Colostrum Harvesting
What is Colostrum?1
Colostrum is the first milk your baby receives after birth, but it’s much more than that. Your body begins producing colostrum during the second trimester of pregnancy, around 12 to 18 weeks. This special milk is packed with nutrients and antibodies that help protect your baby’s gut, fight infections, and guard against illnesses and allergies. Often referred to as “liquid gold” because of its rich, golden color and invaluable benefits, colostrum plays a crucial role in strengthening your baby’s immune system. It’s rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and antibodies, providing a powerful defense system that only you can offer.
What is Colostrum Harvesting?2
Colostrum harvesting, or prenatal hand expression, allows you to collect and store colostrum for use after your baby is born. Most mothers are advised to wait until at least 36 weeks gestation before starting prenatal hand expression. To ensure you’re following the best practices for your individual situation and to address any questions or concerns you might have, don’t hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider for personalized guidance and support.
Benefits of Colostrum Harvesting:
- Familiarity with Your Body: It helps you understand the anatomy of your breasts.
- Increased Confidence: It builds your confidence to continue hand expressing after birth if needed.
- Immediate Access: It ensures you have colostrum ready if you face breastfeeding challenges or if your baby needs supplementation right after birth.
- Smooth Start to Milk Production: Early hand expression can get your milk production off to a good start.
Who Might Benefit from Colostrum Harvesting?
Some babies may have trouble latching, maintaining their blood sugar levels, or developing elevated jaundice levels in the first few days after birth. These conditions can make breastfeeding more difficult and increase your baby’s need for supplementation. Because birth complications are often unexpected, not all mothers can start hand expression immediately after birth when supplemental colostrum may be needed. Since your milk is the ideal nutrition for your baby, having colostrum expressed prenatally can help prevent the need for formula in situations such as:
- Diabetes of any kind3
- Use of beta blockers for high blood pressure
- Breast hypoplasia (limited breast development)
- Previous breast surgery
- History of low milk supply with another baby
- Planning an elective cesarean birth
- Baby diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) or expected to be large or small for gestational age (LGA or SGA)
- Twins or triplets
- Cleft lip or palate identified during pregnancy
- Congenital conditions, such as Down syndrome or cardiac complications
- Family history of cow’s milk protein sensitivity or type 1 diabetes
Once your baby is born, your body will continue to produce increasing amounts of colostrum for the first week or so before transitioning to mature milk. If there are concerns about your baby’s weight or diaper output, continuing to hand express and provide supplemental colostrum can help ensure that your milk supply is well stimulated and that your baby gets plenty of milk as you work on breastfeeding.
Who Should NOT Harvest Colostrum?
Colostrum harvesting may not be advisable for mothers with certain conditions, including:
- Risk of preterm labor
- Short cervix, cervical incompetence, or cervical cerclage
- Bleeding during pregnancy
- Low-lying placenta or placenta previa
- Multiple previous cesarean sections or classical incisions
How To Express Colostrum
- Wash your hands with soap and water and dry well
- Use a clean spoon or medicine cup to collect your expressed colostrum
- Gently massage, tap, and roll your breasts with your fingertips to stimulate milk flow
- Place your thumb on top of your breast and your fingers underneath, then gently press towards your chest
- Compress the breast tissue, hold briefly, and then release, trying not to squeeze or pinch the nipple
- Expect small volumes at first – average prenatal collection is 0-5 mL
- Rotate your hand around your breast and switch to the other breast after a few minutes or when milk flow slows or stops
- Use a syringe to collect the expressed colostrum from the spoon or medicine cup – label, date, and freeze for use after your baby is born
- How often you express colostrum prenatally varies depending on your reasons, but even short sessions can help you become familiar with the technique, possibly collect some expressed colostrum, and stimulate the milk-producing cells within your breasts.
What If I Have Questions?
If you are interested in learning more, these Aeroflow classes expand on some of the topics discussed above:
- Birth & Breastfeeding
- Ultimate Breastfeeding Prep
- Lactation Q & A
To register for these classes, log into your portal or click here.
Want More Info?
For a directory of Aeroflow’s other Care Guides offering information on pregnancy, baby care, and more, browse our comprehensive list of titles:
References