the how, when and why of collecting (aka harvesting) colostrum antenatally

i’m going to refer to this action as collecting colostrum, but you may also hear it as “harvesting” colostrum! this is a personal preference because i hate the term harvesting when we talk about breast milk — like i’m not a corn field?? there is no harvesting involved with me as a human? maybe this is just me, but idc 😂

i didn’t do any sort of collecting of my colostrum my last pregnancy, and this is absolutely changing this time around! it is normally encouraged to of course check with your provider or care team to be sure that collecting colostrum is safe for you as an individual and for your pregnancy.

WHEN?

it is usually encouraged to wait (or start) until 37 weeks gestation to collect any colostrum.

because our hormones and how they work inside our bodies are so freaking cool! oxytocin is the hormone that is responsible for the contracting of the milk cells and having milk actually express and exit the body. oxytocin is also the hormone that squeeeezes the uterus and aids in contractions during labor.

if collecting colostrum happens earlier than 37 weeks, this can potentially have labor start earlier than expected. on other hand, if you need aid and help in labor — nipple stimulation and hand expression to harvest or collect colostrum are going to help in a big way for you! this was actually the first time that i had pumped anything for my first son, Revan! during labor to help speed things up and get him into our arms.

BUT WHY COLOSTRUM?

the first thing to know: colostrum is breast milk. it is the first breast milk that your body creates during pregnancy starting at about 16 weeks!

colostrum is incredibly thick and sticky because it has not been “infused” with water yet in the mature breast milk process. it might not look like much, but it is PACKED with nutrients and immune support goodness that your newborn needs in the first few days of life!!!

this can be such a tool for you to stock up on colostrum antenatally —

• if your mature milk takes a while (sometimes this can take 5-7 days) to be “rolled out” and start being expressed
• immune support boost when baby (or someone else in your family) gets sick
• to make you feel more comfortable on what baby is receiving while your volume milk is being created

HOW TO COLLECT?

the absolute best way to expression colostrum? hand expression 🤩

need help on how to do this? check out this instagram post

you can hand express for about 5 minutes a day starting at 37 weeks into a small cup (think like a kiddo Tylenol measuring cup), because you won’t be getting ounces of milk! in fact, you may be expressing barely drops — this is very normal! colostrum is not volume based, but instead nutrient based.

remember that breast milk (even colostrum) can stay in the fridge for up to 4 days before it needs to go into the freezer for deeper storage. be sure to label the mls and dates on each container! here are some options for storing your milk —

• Nuliie Colostrum Collector 7ml/6 pieces
• Momcozy Silicone Colostrum Collector 5ml/6 pieces
• 1ml Syringes, 20 pack
  

***please note that some of these links have affiliates, and i do get a small kickback if you order anything through my individual link! THANK YOU because this helps me continue to give you pumping and breastfeeding content and support this community!!!

have you collected any colostrum during pregnancy? i would love to hear your experience or how this worked for you!

xoxo, Bethany | Certified Lactation Counselor | Your Overproducing Exclusively Pumping Mama