Hand expressing colostrum feels intolerable?!

I’ll be starting the same thing anytime now! I have everything for it but I have sensory issues when it comes to my breasts so I’m absolutely dreading it

I’ve found it much easier after a warm bath or shower. Then a little bit of a massage. It doesn’t make it any less of weird experience but seems to help! Might be worth a try 😊

I also pre pregnancy HATED feeling my boobs so dreaded the colostrum collecting but so much better after a shower or even in the bath when you're warm!!! Plus I think once you get a little bit it makes it abit addictive and you want to get more, which makes the uncomfortable-ness more tolerable!!! Good luck :)

Is it your first? I found it difficult, and not comfortable to do at all first time round. I breastfed for 14 months after, and did a lot of hand expressing during that time, and find it much more natural this time round. It just takes practice :)

I've decided that I don't want this additional stress. It's a relatively new thing, and yes, it might be useful if you have a C section or your baby ends up in NICU. This said, your milk will come in anyway. If it makes you feel better, do it. But if it stresses you out, remember that you don't have to.

The first time I colostrum harvested (second baby) I found a warm compress really helped, a nice warm flannel left on breasts for a little while etc and then little massage, and also make sure to squeeze from around the areola towards nipple. I didn't get loads when I did it, but did manage to fill a few syringes over the few weeks before labour. I will be doing it again this time around too. I found it handy having some colostrum in the freezer as it seemed to help if baby was starting to get poorly.

I spoke to my midwife about this as I found it painful and tiring doing it by hand, and I wasn’t getting enough. She said you can use a breast pump if you want. They only don’t recommend it as it can be painful. They said it can sometimes induce labour, but as I was full term, they didn’t see an issue. I have been doing it since 36 weeks and I’ve managed to get over 150ml from using the MomCozy Handsfree Breast Pump. I also used a hot water bottle on my chest (I didn’t use boiling water as didn’t want to get too hot) to help with relaxing. Hope this helps xx

This is why practicing colostrum harvasting is important. Your feeling is so natural.. here is my blog on this important practice with some info and tips hope it will be helpfull https://mylee.life/blogs/mylee-blog/colostrum-harvesting-during-pregnancy

@Ravid i hope you’re not trying to force this decision onto people? Not everyone wants to do this or breastfeed and that’s a personal choice and up to the person. This is the second comment I’ve seen from you that seems extremely pushy.

Try in the shower for a week to get it flowing. Then it’ll be easier to collect. I didn’t need to use any of mine last time after all that effort either aha

@Robyn not at all. Sorry if it sound like that. I just meant it natural and it may take some practice - if mom choose so. Its defently a personal chose.