Throughout pregnancy, your breasts are also changing in preparation for feeding your baby. In the latter weeks, they will even start to produce a liquid known as 'colostrum'. This highly concentrated milk is packed with goodness and has everything from protein to nutrients, to those all-important antibodies that help to protect your baby by building up a healthy immune system.
Colostrum is packed with white blood cells, which help to guard against and fight infection. These clever cells work hard to produce antibodies which in turn, neutralise any nasty bacteria or viruses your baby may encounter. This amazing milk really is the gift that keeps on giving, with all its vitamins and minerals that help keep skin, vision, and immune system in tip top working order.
We could write pages and pages about the benefits of colostrum, but all you really need to know is that it is, basically, super milk for your baby.
What is Colostrum Harvesting?
When women have their first pregnancy scan at around 12-weeks when an official estimated date of delivery (EDD) will be given. We all know however, that very few babies arrive on that date and so, rather than our bodies producing vast quantities of milk in anticipation, we produce colostrum. As we have said, this contains everything your baby needs for a healthy start but does lack that volume that your mature milk will provide when it arrives around 3 or 4 days after baby is born.
In recent times, women have been advised to harvest their colostrum, if possible, from 37-weeks onwards and store in a clean container in the freezer. Why? Well, those first few days whilst you are getting breastfeeding established, can be an anxious time for new parents as they get to grips with getting the baby’s latch right and even getting them to open their mouth.
Up until recently, worried parents have often turned to formula to bridge the gap between those first few days when the milk production system is getting going and when milk finally arrives. However, we do know that giving baby formula instead can impact the supply and demand process as baby will be much more satisfied and less inclined to spend time at the breast. This is not ideal when we need baby to get that milk production system up and running.
How to Harvest Your Colostrum
Having a few 1 or 2ml syringes (the non-needle kind) safely stored (there is no limit to how many, just keep going) can feel like a real lifeline and give you confidence that your baby is getting some milk whilst you navigate this new and wonderful journey. It is worth noting that if you try colostrum harvesting and you don’t manage to get a single drop, that this is not an indicator of your future milk supply. If you can get some - fantastic - if not, don’t worry, your baby will be able to get all the milk they need by just going to the breast.
1. First, you need to be relaxed and have a clean, sterile, 1- or 2-ml syringe (you can order these online quite cheaply).
2. Imagine your breast is a clock and make a 'C' shape around the breast with your thumb at 12 o'clock and your other fingers at 6, outside of the areola.
3. Gently squeeze and release, avoiding any dragging down towards the nipple. Keep doing this until liquid is released from the nipple, which you collect into the syringe. It may only be two or three drops; this is totally fine.
4. Once the flow slows, move your hand around so that you are squeezing all the ducts inside the breast - so thumb at 3 o'clock and other fingers on the opposite side at 9.
You may not get much on the first attempt, but keep trying, it should come eventually, even if it's a tiny amount.
If you’re really struggling, you could take your syringes to one of your midwife appointments and ask her to help you get started.
