Colostrum

[Nearlythere80]

I'm due to deliver (elective c section due to gestational diabetes/hypertension/age etc etc) on Friday. I am trying to get some colostrum going, i'll be 38 weeks exactly friday. What will happen if i can't get any? I've been asked to take some to theatre ready for the baby.

It will be there now if you're 38 weeks on Friday. I didn't realise that you need to squeeze quite hard for it to come out. I'd start now if I were you to get as much as possible. Good luck!

Some women can't express colostrum antenatally. I tired for my first and got absolutely nothing even though I tired for half an hour every evening for a week ahead of my planned section.

If you can't get any and it's needed after birth for blood sugar issues etc they'll give baby glucose. I remember reading things which made this sound like the worst thing in the world and they might as well give your baby poison - that's just nonsense and if your baby has low blood sugar it's absolutely the best thing for them.

You might be able to express some after birth if your baby isn't with you (mine was in the NICU so a midwife helped me express some shortly after birth), but hopefully you'll just be able to breastfeed straight away and not have to worry!

I'm still breastfeeding my nearly 2 year old, so whether you can express colostrum or not is absolutely no indicator of whether you'll be able to successfully breastfeed.

Good luck with the section.

That's it! Thank you! A bit harder and there some is. What a relief. Thanks all xx

Good luck @Nearlythere80
I was so zonked after a “regular” birth( Pethidine) that they gave my son some milk from another woman!
I was so upset ( kept it to myself) as assumed he’d been actually fed by a wet nurse!

It was just milk from the milk bank ( That I too donated to when milk came in )

I don’t think they use pethidine like they used to- it really made DS sleepy too so it was harder for him to work at BF.

As well as squeezing hard, the initial push back into your body needs to be as hard as you can. Good position of your fingers, push them straight back into your body, then being them together. Good luck!

I was panicking about no colostrum after a traumatic birth (and baby wouldn't latch) then a midwife came over and squeezed my nipple really hard and yep there it was 😄