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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Colostrum harvesting - ?!?

23 replies

RandomCatGenerator · 08/07/2021 13:45

Hello

I have heard that some NHS trusts recommend collecting colostrum from 36/37 weeks but it doesn’t seem to be recommended nationally by the NHS. I’m also quite confused about whether it’s necessary, nice to have, or just an unnecessary faff?

Any views or experiences?! I don’t want my baby to miss out but also don’t want to unnecessarily faff around or have the hospital staff look at me like an insane person when I produce some syringes!

Thanks

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ChocFondant · 08/07/2021 13:49

I think it's a nice to have. Dd struggled to latch so it was really handy having a couple of syringes to give on that first night on the hospital. I watched TV and got what I could for half an hour and over a couple weeks it added up to a few syringes. If you don't get any though I wouldn't stress.

Original poster

RandomCatGenerator · 08/07/2021 20:33

Did you tell the hospital beforehand that you were bringing some? How did they react?

Can I ask when you started to try to get it out?

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LincolnshireLassInLondon · 08/07/2021 20:43

I think it's a nice to have.

I heard about it through NCT then asked my midwife about it around the 30 week mark. She didn't react like it was weird and gave me some syringes.

My DS actually came before I managed to harvest much but I was glad I knew how to hand express.

Radio4ordie · 08/07/2021 20:46

I’d really recommend it. My trust didn’t advise you too but when I said I wanted to the midwife was v supportive & gave me syringes to use (very tiny ones!). The reason I wanted to is that I was very seriously unwell after my first child was born due to traumatic birth injuries. So I wanted to know if anything did go wrong second time around, my baby could be given colostrum by my DH.
In the end nothing went wrong, but it still helped to perk baby up, to have enough energy to BF.

BloodyCreateUsername · 08/07/2021 21:02

I did this. It was great for dd who was born with a heart defect that was unknown to us she went to a hospital in London with hers, so she still got what she needed.

ChocFondant · 08/07/2021 21:19

My husband brought it when he could come in. Brought it frozen in a little cool bag. No one was surprised - they just said oh that's great and labelled it for their fridge

sarah13xx · 08/07/2021 23:00

My hospital seems to encourage it. I think if you’re planning to breastfeed when baby arrives you probably don’t need it. Seems to be good if something happens where baby ends up separated from you so a midwife can give your milk to them rather than formula. I’m having a section and I’m not sure how I feel about putting baby to the breast but I would like to give colostrum after he’s born so I’m going to try and collect some. I’m only going to try between 38 and 39 weeks though and if it doesn’t go well I won’t be too disappointed. I’ve just got the 1ml syringes with caps off Amazon and a small cool bag with the freezer blocks in it to take the syringes to hospital in. I’m going to put each syringe in a small zip lock bag with a label on it saying my name, date of birth and the date/time collected. I know my hospital has a freezer to put it in so I’ll just hand it in when I arrive (if I’ve collected anything) 🙈

BastardMonkfish · 08/07/2021 23:43

I was really surprised, I live in a rural area and worried for ages about what the staff would think of me harvesting colostrum. In the end I just said when I was in the clinic oh can I ask about colostrum harvesting? And they were so pleased I asked, gave me a whole pack with syringes and a guide and talked me through hand expressing. So go for it!

Makingnumber2 · 09/07/2021 14:55

I did it from 36w having heard from a friend how stressful it was with her first baby when they wouldnt latch well and having to hand express then and there whilst baby was screaming hungry. I am so pleased I did because we also had significant latch issues due to tongue tie that wasn't diagnosed until 5-6 weeks and the colostrum syringes just took the stress and pressure off worrying she wasn't getting anything. Midwife thought it was a good idea and we used all our pre-harvested syringes within a week.

justchecking1 · 09/07/2021 15:13

I think it's more recommended for women with gestational diabetes or some other underlying issues, but no reason why everyone couldn't do it.

There is a very small chance it can bring on premature labour, so be mindful of that I guess

Danikm151 · 09/07/2021 15:47

I was advised to do this by the midwife as I had gestational diabetes. I managed to get around 10 syringes! They're only small but this made a difference.

The biggest problem was having somewhere to store them- the feeding midwife said we could put them in the fridge but the labour ward refused to store them so Mom took them back home in a coolbag(luckily she only lives 10 mins away)
Once onto the ward- there was space to store the syringes the nursery nurses were able to go and get them for me. Baby had tongue tie so this made a lot of difference.
I'd say it's worth doing and is good practice for hand expressing too.

Just don't expect to get a lot- baby doesn't need a lot and your body knows that baby hasn't arrived yet so will only produce a small amount.

Original poster

RandomCatGenerator · 09/07/2021 18:00

This is all very helpful, thank you

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meow1989 · 09/07/2021 19:56

I started from about 38 weeks and ended up with 23 myself by the time ds was born! I actually forgot to take it with me so expressed in labour which was great as after 24 hours ending in an emcs I had some ready for him when I was too tired to feed.

The rest I had at home I popped in to formula when we switched over.

Talk to your midwife for the best time to start and she should be able to give you a pack with syringes and info.

meow1989 · 09/07/2021 19:56

Mls not myself

110APiccadilly · 09/07/2021 20:03

My midwife mentioned it, I didn't do it. I wish I had - I had an EMCS and an unexpectedly tiny baby I was desperate to get milk into. If I'd harvested some colostrum it would have made the first couple of days a lot easier. So my advice would be to do it.

That said, it did all turn out ok, DD thrived, and was/ is successfully breastfed. So it's not a necessity. But I would definitely do it next time.

Prosperhigh · 09/07/2021 20:16

It’s nice to have

My midwife didn’t mention it I just came across it on mumsnet and did a bit of research into it. I ended up just ordering some syringes and harvested about 20 2.5ml syringes with not much intention to use them.

Turned out I had a c-section and my baby had to go to the neonatal unit without me straight away so dp nipped home and collected them from the freezer and handed them in to the nurses. They were able to feed her them in the incubator for the first day until I was able to hold her.

The neonatal nurses were happily surprised that I had some harvested.

Prosperhigh · 09/07/2021 20:20

How far are you from the hospital op ? Is it possible for dp just the nip home for them if needed rather than taking them with you ?

Sheisfee · 09/07/2021 21:23

I’m just about to start harvesting my colostrum just in case I’m too tired to try and latch or for some reason I can’t. Then my partner can feed her my colostrum via a syringe or I can depending on the circumstances. Gives you a little bit of leeway and reduces the pressure immediately after birth I guess!

Check out @dropsofgold on Instagram - I just got my full harvesting kit from them including syringes, storage bag, freezer packs and labels!

PairOfPears · 09/07/2021 21:29

Everyone I came across seemed really pleasantly surprised I’d done it, felt like getting a gold star! And helped with getting breast feeding established too

Original poster

RandomCatGenerator · 10/07/2021 13:34

@Prosperhigh

How far are you from the hospital op ? Is it possible for dp just the nip home for them if needed rather than taking them with you ?

This is a really good idea. 45 minutes away.

I am having a scheduled C section however so thinking I should be able to plan? I’ll be in the hospital by 8am, should be all stitched up by midday.

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Original poster

RandomCatGenerator · 10/07/2021 13:34

@Sheisfee

Check out @dropsofgold on Instagram - I just got my full harvesting kit from them including syringes, storage bag, freezer packs and labels!

Thank you for the recommendation!

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Original poster

RandomCatGenerator · 10/07/2021 13:35

You’ve all been so helpful, thank you

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User5827372728 · 10/07/2021 13:36

I did but at hospital after birth, got about 20 syringes worth in our 2 day stay as baby wasn’t great at latching.

Personally, I wouldn’t bother in the weeks leading up to due date

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