in a syringe. No colostrum with second and third child at all. I had to use formula for the first few feeds until my milk came in.

I’m planning to bottle feed but I’m hopefully going to have these syringes ready for the first couple of feeds. I’m having a section so the risk of it bringing on labour is the only thing that worries me. I’m hoping if I wait til about 38 weeks to start it and just don’t do it for longer than 5 minutes each side once or twice per day it should be okay. I’m just going to get 25 1ml syringes from Amazon and see how many I can fill, il only have about 10 days to do it. Going to put each syringe in a zip lock bag in the freezer labeled with my name, dob and the date/time it was collected. On the day I go to hospital il take a small cool bag with some of the ice freezer block things in it and hand it to the midwives as soon as I get there to put in the freezer. I really like the sound of it and the fact you’d be organised and know how much your baby was taking

@maryberryslayers thanks so much for your message this is very helpful! I shall have a look up the syringes on Amazon and take your tips on board!

@Hirewiredays oh wow I never knew colostrum may not even appear! That's good to know!!

@sarah13xx oh! Same as you I'm having an elec c section! I didn't think that this could bring on Labour! Hmmmm got me thinking now lol! I may not do as much either then and probably do a little each day like you've said! Thanks for the tips too!

I did it when I was expecting twins. I started from around 36.5 weeks (term is 37 weeks for twins) after speaking to my consultant.

I didn’t get much before birth- it took about an hour to fill a 1ml syringe. It was much more successful in the few days after birth.

I didn’t end up using the pregnancy expressed colostrum in hospital anyway as I went in to be induced and was already in labour- so no chance to go home and get them.

@lukiebebe yip, well the evidence on it actually bringing on labour seems to be all over the place. I just don’t want to do anything that will chance it but would really like to be able to get some colostrum saved! On YouTube when I was watching videos on it all the videos below it were stories of people who had used the technique to induce themselves basically 😂 I thought oh great! They do say not to do it before 36/37 weeks for that reason I think and only to do it if you’re low risk of early labour, which I think I am. A lot of people seem to have managed it and been fine though

I never had drops like I did with my first. It must have come with my milk but I never produced like I did the first.

I harvested for my first and was a godsend as she was born hangry and refused to latch but she had a few syringes and a good nap, which meant I napped and then our next attempt at BF was a success. Currently harvesting for my second, being sectioned at 37 wks but as still BF have been collecting since 34 wks. Research suggests that even if you stimulate nipples if the uterus isn't ready for labour it doesn't trigger anything, however I know they get a bit angsty about it. Good luck and just be patient it can take a while to get hang of it and the number of times I've accidentally squirted it back out all over myself 😂🙈

Why do you want to collect colostrum?

It’s occasionally suggested for women who are diabetic or have gestational diabetes due to the increased risk of neonatal hypoglycaemia if the preference is to avoid giving glucose and it’s medically safe to do so.

The entire benefit of colostrum is that I’d the first introduction of baby’s saliva into your blood stream so that there is a “bio-recognition” (for want of a better phrase). This exchange of bio information is what tailors your breast milk for your baby and for their specific requirements at the specific time of developmental stage. Replacing that for syringe feeding, unless medically necessary, doesn’t really fulfill the point of colostrum in those first few feeds.

Also to the lady above who said she didn’t produce colostrum I’m subsequent births, if you produced milk you will have produced colostrum. Your body will have been experienced in not over producing and so expressing (which is already pretty difficult with colostrum which is a super thick liquid in comparison to breastmilk) would not have produced much if any.

Op I highly recommend the Kellymom website for information and getting in touch with your local La Leche League chapter.

Breast feeding, whilst totally natural, is a skill which takes practice and knowledge.

Yeah I harvested as I had gestational diabetes - in the end we didn't need it but I felt better knowing it was there. And frankly, it was reassuring seeing the amount slowly increase before birth. Good to know there was stuff in there!

You really don't need much, and don't start too soon. Warm shower beforehand, get comfy and warm e.g. bed or sofa. Massage boob and gently squeeze round the nipple. If nothing doing after a while, stop and just try again another time.

Re: bringing on labour - it did seem to trigger some Braxton-Hicks but definitely not labour - I was induced at 41 weeks!

I'm 37 weeks and have tried a bit but think I'll give up - after spending 10-15 minutes several times per day hand expressing with nothing it gets a bit demoralising. As others have said, it's only really necessary if you have reason to think you'll be separated from your baby, yes, it's great if you're having feeding issues but you can always express after they're born.

I spent weeks doing this then didn’t need it. My poor nipples.

your local hospital will probably give you the syringes and a guidance leaflet for free if you ask your midwife

The entire benefit of colostrum is that I’d the first introduction of baby’s saliva into your blood stream so that there is a “bio-recognition” (for want of a better phrase).

I have never in my life heard this. Where did you get the info as I would like to read up on it? How does the babies saliva enter the mothers bloodstream through breastfeeding?

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4556682/

@CyberGhost

I’ve not explained it in the best way but this gives an idea as to what I was trying unsuccessfully to say.