Will you collect colostrum before birth?

Question

Is anyone considering antenatal milk [colostrum] expression and collection? And what do you plan to do? When will you start?

Answer

Baby needs that immediately and you need to establish your supply, which will only truly happen every time you put baby on your breast. Sure pumping can help, but your body will adjust much more with baby doing the work. Unless you plan on only pumping, I’d leave it alone and let baby do the work.

Answer

I will just nurse within the first hour of babies life, I have never heard of this idea. I know stimulating the breasts can help induce labor and help contractions. So I would not do it without doctor/midwife approval.

Answer

Probably start between 38-39 weeks. Will use my pump (which I know isn’t advisable) and will just take it slow stop if I start to get contractions that are strong.

Answer

I wish I’d started sooner as I could really do with it now, I planned on starting 37 weeks although was told I could start from 36. Baby was delivered this morning by emergency c section and blood sugars are a bit of an issue as expected as Iv been on bp meds so she needs extra feeds to top up blood sugars so I may have to top up with formula. Im not too concerned as a healthy baby is a fed baby but as I was leaking anyway I thought why not collect.

Answer

I have a hand pump this time and will give it a try once I’m 38 weeks.

Answer

I can’t wait to honestly! My son had terrible latch when he was born due to some complications during birth. He really didn’t get a lot until my milk came in and even then we still used a nipple shield. I used to spend ages trying to hand express enough to be able to syringe feed him and was so stressed those first few days. I would love to be able to have some frozen just in case

Answer

My hospital is really big on starting hand expression at 37 weeks. They like for women to have colostrum frozen when coming to the hospital for delivery. I’m planning to give it a try. FTM so curious how much I’ll be able to collect.

Will you collect colostrum before birth?

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