Harvesting colostrum - 36 weeks

[dg93]

Hey!

I'm in a difficult situation, so I'd like to ask you for advice 😭

I'm 36 weeks today, and csection is booked for 37+3. The high risk consultant told me to start collecting colostrum today, but I just spoke to my midwife who told me to not start until 37 weeks as I may go into labour!

If you've collected colostrum before, did you go into labour shortly after? If so how long after??

I have gestational diabetes so having enough colostrum to get babies sugar levels down once she's born is so important... but I know it's not safe for her to be born before 37 weeks!

I don't know what to do, my colostrum kit is arriving today 🤷‍♀️

I'm in exactly the same position OP so I'm following with interest. My section is on Monday at 38 weeks. I have GD too and need to squeeze a few drops out this week!

BTW I was told from 37 weeks

Started at 38 weeks. Expressed Sun, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat.
Baby arrived on Sunday exactly a week early.

Not sure if the colostrum expressing sped him up. I only expressed for about 15 min an evening

@BillyBarryBoo

Started at 38 weeks. Expressed Sun, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat. Baby arrived on Sunday exactly a week early.

Not sure if the colostrum expressing sped him up. I only expressed for about 15 min an evening

Did you use a pump or just squeeze please?

@thingymaboob

I'm in exactly the same position OP so I'm following with interest. My section is on Monday at 38 weeks. I have GD too and need to squeeze a few drops out this week!

Good luck!! My original csection was booked at 37 weeks exactly, but I asked to change dates as my mum is having major surgery that day, so they were nice enough to switch me to 37+3... I'm so nervous that if I start at 37 weeks I may not have enough for when she's born as I've heard it can take a few days to start producing it, meaning I won't have any, but at the same time I don't want to go into labour naturally as I don't want an emergency C-section! 😭

I'm type 1 diabetic and my midwife told me to start trying from 36 weeks. I didn't go into labour and had my elcs at 38 weeks as planned, but just wanted to say don't get too disheartened if you don't manage to get any colostrum. I was trying every day for two weeks and didn't get a drop. My son did have low blood sugar when he was born but they just gave him some glucose and I was able to express some after he was born.

He's two weeks now and exclusively breastfed, so the amount of colostrum you get antenatally isn't a reflection of whether or not you'll be able to breastfeed

Good luck!

@dg93 I'm trying not to put pressure on myself. The likelihood is that your baby will feed colostrum directly from the breast when born anyway and the attempt at expressing will ready the breasts.

I started at 35 weeks for a planned c section at 37 weeks. Early delivery was due to APS but I also had gestational diabetes.

I managed to get about 5ml in total and although it felt barely there at the time, and I remember being quite sad about it, baby needed every drop as he had very low blood sugar when he was born.

Labour wise, I didn’t get so much as a twitch.

Good luck! X

I should add, I was advised to start at 35 weeks by my gestational diabetes midwife, I didn’t just go maverick!

DS1 I started 37 weeks and c section 38 weeks

I did 36 weeks and had a section 39 weeks

I was Nowhere near labour for both

I started expressing at 36 weeks, and went into labour spontaneously at 41 +3, so it had absolutely no impact for me. I expressed loads, and did it most days (still got some in the freezer and DD is 11 months now). It’s a great thing to do if you can, and gave me real confidence for breastfeeding. But don’t put pressure on yourself. I found I got more out when I was relaxed and happy. It started off really slowly, but soon came thick and fast!

I started harvesting at about 38 weeks I think. I’m 42 weeks tomorrow and the baby is still very much inside! 😭

Also, I was surprised at how hard you should squeeze your breast. I was struggling, then my fabulous midwife showed me how to do it, and the difference was marked. I was being way too gentle. Don’t be afraid to give it real effort. It doesn’t hurt, not at all, but you do have to squeeze with gusto and get a rhythm going. By the end I was getting 5ml per boob per session.

@thingymaboob
I just squeezed. The amounts of colostrum are so small that if you used a pump it would just wet the pump and not gather in the container iykwim.

So I sat on the sofa, opened the little colostrum syringe and left it on the coffee table in front of me. I hand expressed onto a table spoon. Then when I had a bit I put the spoon carefully on the table and sucked the colostrum up with the syringe. And repeated til syringe was full. I only did one a night because I thought I had 2 weeks! I could have done 2 a day if I'd known

The syringes I had were 4 x 1ml and 2 x 2ml . I accidentally used the 2ml one the first day but only half filled it.

There are sterile caps in the set but if you don't have enough you can put the full syringe back into the plastic package it came in.

Label: name & date and into the freezer

Oh and don't squeeze the areola. It's further up you need to start!
There's YouTube videos I'm sure!

Try using hakkas I did this in my last pregnancy and was able to harvest quite a bit of milk maybe 10mls in ten mins from both boobs it was pain free

No haaka or pump!

Just ordered some syringes online to start tomorrow (38 +3).

Complete newbie so apologies if this is obvious: but once labelled and frozen, how many syringes would you take to hospital with you?

I'm likely being induced on Sunday, so will they be okay defrosted for 2-3 days?

I just used my hands, had GD and collected an absolute tonne. I can't remember when I started, but I was induced weeks later, so the collecting had zero impact on labour for me.

I'm starting from 37 weeks - however I collected from 37 last time and didn't give birth until 42 weeks, it's not a given you'll go into labour.

Also if you did go into labour you can still have your elective? I think it would still be calmer than an emergency.

Thanks everyone! If I go into labour early I still have to have a planned section as the doctors have advised me not to give birth naturally - which freaks me out incase they can't fit me in for a section 😭

It's the Haakaa kit that I've ordered, which has just been delivered so going to give it a go now!

I was told to try and get as many syringes as possible, and take up to 10 to the hospital in a cool bag (lunch box) with ice or ice packs/frozen vegetables etc to keep them frozen until I get to the hospital. Once at the hospital you have to hand them over immediately as if they defrost or it's been too long they won't use them 😊 xx

I wouldn't use the haaka for colostrum, hand expressing after a bath or shower is all you need!

Also I have a section booked this time however I have said I will wait till 40 weeks - the consultant said I can change my mind though and they'll get me in for a section. really don't worry they'll do you one! You could go into labour without doing this there's always a risk!

I did colostrum harvesting at 36 weeks and didn’t go into labour. I was amazed at how little I got compared to how much I was able to express after I’d had the baby, and yes you do need to squeeze quite hard before baby is here! It was quite a fun game though to pass the time! I dropped one and lost 0.8ml and I remember crying to my husband heartbroken who just looked dumbfounded

@FebBabyNo1
Put them into your freezer immediately.
My hospital wanted me to bring 4. We brought them in ice packs and handed them over when we got there.
Your partner can bring in more from home as necessary.
Once defrosted they must be given to the baby within 24 hours so don't bring too many!