Struggling with colostrum harvesting

Is anyone else struggling with collecting colostrum? I’m 36+2 and today is day 3 of trying to harvest. I have gestational diabetes so particularly important for me to have a supply for baby arriving. When I first start I get little drops on the surface of my nipple and I keep going but it never comes to anything, not even enough to syringe. I know all the usual tips regarding environment/relaxing/oxytocin/massage/heat. Should I try a manual pump?

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Yeah I’m the same as you getting tiny drops then nothing. (Definitely not enough to even try to collect in a syringe) i also have GD, my diabetes team said to just keep trying up until night before delivery and if you get some great if not also fine… it’s hard especially when it’s first time :) xx

Me! I've tried so many things, and whilst I can see it's there and leaking, I can't ever get any in to a syringe, there's just not enough. I also have GD, which is why I wanted to collect some. I'm being induced next Friday, so was hoping to get a little bit before then. My health visitor advised not to get worked up about not being able to collect, and keep calm and keep trying. But some people just can't get anything. I haven't tried a manual pump, so can't advise on that, but it might work?

I am too. I'm 37+3 and tried for 4 days now. I did get a tiny drop but not enough to syringe. It's disheartening but I can see where it's meant to be coming from. I'm only trying once a day but apparently you can do up to 4 times a day but as I'm still working I don't tend to have time. Just going to keep trying and hope for the best

First baby was like this for me and when he was born 37 weeks I had oooodles of milk for him so please don’t stress xx

I’m exactly the same as you and my nipples are getting so sore 😭😭😭 not sure I will get anything at this point either and I have GD too! X

I struggled to get any out by just hand. So I used my electric pump for a bit to get the flow going and then continued by hand. I didn’t get much at first and it took a while, so I will probably try a couple times a day.

I get little drops but if I angle my nip up it creates a little pool then I tip it into clean shot cup once one side stops producing I switch to the other side till I get tired or think I’ve done all I can then syringe it from the cup first few times didn’t get much but I started at 37 weeks and last time I managed to fill a few syringes for the first time. I’ve been told it’s not a big deal if you can’t collect any though you’ll get help in the hospital and once the placenta comes out it should trigger production so don’t stress yourself out

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