Antenatal colostrum collection has become increasingly popular and supported by more pregnancy care providers. At Nourish, we have seen an increase in the number of clients wanting help and guidance with collecting their colostrum before their babies arrive. Antenatal colostrum collection involves hand expressing your colostrum, collecting it with needleless syringes, freezing it, and bringing it with you to the hospital or birthing center when you have your baby. 

Colostrum is the first milk produced by your breasts as early as 16 weeks gestation. It is a thick sometimes sticky golden yellow substance that is extremely rich in proteins and antibodies. Colostrum contains growth factors, anti-inflammatory and anti-infective components similar to amniotic fluid. It is also very concentrated-that’s why babies don’t require large volumes of it to fit into their tiny bellies. Colostrum is often called ‘liquid gold’ or ‘nature’s first immunization. Colostrum also helps to paint your baby’s gut and protects it from harmful viruses and bacteria. Some pregnant women may notice their breasts leaking or find a dried crust on their nipples-this is colostrum 

Most pregnant women can collect their colostrum but women who are gestational diabetics are strongly encouraged to do so because their babies are at greater risk for unstable blood sugars after birth. Often a low blood sugar level leads to medically indicated supplementation. Mother’s own milk is always the preferred choice to feed your baby with. Having colostrum readily available for your baby can also decrease the chances of a NICU admission. 

Some babies have difficulties breastfeeding in the initial days after birth for a variety of reasons. Some infants are sleepy from the drugs used during labor, some have sore heads if they were pulled out with forceps or the vacuum, and some are mucousy and not interested in breastfeeding because their little tiny bellies feel full. Whatever the reasons are, having your expressed colostrum available is the gold standard for infant feeding when your baby is having difficulty latching after birth.

When you are between 36-37 weeks pregnant, have a conversation with your pregnancy care provider about collecting your colostrum in order to get the ‘green light go’ . There are some instances when harvesting your colostrum antenatally is not advised such as high risk pregnancies so please make sure you have cleared this with your Doctor or Midwife first.

This is what you need to collect your colostrum:

• 1 ml needleless syringes 

• Medicine cups

• Ziplock bags

• Labels

Needleless syringes and med cups can be purchased at most medical supply stores. Nourish will be selling these kits at our next workshop and will soon have them available for sale on our shop page.

Helpful tips for hand expression:

• Warm your breasts prior to expressing- take a bath or shower or use a magic bag

• Massage your breasts for a few minutes prior to expressing

• Position your thumb and pointer finger along the border of your areola well away from your nipple

• Push straight back into your chest wall 

• Then squeeze your fingers together but remember to stay well behind the nipple

• Do not roll or pinch your fingers towards your nipple

• Leave your fingers where they are at rest on the breast. Do not take them off the breast after each compression

• Say in your head: press back, compress, relax….press back, compress, relax

• Repeat this action for a few minutes on your first breast, then switch to express your other breast

• Your milk ducts are like spokes on a bicycle wheel, they go around the entire breast so move your fingers around the entire breast when you are expressing

• Most moms get to know just the right finger placement to get their colostrum flowing

• Once the colostrum starts dripping, you may need your partner to help with collection

• Your partner may need to suck the colostrum up with the syringe or help you hold the medicine cup under your breast

• If your colostrum is flowing very slowly (tiny bead by tiny bead) you will most likely need to use the syringe

• If your colostrum is flowing more freely, you may want to have it drip into the medicine cup first then suck it up with the syringe(s) when you are done

• Once you fill a 1 ml syringe (you can add to the same syringe for a 24 hour period) label it with the date it was collected using masking tape or a sticky label

• Store the filled syringe in a ziplock bag in your freezer

• You can collect your colostrum as often as you like throughout the day

• Don’t be discouraged if one day you collect lots and the next day nothing

• Some women can’t collect any colostrum at all. It doesn’t mean that it’s not in your breasts. It’s just a little harder to access for some

• Visit the First Droplets website www.firstdroplets.com for some AMAZING videos and more information on expressing your milk

• When you go into labour, bring your frozen syringes in a small cooler to the hospital and make sure your Nurse places your FROZEN syringes into their expressed breast milk freezer.

• Do not let them put your frozen syringes into the expressed breast milk fridge. They will defrost and are then only stable for 24 hours

• Your syringes should be stored in the freezer and thawed as they need to be used

• When you and your baby are discharged home from the hospital, make sure you take all your leftover syringes home with you.

• If you are having challenges breastfeeding your baby in the first few days, make sure you are hand expressing often to help your body make more milk and to always have enough mother’s milk available to feed your baby if needed.

If you would like more information on collecting your colostrum before your baby arrives, please contact us to set up a consult. Nourish will provide you with all the necessary supplies needed and will walk you through the steps of hand expression so that you feel confident to do it yourself as often as you like!

Our next breastfeeding workshop takes place on July 11th from 2-4pm at the Nourish office. We will review colostrum collection and kits will be available for purchase.

As always, Nourish is here for you throughout your breastfeeding journey. The Nourish promise is ‘Happy Moms and Babies Guaranteed!!

Warmly,

Leanne Rzepa RN BN IBCLC