Harvesting colostrum

[haroldbaker]

Hi my midwife gave me 2 syringes at my appointment today to harvest colostrum but when I get a few drops in it just falls out the bottom? Are they meant to come with a bung or something to stop it falling out? Thanks

You would have though they should have a cap
Is there a particular reason for harvesting colostrum? It wasn't something I was advised to do

@dementedpixie that's what I thought but it's literally just the syringe! I was told it will help my milk come in when baby is here and its just extra calories that they can give baby in hospital if needed. Totally optional and I don't think they advise it before 36 weeks?

You can buy kits online and they come with caps

You can get them off Amazon they have wee bungs for the bottom. you only need 1ml syringes, I found it easier to express it into a sterile baby's bottle cap then draw up what I collected, just make sure u write ur name and date collected on them

My baby was in NICU / SCBU for two weeks and i was harvesting colostrum for her. I never used a cap - just the syringe. As long as the plunger stays pulled out, it shouldn't leak out. I then put a label on it with name, date and time expressed and popped it in a sandwich bag for storage. The first couple of days i was literally collecting tiny amounts in the bottom of the syringe but then started to get larger amounts for her.

By the by, my waters broke early at 38weeks after I'd spent an evening attempting colostrum harvesting in pregnancy the night before. I'm convinced it brought on labour and have since heard similar stories from others. I think this is why they dont recommend it before 36 weeks.

The syringes I have, have got little ball caps on the end. As someone else said they’re 1ml ones.

So far I’ve only got around to filling 2 syringes. But in for my section on Friday so want to get a few more by then.

I’m having an ‘early’ 37+4 section, and gave gestational diabetes which is the reason I’ve been advised to collect some. In case baby has trouble with their blood sugars when born.

Ok thanks everyone! I think it might be easier to just collect the colostrum in a sterile sample pot and keep the syringes to collect it from the pot when I need to give to baby!