Did you express/collect your colostrum before your baby was born?

I started about 3 weeks before, I don’t think it’s necessary but I did it in case of complications so she could still have the first nutrients from me. I found it helpful that they were there to give her when I was tired and struggling to feed to start with x

I started at about 37 weeks. I did it just incase of an emergency and to try bring on labour. Thankfully I didn’t need to use it and expressing to try bring on labour didn’t work either because he came at 41 weeks 😂

Started at 37 weeks but will be honest and admit I'm struggling with it as I'm not really getting more than 1 drop out at a time. Still trying different techniques and holds so staying positive but I think it's important to know not everyone finds it easy so don't be too hard on yourself if you don't get much/any out straight away

@Kate I only got a drop at a time and collected it all on a sterile spoon then suctioned it up with the syringe, the colostrum collecting got better within a week as in drops came out faster

@Cara thank you so much for replying to my message, I'll definitely give that a go as I did wonder if I would get more if I persevered haha. Thanks again x

I didn't leak a drop during pregnancy, literally not one ml. I was able to breastfeed for 3.5 years and am currently going strong at 18 months with zero issues. Leaking and colostrum collection has nothing to do with production once baby is here.

36 weeks approved by my OB to manually express to try to induce since I was having hypertension and had to be medically induced the following week anyway. I didn't end up getting to use the colostrum because it was stored wrong. I saved it in 1ml syringes but I wish I saved 3-5ml syringes after my baby was born as I was overproducing it then. I was getting 90ml colostrum per session the day after my baby was born, and she was only eating 10-15ml in the same time frame. I froze it in 3oz bags but wish I saved it more as a little immune booster shot to add to a bottle instead of a full bottle's worth if that makes sense.

My boobs don’t even look full and I’m 38 weeks. Do some women not get it until baby gets here?

i did at like 37 weeks maybe ? i got like 8 full syringes. i’d say it was helpful bc the first day in the hospital baby had trouble latching so i was able to feed it to her to supplement

@Minnie your boobs don’t have to look/feel full to have colostrum or collect it. some women never leak or produce during pregnancy but it’ll definitely come once you give birth

@Izzie should I just try to express it? And see if it comes out

@Izzie every women has colostrum during pregnancy. You start producing your 2nd trimester. It doesn’t come at birth, it’s already there at birth

@Minnie you don’t have to look full. Colostrum is present from the 2nd trimester. You can try to express once you’re 36-37weeks but it’s not necessary. If you’re planning on breastfeeding tho, educate yourself about it so you don’t make mistakes in the beginning

@Minnie they are very pro breast feeding in hospitals, they should try and support you with the best latch, its so hard to start with I was well impressed with what I was told to help although I had a cluster feeder for months and that took it out of me… it was hell 😂I did go on for 2 years which initially I was going to do 18 months, it isn’t easy but once you get past the first 1-2 months it does get easier, it’s quite easy to quit too and I get why tbh cause it’s all time consuming and can be painful to start.

@Cara this must be a UK thing. In the US, most hospitals don’t offer the right support, sometimes none at all and honestly sabotage many women’s breastfeeding journey. But if you give birth at a really good hospital, you might get the right help. Unfortunately as a doula, I can tell you the maternal care here ruins many breastfeeding journey with no support or the wrong support

@✨Wis 🇭🇹 oh I’m so sorry it’s like that, yes this is the uk! 🤍

@✨Wis 🇭🇹 okay, i just know some women aren’t able to express anything during pregnancy

@Minnie it doesn’t hurt to try!

I know you’re supposed to wait until 36-37 weeks since it could cause contractions and to hand express. But my last pregnant and this current one I definitely use my pumps 🤣. I get an ounce out each time so I have some stored back. I never brought it to the hospital but I use it when they are sick

@✨Wis 🇭🇹 I’ll ask my doctor about it

@Cara I EBF my first two so I’m feeling pretty confident about the little one that’s coming I was just wondering about expressing the colostrum before the little lady gets here. I always see people on this app with syringes of the stuff but I never leaked or anything like that. All in all I’m not worried , was more so curious

@Minnie sorry I jumped there 😅 no worries!

@Cara oh no! It’s totally fine! Thanks for your input 🤍

I leaked colostrum starting at around 20ish weeks pregnant. I started manually collecting it around 36 weeks with approval from my OB. I got the Haka colostrum tubes. I was able to fill all of them and then some. But I also expressed it every night around the same time to make sure I had some. I would be able to fill the tube between both breasts each night. The wild thing is after baby came I wasn’t an overproduced. I only produced enough milk for her meals and pumping never worked for me 🤷🏻‍♀️

No and I wish I would have! I started leaking at 16 weeks🥴