Colostrum Harvesting Before Birth

I’ve wanted to write a post on the benefits of antenatal colostrum harvesting for months! I can’t believe I’m only just sitting down to write about it and share my experience of colostrum harvesting. I did touch on it a little bit in my successful breastfeeding story. But colostrum harvesting deserves a post of its own.

In this post, I’m sharing all my colostrum harvesting tips, including the techniques that worked for me, common mistakes to avoid, and exactly how to collect and store your liquid gold safely. Whether you’re planning to harvest colostrum or just curious about the process, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know based on my own experience.

If you are curious about finding out what colostrum harvesting is and how to collect colostrum before birth, this post is for you.

If you don’t have children and aren’t planning on having children, I really hope you stick around for the first few paragraphs to find out a bit more about colostrum collection and its benefits. I had no idea colostrum harvesting was even a thing before I became pregnant!

There is such a large gap in knowledge when it comes to breastfeeding in the UK and I hope to help spread awareness of breastfeeding to others. The UK has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the UK, with only about 1% of babies being exclusively breastfed at six months (according to the last UK-wide infant feeding survey in 2010). Although I do believe if an updated survey was done, these numbers may be a bit higher. I couldn’t find any up-to-date stat around exclusively breastfeeding, but according to this Breastfeeding in the UK – position statement which was done in 2017, in the UK only 34% of babies are receiving some breast milk at 6 months.

When I talk about thinking the rates should be higher, I am not talking about those who choose to use formulas. Breastfeeding is a choice, but sadly many women do want to breastfeed but are unable to due to not knowing enough about breastfeeding, a lack of support around breastfeeding (tongue ties/cluster feeding/pain) and breastfeeding myths.

Right, anyway, back to colostrum harvesting.

What is colostrum?

Colostrum is the first milk you produce when your first have your baby. It’s the perfect food for a newborn. Colostrum is highly concentrated. It’s rich in nutrients, high in protein and has lots of antibodies. It’s easy to digest and is perfectly tailored for your newborn’s needs.

Colostrum is high in white blood cells which guard your baby against infection. It protects your baby against diseases and illnesses the mother has already experienced. It also helps reduce the risk of jaundice. It’s pretty amazing stuff, which is why it’s also known as liquid gold! It is also rich in immune factors, such as antibodies, cytokines, and growth factors, that help to support the immune system and promote healthy growth and development.

What is colostrum harvesting

Colostrum harvesting or colostrum collecting is the process of collecting colostrum before the birth of your baby. This is usually done with a syringe around 37 weeks of pregnancy by hand expressing.

Why you should collect collostrum

You don’t have to collect colostrum. If you don’t harvest any colostrum, it will not mean you can’t breastfeed.

There are times when your midwife or doctor may recommend do you harvest colostrum such as:

• have gestational diabetes in pregnancy
• have a history of diabetes.
• your large or small for their gestational age
• you are having twins or triplets
• your baby has a cleft lip or palate
• your baby has Down’s syndrome or a heart complication
• you are taking beta blockers to control high blood pressure
• you’ve developed pre-eclampsia during pregnancy
• you have polycystic ovary syndrome
• you have breast hypoplasia
• you have had breast surgery
• you have a raised body mass index (BMI)
• you plan to give birth by Caesarean section

You may still want to collect colostrum if the above does not apply to you. It can be useful in the event of emergencies. For example, if you are unable to feed your baby right away (if they need to go to NICU, or you have to have an emergency operation, or if they don’t latch). If this happens, it’s likely the hospital will ask you to hand express or pump colostrum to feed your baby. Having the stores already will take the pressure off you in a stressful situation and means you already know how to do it to continue collecting more.

It’s also beneficial for other reasons. It can be stored for 6 months and as it’s packed full of goodness, you can give it to your baby when they are ill or after their 8, 12 and 16-week vaccines.

Benefits of colostrum harvesting:

• Your baby can be fed if you can’t feed them right after birth.
• It may help milk production.
• Teaches you how to hand express.
• Can be used if your baby has janduce to help.
• You can use it any time your baby is ill during the first 6 months for an boost of nutrition
• It may induce labour

Where to get syringes for colostrum harvesting

In the UK, many midwives have packs to give pregnant women around 36 or 37 weeks for colostrum harvesting.

If your midwife doesn’t offer these or you want extra syringes, you can buy colostrum harvesting kits online. I got mine from my midwife, which came with 10 syringes, but I ended up buying more online as I wanted to collect as much as possible. Look for 1ml syringes specifically designed for colostrum collection – they usually come with caps for storage.

How many syringes should I harvest?

Step-by-Step: My Colostrum Harvesting Routine

Here’s exactly how I did it, step by step. This routine worked really well for me:

1. Preparation (5 minutes): I’d have a warm shower or bath to help with relaxation and to warm my breasts. Then I’d gather my clean syringes, labels, and pen.
2. Get comfortable (2 minutes): I’d sit somewhere private and comfortable – usually my bed with some pillows behind me. Some people prefer sitting upright, but I found leaning back slightly worked best for me.
3. Massage (2-3 minutes): Starting from the top of my breast, I’d gently but firmly stroke down towards my nipple with a flat hand. I’d do this all around the breast.
4. Express (5-10 minutes per side): Making that C-shape with my hand, I’d press back towards my chest wall and then squeeze. I’d do this rhythmically – squeeze, release, squeeze, release. After a few squeezes, I’d rotate my hand position slightly around my breast to express from different milk ducts.
5. Collect (throughout): As soon as I saw drops forming on my nipple, I’d use my syringe to collect them. Sometimes I’d hold the syringe right at my nipple to catch the drops as they came.
6. Switch sides: After about 5 minutes on one breast, I’d switch to the other, even if I was still getting drops. I found this kept things productive.
7. Label and store: Once I’d finished, I’d immediately label my syringe with all the details and pop it straight in the fridge (or freezer if I’d reached the 48-hour mark in the fridge).

The whole process took me about 20-30 minutes, including the warm-up time. Some days were quicker if I wasn’t collecting much!

How to store colostrum before birth

You can store your milk in the fridge ( temperature of 2-4°C) and keep adding to it for up to 48 hours. After 48 hours, you should place the syringe in a clean zip-lock bag and place it in your freezer at a temperature of -18°C for up to 6 months.

You should also write your name, DOB and the date and time you collected the colostrum.

Common Colostrum Harvesting Mistakes to Avoid

Through my own experience and chatting with other mums, here are some mistakes I noticed people making (including me at first!):

Starting too early I was so keen that I almost started at 35 weeks, but thankfully my midwife reminded me to wait until at least 37 weeks. Your baby needs to be full term first!

Squeezing the nipple itself This was my biggest mistake initially! You need to squeeze behind the nipple, not on it. The C-shape should be about 2-3cm back from the nipple tip.

Expecting loads straightaway If you think you’ll fill a bottle on your first go, you’ll be disappointed! Colostrum comes in tiny amounts – that’s completely normal.

Getting disheartened too quickly If nothing comes out in your first few sessions, don’t panic. It took me three attempts before I saw even a drop. Keep trying!

Not labelling properly Make sure you write your name, date of birth, and the collection date on every syringe. Hospitals need this information and you don’t want to waste your precious liquid gold because it’s not labelled!

Can colostrum harvesting induce labour?

When you express colostrum a hormone called oxytocin is released. Colostrum harvesting is highly unlikely to induce labour but it sometimes induces labour as oxytocin is what helps the uterus contract. This is why it’s important to make sure you are around 37 weeks before you start collecting colostrum.

I started harvesting my colostrum from 37 weeks, but I went had my baby naturally at 41 weeks. I guess it’s one of those things you won’t know if it triggers labour or not as you will never know if you would have gone into labour either way! But to be safe, you must wait until your baby is to term.

Colostrum harvesting with pump

You should collect colostrum antenatally by hand expressing, not by using a pump. This is because colostrum is collected in small quantities and it’s thick, so can get stuck in the pump parts. Using a pump may also be uncomfortable.

How to collect colostrum before birth

Right, to the good stuff.

How to harvest colostrum.

Find somewhere private where you can relax. Warmth helps, so after a warm shower is a good idea or you can even do it in the bath.

Make sure your hands are clean and start with a warm compress or massaging your breasts from the base, to towards the nipple to encourage colostrum flow

Put your thumb above your nipple and your fingers below so you are cupping your nipple in a c shape. Your finger needs to be a few fingers back from the nipple, then press back towards your chest and squeeze.

After a few squeezes, you should start to see a few drops of yellow thick liquid appear on your nipple.

Use your syringe to collect this

This video will give you a better idea of how to collect colostrum – it does contain a video of a women doing it on herself.

My Top Tips for Successful Colostrum Harvesting

After harvesting colostrum throughout my pregnancy, I learned quite a few things that made the process easier. Here are my top colostrum harvesting tips that I wish someone had told me from the start:

Timing is everything I found the best time to harvest was first thing in the morning or after a warm bath. The warmth really does help! I’d often do it in the evening after a relaxing shower when I was feeling calm and relaxed. Don’t rush it – stress makes it harder.

Start with massage This was a game-changer for me. Before trying to express, I’d gently massage my breasts in circular motions from the outer edges toward the nipple. It took about 2-3 minutes but it really helped get things flowing.

Switch between breasts Don’t just focus on one breast! I’d express one side for a couple of minutes, then switch to the other. Going back and forth helped me collect more overall. Some sessions I’d switch 3-4 times.

Keep your equipment ready I kept all my syringes, labels, and a pen in a little box in my bathroom. Having everything to hand meant I was more likely to actually do it regularly rather than putting it off because I couldn’t find things!

Don’t compare yourself This is so important. Some days I’d get 0.2ml and feel rubbish, then see someone online who collected 2ml in one session. Every body is different! Even tiny amounts are valuable.

Use a bonding cloth (optional) I didn’t do this myself, but I’ve since learned that some women hold a muslin cloth while expressing. Your scent transfers to it and you can use it to help baby recognise you after birth, which is pretty lovely.

Stay hydrated I made sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. I’m not sure if it scientifically made a difference, but I felt like it helped.

Be patient with yourself There were days I couldn’t collect anything at all. I’d just stop, have a cup of tea, and try again later or the next day. Don’t force it!

How long should I spend collecting colostrum?

Try expressing colostrum a few minutes a couple of times a day.

How many ml of colostrum should I collect?

This will vary from person to person. Some women can’t get any, others may fill two syringes on their first session.

I used to get anything from 0.2ml – 0.8ml, which didn’t seem a lot at all.

Don’t get disheartened if you can’t collect any! Just stop and try again later.

How many syringes of colostrum should I harvest?

Just collect what you can! Every drop is full of goodness and will be a great help to your baby.

I can’t collect any, will this affect my breastfeeding journey?

Not at all! When you have your baby, your body will send singles to start milk production. I hardly collected any colostrum and I’ve had a great breastfeeding journey.

Do I have to collect colostrum?

NO! It is a personal choice. I believe it’s important to know about colostrum collecting and then once you have the facts, decide if it’s something that you want to do!

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments.