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Original poster

Colostrum harvesting- worth it?

36 replies

Pink Pamplemousse · 17/07/2023 09:20

I'm 38 weeks and began harvesting colostrum in the last few days. First attempt managed to get about 0.8ml, second attempt got about 0.2ml in over an hour! My boobs have been really sore since,

Just wondering for those who harvested colostrum, was it worth it?

I breastfed my first before mixed feeding and eventually formula feeding. I'm very laid back this time and not particularly tied to either breastfeeding or formula, just going to see how it goes.

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TimesRwo · 17/07/2023 09:22

I only did it after DS was born. Took him a couple of days to latch so until then, I collected colostrum and fed him through the syringe.

I think I might get a few syringes ready this time round to ease the pressure off, but otherwise I think it’s something that can be done in real-time.

Okshacky · 17/07/2023 09:25

Does it not make an earlier Labour more likely if you’re doing that before the birth?

CurlewKate · 17/07/2023 09:27

For ME one of the advantages of bf was the convenience-so for ME anything that makes it more difficult should be avoided!

Sprogonthetyne · 17/07/2023 09:27

With my first I didn't, but could probably have done with some as DS got into a pretty awful too tired to feed - to hungry to sleep cycle. With my second I prepared loads, but didn't really need it. You never can tell.

I'd probably try a few more times, but for 10/15 minutes not an hour and they to see it as a bonus if you get some, not an essential.

LiloP · 17/07/2023 09:29

Never done it. BF both my babies. Don’t really understand the need. In my home country nobody does this and BF rate is very very high.

TomatoSandwiches · 17/07/2023 09:33

I did with the clearance of my consultant as we knew DS would be born with a severe health issue and be NG fed.
I was in hospital for monitoring from 33 weeks and a section at 36 ( not related to the colostrum harvesting ) and in that time I banked 800ml.

Pollywoddles · 17/07/2023 09:35

I wish I had done it before my DD arrived. It took us a little while to get going with the breastfeeding and I think I’d have felt less pressure if I knew she was getting something to keep her going.

AnneLovesGilbert · 17/07/2023 09:36

I didn’t do it with my first but found it useful with my second. I was having a scheduled section at 37 weeks so started about 10 days before. There’s a brilliant YouTube video by an NHS trust I used, made sure I was comfy, warm and not too tired and didn’t get loads but more over a few days. I ended up forgetting to take it to hospital but used it once we were home.

If it’s sore then stop but make sure the conditions are right and it’ll either happen or not. No problems if it doesn’t but I considered it a bit of a safety blanket as my section was high risk and I wanted DH to be able to give it if I was out of action to start with.

Happyowl89 · 17/07/2023 09:37

Definitely. Hopefully you won’t need it for this reason but my son spent time on oxygen after birth so his feeds were restricted to the colostrum I’d harvested. It was great for baby but also great for my mental health as I felt like I was able to look after him in some way at that time.
Hope this doesn’t scare you, I just remember thinking I’m so glad I made the effort to do this x

CultureAlienationBoredomandDespair · 17/07/2023 09:42

I did with DS1 and found I hardly got any. I started at 37 weeks and I he wasn’t born until 40+12 so definitely didn’t bring on labour.

He didn’t need it when he was born (thankfully as the hospital lost it!) but I found it came in so useful at home and whenever he was a bit snuffly I’d give him some and it was like a miracle cure! I’m definitely going to do it this time too, especially as I know this baby has a problem with his kidneys and will need antibiotics.

Spottypineapple · 17/07/2023 09:50

I think it really depends - if it's causing you pain and you're not bothered either way then don't.

I was very lucky, it came easily so really no skin off my back to do it, and I had a little stash in the freezer. Didn't need it in the newborn days anyway so I used it in weaning porridge later on!

So what I mean is no harm in doing it if you want to, but equally no harm in not doing it.

Kialla · 17/07/2023 09:52

I did it with DS as I had Gestational Diabetes and was having an ELCS at 37 weeks.

I wasn't hugely successful, managed to get about 5 or 6 little syringes. I found that watching something emotional or with babies in it helped!

My ELCS went well but they found a cyst that had to be dealt with before they could stitch me up. It took a few hours so DS was fed the colostrum right next to me in theatre. I felt much better knowing he could be fed and not as worried about not attempting to feed straight away.

He was a bit sleepy so I continued to hand express for a day or so, the colostrum harvesting definitely helped with this. I went on to breastfeed him for nearly 3 years but I don't think the two things are related.

violetcuriosity · 17/07/2023 10:01

I found it was worth it but I had a lot of colostrum that was leaking so made sense to collect it. I managed to get enough to top up feeds for 2 weeks while my supply was establishing. I still have some frozen and even though we've stopped bf I will give her a few mls when she's under the weather alongside calpol. No idea if it does anything but can't hurt!

WonkyBricks · 17/07/2023 10:08

I only expressed to encourage my body to go into labour, and any colostrum collected was a bonus! I only really used it to help clear my baby's sticky eyes though, I didn't need it as a top up.

It is useful if you know baby will need blood sugar monitoring for any reason eg diabetes, being on BP medication, small baby.

casualreader2022 · 17/07/2023 10:36

I felt pressured to...but didn't attempt at all as it gave me the ick and other pregnant friends were trying and getting awful stressed about it (same with perineum massage). I breastfeed still at 10 months. It's definitely had it's ups and downs but if I have another, I doubt I'd do harvesting either.

Baby needs to be on breast for supply. I'd focus more on having a post birth partner who can help you achieve this, especially on days 2/3 as they're super demanding. I never left bed (medically couldn't in fairness) so not relying on the nurses and having my partner there made the world of difference.

Best of luck 🤞

Mumtothreegirlies · 17/07/2023 10:37

It wasn’t even a thing when I was breastfeeding?? What’s the point??

zooopta · 17/07/2023 10:47

800ml @TomatoSandwiches well done that is (to me) a lot a lot. In the hospital at my best time I managed to fill one and a half syringes which held a total of.... 2.5ml! 😂

WeWereInParis · 17/07/2023 10:50

I did it a little bit for DD1 but never used any of what I collected.

However, I do think there was a benefit. DD1 struggled to latch and so in the hospital they handed me a little pot and told me hand express so it could be syringed to DD. I was exhausted and had haemorrhaged and it was just mentally easier to do this having done it before and knowing what to do. I knew I could get a decent amount so wasn't stressed, I knew the technique etc.
I mean, it would almost certainly have been fine either way. But I was a bit of a wreck for various reasons and so there was a definite element of relief thinking "ok, done this before, know what I'm doing, no need to worry".

headcheffer · 17/07/2023 10:52

You can do it when baby is here if you need to. I needed to with my second who didn't pick up BF as quickly as my first due to a difficult birth. If I had another baby I would do a little bit of harvesting before had, it's easy to pick it up once you're shown how and it's nice to have on hand. I wouldn't sweat about it though, it's a nice to have not a must have.

Iwanderedlonelyasagoat · 17/07/2023 10:59

I've done it this time after not doing it with my first. I had a difficult labour first time round for me and baby - he was very sleepy post birth, ended up jaundiced and we ended up giving formula so it was then hard to get him off the top ups and establish breastfeeding - so this time I thought I'd give it a go as it would have been helpful in the early days last time. I'm hoping I won't need to use any of it, I just do it once a day in the evening. I'm also 39+6 so the thought of bringing on labour is only a positive to me at this point!

Iwanderedlonelyasagoat · 17/07/2023 11:03

Also, I get about 5 ml in about 15/20 mins. I collect it on a spoon which I've stuck in boiling water and then suck up through the little syringes. If it's hurting and you've breastfeed before so you know how to hand express maybe try in the bath, post shower etc?

Mamoun · 17/07/2023 11:05

No, I wouldn't say so.
Breastfed three babies and never did it.

MrsAvocet · 17/07/2023 11:47

I would say that if you know there is likely to be an issue immediately after birth eg you have GD, know you are going to be having a prem baby, know you are going to be separated for some other reason etc then it's worth it, but as routine for everyone, I don't think it is necessary.
If you have a specific need to harvest colostrum it's a great idea, but most people don't. It seems to be becoming yet another pressure on pregnant women, another standard you have to reach and another thing that makes breastfeeding seem over complicated and like something that will almost certainly go wrong. Whilst of course colostrum harvesting can be extremely useful in some cases, for the majority it is not needed and can cause worry and discomfort.I do wonder if it might even detract from helping new mums establish breastfeeding if the default response to a baby who doesn't feed immediately after birth becomes for the midwives to reach for the tiny syringes rather than spending time actually helping the mum and baby with latch issues etc.
OP, if it's not working for you and you don't want to do it, don't feel under pressure. You probably won't need it and making yourself sore and stressed about breastfeeding before your baby is even here may well be counterproductive.

OrcaBlondie · 17/07/2023 13:37

If it’s not causing you too much stress then yes and take them with you to the hospital (maybe not all but at least some) - my baby ended up in NICU and I also had to stay in hospital. I had a few syringes at home (hadn’t filled many as I got barely anything out every time I tried and it was getting me down) - I didn’t take the syringes into hospital and with baby being in NICU and not able to feed from me the nurses were asking me to harvest whilst in hospital. It wasn’t much fun after a c section, not really able to move and the nurses kept coming in then not closing the curtain and disappearing (on a ward with others) so I had to sit there harvesting with the curtains open and
visitors of others walking past/ the NICU doctor (male) came in to see me whilst I was harvesting. It wasn’t much fun and I wish I had taken at least a few syringes with me. It felt like a lot of pressure.

Original poster

Pink Pamplemousse · 17/07/2023 14:25

Thanks everyone, some varied and interesting responses, really appreciate it.

I put myself under an awful lot of pressure and beat myself up when breastfeeding didn't go well last time and I think I'm stressing myself out with this now a little bit. Might knock it on the head, not worth the stress whilst baby hasn't even arrived yet!

Thanks again x

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