Antenatal colostrum harvesting means you can express and collect colostrum as early as 37 weeks into pregnancy.Ā
Please note that I strongly advise that you first get the go-ahead from your doctor before you do antenatal colostrum harvesting.
What is colostrum?
Colostrum, also known as liquid gold, is the first milk that your body produces from around 16 weeks of pregnancy until the first few days after birth. Itās a thick, yellow, and sticky liquid.
Why is colostrum so important?
💛 Protein rich
💛 Nutrient dense
💛 Low in fat
💛 Easy to digest
💛 Builds the immune system
Itās the perfect combination, specifically formulated to meet your babyās needs.
What is colostrum HARVESTING?
Colostrum harvesting is the process of collecting and storing colostrum, the nutrient-rich early breast milk produced by a lactating mother, typically within the first few weeks before childbirth.
This practice allows for the preservation of this valuable substance for later use, providing newborns with essential nutrients and immune factors even if direct breastfeeding is temporarily challenging or not immediately possible.
The benefits of antenatal colostrum harvesting:
💛 It is helpfull if your baby needs extra feeds and allows you to avoid formula top-ups.
💛 If your baby needs special care after birth and may be separated from you, it may prevent you from breastfeeding regularly.
💛 Babies who are born with tongue ties and struggle to latch get topped up with breastmilk.
When and how can you express colostrum?
From around 37 weeks of pregnancy, you can express 2 to 3 times a day. Colostrum is thick, so hand expression is more effective.
Hand Expression Tutorial
Hand expression is the act of using your own hand to remove milk from the breast.
Before you begin hand-expressing, youāll need to make sure that you have clean hands and a clean container to catch your milk.
1. What container to use for collecting milk during hand expression?
Use a medicine cup or a tablespoon if you are expressing colostrum.
Once you have the correct container and your hands are washed, you are good to go.
2. Steps for effective hand expression:
💛 Try to get as relaxed as possible.
💛 Take your hand and make it into a C- shape.
💛 Put your C-shaped hand onto your breast, just outside your areola.
💛 Position your hand with your thumb on top and the other fingers below.
💛 With light pressure, move your hand back towards your chest to stimulate milk ducts
💛 Then, when your hand reaches your chest, compress and start pushing your C-shaped hand back towards your nipple* (Donāt squeeze your nipple.)
💛 Release the compression without removing your hand from your breast and repeat step 4.
💛 Rotate your hand position around your areola and repeat the process.
This skill takes practice, so I suggest that you consult with a lactation consultant for more assistance.
3. Handling and storage of colostrum:
💛 Use a 2-3 ml syringe to move the colostrum from the cup/ tablespoon.
💛 Back of the fridge: 2 – 4 days
💛 Label with date and time
💛 Freeze
When your baby is born, your partner can bring the colostrum to the hospital when itās necessary.
When NOT to express while pregnant:
💛 At risk of premature labor
💛 Diagnosed with a short cervix
💛 Experienced any bleeding during your pregnancy
💛 Diagnosed with placenta praevia
💛 Unable to store colostrum hygienically
💛 Advised by your doctor to not express
Please remember that not all mothers produce colostrum before birth.Ā This is not an indication of how successful your breastfeeding journey will be.
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