Does increased colostrum mean labor is near

What is Prenatal Hand Expression? A 3-Minute Explanation of Colostrum Harvesting

Published Aug 1, 2022 in Birthing Services, For the Health of It Author: Certified Lactation Consultant Jeanne Friebe, RN, BSN, IBCLC, RNC-LRN

Your baby’s first milk is called colostrum. Known as “liquid gold,” this yellowish, thick milk is packed with protein and nutrients. This baby superfood:

• Colonizes your baby’s gut with healthy bacteria to protect against allergies and disease
• Contains the perfect balance of proteins, fats and micronutrients
• Helps pass meconium, a baby’s first stools, which can be very sticky

Overall, colostrum helps your baby stay healthy!

If colostrum is so good for a baby, should I begin to collect colostrum while still pregnant?

All parents should consider the prenatal collection of colostrum. However, it might be especially important if you want to:

• Ensure some colostrum is on hand if you have risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, endocrine disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome, obesity, breast surgeries or limited breast development
• Avoid formula use when supplementing for medical reasons, such as high bilirubin (studies show people using formula to supplement within the hospital are more than twice as likely to quit breastfeeding)
• Avoid early weaning
• Learn how to do hand expression so when baby is born you can remove milk from the breast in instances of a plugged milk duct, or not having access to an electric breast pump.
• Feel more confident, motivated and prepared for breastfeeding
• Increase your amount of early breast milk.

What is prenatal hand expression?

Hand expression means you are using your hands to compress your breasts in a way that colostrum comes out. Hand expressing before your baby is born is called prenatal hand expression.

Is hand expressing safe during pregnancy?

Yes, for many mothers it is OK to hand express colostrum before birth. However, please discuss with your prenatal care clinician before starting. The practice is not recommended for those at risk of preterm labor or other risk factors such as placenta previa.

When should I start hand expressing colostrum during pregnancy?

We advise mothers to wait until 37 weeks before starting to express colostrum – once the risk of preterm labor has passed.

Does hand expressing bring on labor?

Hand expression could possibly stimulate contractions. During hand expression, nipple stimulation releases the hormone oxytocin in the body and can lead to contractions. It is also the hormone of milk let down. The leaking of colostrum does not mean labor is near. Some women leak colostrum early in pregnancy as it can be found in the breasts as early as 16 weeks of pregnancy. Increased colostrum does not mean you will be going into labor soon.

Does hand expressing colostrum hurt?

If done properly, prenatal hand expression should not hurt. After getting the go-ahead from your clinician for prenatal hand expression, you will want to meet with a lactation consultant. The consultant will provide instruction on best practice and provide you materials for milk collection.

How often should I hand express before birth?

Often moms start by doing 5 minutes per breast, 2-3 times a day.

How much colostrum should I hand express?

The amount of colostrum a mom can express varies. Collecting colostrum ahead of time does not deplete what you have after delivery. You will still have colostrum for a few days after delivery.

Should I pump colostrum?

No. A pump is too aggressive for the amount of colostrum you will collect. Hand expression is a gentler way to accomplish milk removal. You will be able to collect most of what is hand expressed in a cup and then store in a syringe. If a breast pump is used, the small drops of colostrum would become trapped in the pump parts without a way to remove them – wasting your time, effort and a precious resource.

How long can I store expressed colostrum?

Your lactation consultant will provide information on collecting, storing and warming colostrum. Expiration varies depending on if stored at room temperature, refrigerator or frozen. Generally, we recommend you put colostrum in the freezer, labeled with the collection date.

How can I schedule a prenatal hand expression appointment with a lactation consultant?

Take the first step in providing the gift of colostrum to your baby. Schedule a 30-minute, in-person, prenatal hand expression appointment with a CentraCare lactation consultant at around 36 weeks of pregnancy.

• Monticello: 763-271-2218
• St. Cloud: 320-654-3630

Often these appointments are part of a bundled package of prenatal care with no additional charge. However, health plans vary. It is a good idea to check with your insurance company before scheduling an appointment.

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Help! If Leak Colostrum Will I Go Into Labor Soon? — Milkology®

Your breasts begin to produce colostrum as early as the 2nd trimester of pregnancy.  

They begin early production so your body will be ready to feed your newborn. (even if they arrive earlier than expected!)

You might leak colostrum at some point during pregnancy and wonder if this is normal.  Or if it means labor is close. Let’s find out!

(this post may contain affiliate links)

Yes, It’s completely normal to leak colostrum during pregnancy. It means your milk making hormones are in action, prepping for the big day!

And as your pregnancy progresses, leaking colostrum becomes even more likely because your hormones ramp up in the 3rd trimester.

No.  It doesn’t mean labor is imminent. Leaking colostrum simply means your body is ready to feed baby.

NOTE:
While leaking colostrum during pregnancy is common, not all women leak. 

• Increased Urination

• Nesting

• Back Pain

• Pink Discharge (aka Bloody Show)

• Changes In Baby Movement

• Loose Joints

• Dropping or “Lightening”

• Fatigue

• Diarrhea

• Vaginal Discharge

• Water Breaking

If so, antenatal milk expression may be helpful — it’s the act of hand expressing colostrum once or twice daily starting around 36-37 weeks of pregnancy.

NOTE: Please consult with your doctor, midwife or lactation consultant before beginning antenatal hand expression. For those on pelvic rest or who have a high risk pregnancy, antenatal hand expression may be discouraged by your healthcare provider.

Antenatal expression may be encouraged for women who have:

▪️experienced previous low milk supply⁣⁣

▪️breast hypoplasia (limited breast development)⁣⁣

▪️polycystic ovary syndrome ⁣⁣

▪️had previous breast surgery⁣⁣

▪️experienced diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes)⁣⁣

⁣⁣Or for babies:⁣⁣

▪️with a cleft lip and/or palate identified during pregnancy⁣⁣

▪️with congenital conditions such as Down syndrome or cardiac complications⁣⁣

▪️diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction⁣⁣

▪️who are born prematurely

⁣⁣You can express colostrum drops into a spoon and then use a small syringe to draw up the milk. The syringe can then be frozen and administered after baby is born, if supplementation is needed. ⁣⁣

⁣

Related post: How To Hand Express Colostrum

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⭐3. To soothe your nips. This nipple balm. (seriously, it’s the best).

Related Article:
8 Easy Ways To Prepare For Breastfeeding During Pregnancy

Breastfeeding a child: a note to young mothers

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Breastfeeding a baby: a note to new mothers

During pregnancy, a woman's body prepares for the upcoming breastfeeding of a newborn baby. The mammary glands swell, starting from the 37th week, the release of colostrum may begin. It is a thick, sticky yellow liquid with a high content of proteins, mainly represented by serum albumins. Colostrum differs significantly from normal mature milk in composition, as it contains less fat, lactose, and water compared to human milk. It also contains immunoglobulins and antitoxins, which provide the formation of immunity. In addition, colostrum normalizes the activity of the digestive tract. nine0003

Only after childbirth, on the third or fifth day, will the body replace colostrum with breast milk.

Many, not knowing about all the beneficial properties of colostrum, consider it necessary to supplement the baby in the first days of life. However, colostrum is quite enough, it contains everything necessary for proper nutrition of the baby, as well as substances that help the formation of immunity in the newborn.

After the baby begins to suckle the breast and receive colostrum, the woman's body begins to synthesize milk. With its appearance, unpleasant and even painful sensations can occur. Discomfort with the appearance of milk usually disappears in a day. Unpleasant sensations arise due to the fact that the body at this time forms a request for the synthesis of milk and, just in case, gives it more than necessary so that the child has enough. Due to pain and a possible lack of appetite in a child, a woman may be advised to express milk. nine0003

However, pumping is an extreme measure, which should be used only if the pain is unbearable. In addition, you need to express milk only to a slight feeling of relief, and not completely. But with a lack of milk, the practice of pumping can help increase its quantity. If all the milk is gone, then the next time it will come even more and you will no longer be able to do without pumping. Sometimes an excess amount of milk can have rather unpleasant consequences - lactostasis or milk stasis. This is a lump in the chest that causes pain when touched and a very high temperature. nine0022 Subsequently, if no measures are taken, namely, do not knead the site of the seal, do not express milk or feed it to the child, the seal may turn red, and blood and pus will be released from the breast along with milk. In this case, you can no longer do without medical intervention. If not enough milk has come, then the child should be applied to the breast as often as possible so that the body correctly establishes the quantitative norm of milk that should be synthesized.

Breastfeeding should begin from the very first minutes of a child's life. No wonder a newborn is given by nature two innate reflexes: sucking and searching. When laying the baby on the mother's stomach during the first minutes after birth (the so-called skin-to-skin contact), the baby instinctively begins to look for the mother's nipple. Finding it is the first task and victory in life. Currently, in all maternity hospitals in our country, there is a practice of laying newly born healthy babies on the mother's stomach. nine0003

Mother's milk contains those substances that are necessary for the growth and development of the baby. With the help of breast milk, part of the mother's immunity passes to the child, protecting him from diseases and helping to build his own immune system. It is well absorbed by the child's body. Breastfeeding is a natural process that helps to improve the health of the newborn, its harmonious development and the formation of a positive emotional connection with the mother. At the same time, the importance of this process does not mean that mothers who are not able to breastfeed should worry. Currently, there are many adapted milk formulas for babies. In any case, the main force that adapts the baby in this world is the love and care of people close to him. nine0003

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Colostrum during pregnancy | Medela

Colostrum is sometimes called liquid gold, and not only because of its color. We will tell you why this first food is so important for a newborn baby.

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Colostrum, the first milk produced at the start of breastfeeding, is the ideal nutrition for a newborn. It is very concentrated and rich in proteins and nutrients, so even in small quantities it saturates the tiny tummy of a newborn for a long time. Colostrum is low in fat and easy to digest, yet provides the baby with all the essential ingredients for an optimal developmental start. And perhaps most importantly, it plays a decisive role in the formation of the baby's immune system. nine0003

Colostrum looks thicker and yellower than mature milk. Its composition also differs in accordance with the special needs of the newborn.

Colostrum fights infections

Almost two-thirds of the cells in colostrum are white blood cells, which not only protect the baby's body from infections, but also teach them to fight them themselves. ¹ “White blood cells are very important for the development of immunity. They provide protection and counteract pathogenic microbes,” says Professor Peter Hartmann of the University of Western Australia, a leading lactation expert. nine0003

After giving birth, your body no longer protects the baby, and he must confront the new dangers of the world on his own. The white blood cells found in colostrum produce antibodies that can neutralize bacteria and viruses. These antibodies are especially good at dealing with indigestion and diarrhea, which is very important for very young children, whose intestines are not yet fully developed.

Colostrum supports the child's immune system and intestinal function

Colostrum is especially rich in secretory immunoglobulin A -
is the most important antibody that protects the child from diseases, but not through the circulatory system, but as a protective coating of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. ² “The molecules that provide the mother's immune defenses enter the mother's bloodstream into the breast, where they combine to form secretory immunoglobulin A, which is then transferred to the baby along with colostrum,” explains Professor Hartmann. “Secretory immunoglobulin A accumulates on the mucous membranes of the intestines and respiratory system of the child and protects him from diseases that the mother has already had.” nine0003

Colostrum also contains many other immunological components and growth factors that stimulate the development of protective mucous membranes in the intestines of the child, and the prebiotics contained in it contribute to the formation of beneficial microflora. ³

Colostrum prevents jaundice

Colostrum not only protects against indigestion, but also has a laxative effect. This helps newborns to empty the intestines frequently, removing from it everything that was digested there in the prenatal state, in the form of meconium - dark and viscous feces. nine0003

Frequent stools in newborns also reduce the risk of jaundice. A baby is born with a high level of red blood cells that absorb oxygen from the air. As these cells break down, the liver helps to process them, producing a by-product called bilirubin. If the child's liver is not yet sufficiently formed to process it, bilirubin begins to be deposited in the body, causing jaundice. ⁴ The laxative properties of colostrum help the baby to remove bilirubin from the body along with the stool. nine0003

Colostrum contains vitamins and minerals

Carotenoids and vitamin A give colostrum its characteristic yellow color. . ⁷ Babies are usually born with a low supply of vitamin A, ⁸ and colostrum helps to replenish it.

"The first three days are especially important for establishing breastfeeding"

In addition, colostrum is rich in minerals such as magnesium, which is good for the baby's heart and bones, and copper and zinc, which are involved in the development of the immune system. ^9.10 Zinc also contributes to the development of the brain, and there is almost four times more zinc in colostrum than in mature milk, ¹⁰ because the brain of a newborn must develop rapidly.

Colostrum helps your baby grow and develop

Colostrum contains many other ingredients that help your baby grow and develop. The role of some of them is still unknown to scientists. nine0003

“Colostrum retains its composition for about 30 hours after the baby is born,” says Prof. Hartmann. - It contains quite a lot of proteins, because all the antibodies in its composition are essentially proteins. It is relatively low in lactose [milk sugar] and has a different fat composition than mature milk.”

In addition, colostrum is close in composition to the amniotic fluid that your baby swallowed and excreted while in the womb, making it ideal for adapting to the outside world. nine0045 11

Transition from colostrum to mature milk

Breast milk usually begins to arrive two to four days after birth. The breasts become firmer and fuller, and instead of colostrum, transitional milk is excreted, which is whiter in color and creamier in consistency.

“The first three days are especially important for establishing breastfeeding,” says Prof. Hartmann. “If everything is done correctly during this period, lactation is likely to be good, and the baby will be able to grow normally.” nine0003

It seems unbelievable now, but in just one year your baby will be able to walk and maybe even talk. Colostrum is produced for only a few days, but makes an invaluable contribution to the development of the baby during the first 12 months, and the resulting benefits remain with him for life.

Want to know more? Read our free e-book Surprising Breast Milk Facts and article What is Transitional Milk?.

Literature

1 Hassiotou F et al. Maternal and infant infections stimulate a rapid leukocyte response in breastmilk. Clin Transl Immunology. 2013;2(4): e 3. - Hassiot F. et al., "Infectious diseases of the mother and child stimulate a rapid leukocyte reaction in breast milk. " Clean Transl Immunology. 2013;2(4):e3.