Colostrum Harvesting - No Success

[Catlady2202]

I’m nearly 37 weeks and my midwife gave me some syringes to start collection. I’ve tried two days now and not even a drop is coming. It’s like nothing is there. It feels really demoralising and I burst into tears afterwords which is the complete opposite of the oxytocin production I want.

I try after having a hot shower and I start off relaxed and then it becomes stressful. My boobs start to get a little itchy and ‘sore’ not painful and then so I know it’s time to stop.

i really planned on breastfeeding / I’ll be so upset if I can’t. And I know ‘fed is best’ but I just feel less of a woman for not getting any colostrum out and even more embarrassed that I get so upset during the process because I’m meant to be producing love hormones and instead I’m stressed.

has anyone had the same issue and breastfeeding was successful after baby was born?

Just gave birth 2 weeks ago, never had a drop of colostrum until after placenta delivered and breastfeeding going well so far, I really wouldn’t worry

I took 35 syringes to the hospital for my c-section. Hospital lost them.

My boobs leaked colostrum and were so painful until I “milked” myself from about 16 weeks pregnant. Didn’t use one drop of that colostrum. Baby latched fine and fed exclusively.

First baby was ebf too, but colostrum harvesting wasn’t such a big thing in 2014.

This was never a thing for the previous x millennia and babies were fine. Don't stress about it. You will most likely be able to breast feed, it's hard work though. If you can't, baby will also be fine.

Don't worry about the colostrum, but nod and smile and accept the syringes. They are super useful to have a few around!

I couldn't get more than a tiny drop at 40w with either pregnancy. I fed DS for 2 years, & DD was born at 7.58am this morning & is feeding well.
I'd suggest spending the time looking up local feeding support groups and watching videos to see what a good latch looks like etc instead. You can always try again closer to your due date. Best of luck (& I highly recommend silver cups for sore nipples)!

OP, I had the same problem. In fact, I had to have a planned c-section, and my milk didn't come in until a day or two after that. Try not to worry.

Absolutely this.

Colostrum and milk are not the same thing. I assure you, you can absolutely have colostrum before giving birth, even in a first pregnancy.

You can but I didn’t produce a single drop, yet fully breastfed for 12 months, for each of my three children. We didn’t buy any bottles, pumps or any other bit of kit.

What fresh hell is this?

Yet another wild and utterly unevidenced idea that women have to try, and beat themselves up about it when they inevitably fail.

This is not necessary at all.

Your body will produce colostrum when your baby is born. The hormones that cause the onset of labour and pump into your system during and after delivery will see to that.

Don’t worry! I was also given this kit and never got anything out with my first. I bf him until nearly 2 with very few issues beyond some initial latching difficulty and a couple of bouts of mastitis. Milk came in fine after he was born.

DS didn't get any. He was in the NICU after a difficult birth and emergency section so would have been useful but I pumped my milk in and then ebf very successfully.

DD I really wanted to get some but still couldn't produce any! She was straight on the boob after my section and then has fed completely fine with no supply issues.

So honestly don't worry!

People harvest colostrum in case of emergencies whereby the mother cannot feed in the initial hours / days etc. Unfortunately some mothers end up too ill to be with their babies and opt to give baby syringed colostrum instead of formula.

Don’t bother.
Nipple stimulation can cause contractions - and you could start labour.

Whixh ironically you would want harvested colostrum for, if you baby is unwell and unable to be with you.

Unless you expect your baby to be going into NICU or away from you - it is totally pointless, and utterly misguided.

I never attempted to do this before my daughter was born because I knew I'd get stressed if I couldn't do it. I breastfed her exclusively for a year. Immediately after she was born, she struggled to latch and midwives were telling me that hand expressing was a really important skill that I needed to learn to breastfeed. It wasn't! I didn't figure out how to do it until she was around eight months and suddenly became fussy at the bedtime feed.

I didn’t get any at all before DC1 was born and it was magically there once she was born. I got 120ml before DC2 was born and only used two syringes, the rest went in the bin!

Same! I didn’t know this was a thing!

Also, please let me reassure you OP, I harvested colostrum just after my twins were born and then a nurse left it out of the fridge and the whole lot had to be thrown out. I was GUTTED.
They are now nine, the tallest in their respective classes, smart and thriving, no health issues at all, ruddy-cheeked and strong. There is so much other stuff at play that is important - please don’t worry. 💐

Wishing you all the best with your baby.

Same here, breastfed both my DC for over a year each and I’ve never heard of colostrum harvesting. Please just be kind to yourself, im sure it will be completely different when your baby is hear. All the best for the birth and the early weeks.

It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t mean you won’t be able to BF. This is NOT a failure!

I didn’t get any when I first tried around 37w, but I kept going because I had GD and it helps regulate the baby’s blood sugar after birth - if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have kept going. In the end it just started working - I found it easiest in the bath. I gathered about 10 syringes, which in the first few days meant I got a couple of hours sleep because my husband could give them to the baby.

Of course it isn’t necessary, but it’s not some evil thing that midwives are trying to force - just something that can help take the pressure off in the very early days of feeding. But if it’s causing you stress, then stop, because nobody wants to be stressed at this point in their pregnancy!

Honestly please don’t worry. Your midwife should have said that even practicing expressing is a good thing; to get used to touch your breasts in that way. I think I got a few drops after trying for a few weeks, not until I was 40 weeks. Ive exclusively breastfeed and still going at 16
months, no issues establishing breastfeeding

I also wouldn’t worry about this OP. I didn’t try colostrum harvesting with my first but I did with my second. And despite BFing my first until I was about 20 weeks pregnant with my second, when it came to trying 17 weeks ish later, I couldn’t get any. I tried from time to time over the remaining few weeks and never got anything. Even though I’d just been BFing my first a matter of months ago. In the end I gave up and she latched and fed fine straight away.

Also the reason I was trying colostrum harvesting with my second is because I could really have done with some after my first baby was born, but didn’t have any. In that situation, the lovely midwife helped me hand express enough so it can be done post birth if you need it for any reason. Please don’t beat yourself up about it and just enjoy these last few weeks xx

It’s a ridiculous new fad I wouldn’t worry. I’ve had both a planned c section at 39 weeks and a crash c section at 34 weeks with twins - establishing breastfeeding both times was fine

It’s handy to have if you can collect some after 37 weeks but a lot of woman won’t be able to and still have a successful breast feeding journey. I didn’t with my first and he was born poorly, I wish I had a small supply of colostrum (I was leaking from 20 weeks!) so I’m going to try with this baby but I might not succeed and honestly, that’s ok.

Your midwife should have told you that not everyone will be able to collect some and that it’s totally normal 🩷

My youngest is 11 and this wasn’t even a thing when I had her, and i exclusively breastfed both my DC.
I never leaked milk before they were born and never had much success with expressing at all, I doubt I would have got much if I tried colostrum harvesting either.
It’s not essential at all and doesn’t mean you won’t be able to breastfeed