collecting colostrum

hi mamas i’m a ftm, i’m 38 weeks so i have the go ahead to collect. just wondering how other mamas have increased the supply, im eating oatmeal crème pies, plenty of water, coconut water, ect. i have a haaka pump until my insurance one comes. can i put it in a breast milk bag instead of a syringe?

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I would put it in a syringe.

Water. That's it. I remember stressing as a first time mom too. I was just fine breastfeeding my baby. Try not to stress too much about it. Collecting colostrum isn't necessary but if you don't use up all the frozen stuff you collect, definitely donate it to the NICU at a local hospital. They'll appreciate it.

I don’t really think you can actually increase the supply of colostrum! I would use a syringe since you’re typically collecting pretty small amounts and it’s thicker than regular breastmilk

@Tabitha mine is actually about the same consistency as breast milk, kinda watery but it is colostrum! do you know how long i can have it in a fridge and how long it stays in the freezer?

@Ember

Fridge 4 days freezer ideally only 6 months but up to a year is acceptable. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breast-milk-preparation-and-storage/handling-breastmilk.html

@Ashley thank you!

You're welcome (:

I find I get more when I’m in the bath and it’s nice and warm, seems to flow better

@Maddie i’ll try that, thank you!😊

I put mine in bags. The reason I do is because, I combine collections to equal about 2oz per bag because I save colostrum for future illnesses for the whole family! Breast milk in general when the family is sick, can help, but colostrum has the extra fat and nutrients to boost recovery from sickness. Just because your colostrum supply is low doesn't mean your milk will be. Our bodies are going off a natural rhythm. Newborns eat colostrum, and they only eat a tiny bit at a time, hence the smaller production of colostrum, then your transitional milk will pick up and so will your breast milk. Once your milk is in, pump after each feed and breastfeed on demand, latch baby often to send signals to your body for more production AND for whatever nutrients baby is needing most at the time, stay super hydrated, high protein, plenty of sleep and eat lots of red meats to keep your iron levels up!

I've been collecting since 20 weeks. Just because I wish I had with my first, and the risks of inducing labor are kind of just warnings of it being a small possibility. I've been using 10ml syringes. Honestly I think my husband is my best supply amplifier 🤭 maybe tmi, but it seems to work.

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