When to consider colostrum harvesting
Colostrum harvesting. It sounds like something you would hear on Farmville if you’re new to the motherhood world, however as strange as it might be, colostrum harvesting is something that is starting to become more and more of a focus in the lead up to birth and its use beyond it. So what exactly is colostrum, and why are pregnant women harvesting it?
Colostrum is the first-milk released by a mother for immediate consumption by their newborn after birth. It's nutrient-dense and high in antibodies and antioxidants to build a newborn baby's immune system. It changes to breast milk within two to four days after your baby is born and goes from a golden yellow (think turmeric latte) colour to a more pale yellow/white appearance.
With clearance from your medical practitioners, most pregnant women can begin to collect colostrum in sterile syringes from around 36 weeks pregnant. To collect colostrum, you use your hands to massage and express small droplets of colostrum into the syringe. You should not use a breast pump to collect your colostrum prior to birth though. Now, there’s a lot of talk online at the moment about collecting colostrum, but is it necessary for all women to do so? The short answer is no, not really.
Not all pregnant women's bodies produce colostrum prior to birth. And, if you’re a first time pregnant woman attempting to collect it and have no luck you might start worrying that you’re not going to have enough milk for your baby, or that breastfeeding might be difficult. There’s no correlation between the amount of colostrum you have prior to birth, harvesting it, and your ability to breastfeed or the volume of milk you make, so if collecting colostrum straight-up doesn’t sound like your cup-of-tea or you think it would cause more stress than it’s worth, that's fine! Put the syringe down.
On the other hand, if you think you fit into one of these scenarios, then colostrum harvesting might be something you think more deeply about:
You have been told you are at risk of preterm birth or have spoken to your healthcare team about a congenital condition your baby may/will be born with
You have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and you want to be prepared to manage normal blood sugar levels in your newborn
There is a possibility that your baby will need special care after birth
You have a history of low milk supply or breastfeeding difficulties and want to be prepared with first-milk in order to increase your chances at breastfeeding successfully
To collect colostrum you’ll need a few things, and to follow a few steps. So here goes:
First up, you’ll want to wash your hands well with soap and dry them
Using your thumb on top of your breast and your forefingers underneath, gently press your fingers towards your chest
Compress the breast tissue, hold briefly and then release. Try not to squeeze or pinch the nipple
Collect the colostrum in either a sterile syringe or a clean container
Express each breast twice during each expression. You can collect colostrum twice a day in each syringe or container. Between expressions, store the colostrum in the fridge. Label with the date, cap the syringe and put in a plastic bag and into the freezer
When it’s time to go to hospital, you’ll want to ensure your colostrum is stored in a cooler bag with an ice pack to keep it frozen. Be sure to let your healthcare team know on arrival that you have colostrum that needs to be stored.
Are you planning on collecting colostrum for your baby, or have you done so in the past? I’d love to know your thoughts and experiences.