Colostrum Havesting

I gave birth at 34 weeks so never hit the stage where I could try collecting 😆
I had only seen a couple of drops in my bra so my tatas were a lil unprepared but we managed to breastfeed just fine! Once baby’s here you’ll have a massive hormonal shift which will kickstart everything and as long as baby’s on the boob stimulating things your milk should come in just fine x

I tried once and couldn’t collect but it’s really not needed! It’s quite a modern thing I think? Like in the hospital you’re advised to just have them on you, that’s the best way to stimulate the milk that will come in at day 4/5. It’s no indication of your eventual supply x

I tried with both babies and never made a drop, cried and stressed over it.

Had two C-sections and fed my babies from the start in recovery.

Your colostrum supply is no indication of what your milk supply will be or feeding journey.

My midwife said not to bother worrying about it and she was right both times.

I was not allowed to start harvesting as I had placenta Previa and they didnt want me to start any potential contractions before my c section date at 37 weeks. When my baby was out a nurse harvested his first feed from my boobs, and then I was asked to try myself. I managed as it started getting produced as soon as he was out. Can't deny that it was pretty difficult in the beginning but I was lucky that I had a baby who latched on quickly and we could feed him colostrum straight from the boob rather than harvesting it. It was loads of help at hand as well from midwives and also a breastfeeding team.

I harvested quite a bit... however forgot to take it to hospital! I breastfeed still, 4 months later. Honestly, your body makes it anyway for the first few days of feeding, so it's not a MUST! I never used mine in the end.
I also know plenty of people that couldn't seem to get any and breastfed just fine, once they had the baby 😊
I hope your birth goes well xx

Your production of colostrum now is no indication of how much breastmilk you'll produce. I really struggled getting any colostrum but then had over supply of breastmilk 😂

Also, my baby came early and I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance so didn't even have a chance to get the colostrum I had managed to collect out of the freezer. He took it direct from my boob so there were no issues!

It's good to have as a backup if you can get any but you don't need to stress about it and please don't worry about it being an indication of your milk supply.

I’m 38 weeks and getting between 20 and 40ml through hand expressing
I find this technique easiest been storing it from 36 weeks although that amount is high we are all different and it took a while to master the right technique for my breast

With my first I really struggled to collect it, and I breast fed for over two years and actually had an over supply in the early days, try not to worry about it

I gave birth last year and omg you’re right, there’s so much pressure with it. I started trying at 37 weeks but got nothing. Then randomly at 38+4 I got 1ml and then the same every night since then. I did bath and stuck on some tv show to relax and it came quite easily from then. But I’ll be honest, I barely used any of it- it was helpful because I messed up my boobs on the first day with a bad latch but I found that instead of using the already stored syringes I kept getting fresh colostrum as it stimulated breast and I was also keen to breastfeed. But it’s hard to keep up with baby’s demands and I went through the stash I’d brought to the hospital quickly on day 2 as my milk hadn’t come in and I had to feed baby a lot more (plus he was more active on day 2 wanting feeds than his sleepy self on day 1). I had a freezer full of the stuff at home and didn’t need it as was breastfeeding then! xx

I didn’t collect for either of mine as i wasn’t able to actually express any even at 38w both pregnancies and eventually just let my body be, to produce when ready and i have successfully been breastfeeding exclusively for 2years with both my children as soon as they were born my milk production was perfectly normal! Wish you all the best, don’t put too much pressure on yourself and keep safe in the heat!

Its definitely a newer thing, it wasnt even mentioned when I had my son(12) and daughter (8). My midwife brought it up amd I may gice itmago but honestly im not going to stress about it. It isnt an indication of what you supply will be like x

It's basically only suggested for if there is an emergency and for some reason you aren't available to feed baby or baby isn't in a position to be fed they can they syringe feed vs give them a bottle of formula.

However, you could see in this situation please syringe feed formula, as it is unlikely it will be needed. We used 4 syringe and that was only because the midwife I hated insisted she needed to do my obs and wash down when baby was hungry. (That won't happen 2nd time round).

Colostrum production before birth is not an indicator of milk supply once they are born. The placenta leaving your body is what triggers milk to start producing, that place actually seeing, feeling, hearing baby and skin to skin.

If you get some great if not its no big deal.