Colostrum Harvesting

I’m going to try from 36 weeks, my NCT class this week was on Feeding and spoke quite a lot about harvesting. She recommended not using a pump as you may only get 1-2 drops and this will get lost in the pump. I’m sure if you look on YouTube there will be videos on how to do it by hand 🤗

I'll be starting at 36 weeks and doing it by hand ☺️

I have a pump that offers a massage only option, I was wandering if I could use that to massage and then hand express. I’m just more excited to test the pump than anything 😂 I never even attempted breastfeeding with my first baby so this is exciting new territory for me 😀

I will be,I hand expressed when I did it with my last 2 pregnancies.theres so many videos on how to do it but to be honest it's pretty straightforward forward. X

I started hand expressing beginning of the week - NHS recommend you don’t use a pump because the amount you produce is very little compared to breast milk and so you may lose most of of it in the tubes. Hand expressing is quite easy once you get a handle on it, I find cupping my breast with one had then using the other close to my nipple in a C shape to pump works. Only thing I find frustrating is it drips down and sometimes I get more on my fingers than I do in the container :/ usually have to set up at an angle and close to the container

I have started hand expressing as im induced on tuesday and found it quite hard at first and it did make my boobs quite sore but after a day or 2 I found a comfortable way if u go on YouTube and search nhs collecting colostrum there is a good video that gives u a step by step guide xxx

My midwife recommended doing it in the bath? You can then massage the boob down and the colostrum should come out x

I tried with my first to pump with a hand held...I didn't get anything after a few attempts...my supply didn't come in until day 2 of baby been born

I’ve been using an electrical pump to harvest colostrum. Currently 37 weeks and started at 36. I tried to hand express, but I have large boobs and just found it overly fiddly and was loosing too much colostrum rather than collecting it! I manage to get between 1ml-13ml per expression of both breasts and find it much easier to collect. Think it’s better to just do whatever works better for you

Starting at 36 weeks! It's better if you hand express as it is not as hard on your nipples!