Pump colostrum before birth

Pumping Colostrum Before Birth – Spectra Baby Australia

If you're an expecting mother, you might have noticed your breasts leaking. This is completely normal - your body has started producing colostrum, which means you're getting ready to feed your baby. Colostrum is what you're newborn baby will eat for the first few days of life while your breastmilk is coming in. You can express colostrum before birth and save it for baby. This can get you used to pumping or hand expressing before baby gets here, and give you a stash of colostrum just in case. Here's everything you need to know about pumping colostrum before birth.

What is colostrum?

Colostrum is the first food your baby will eat. It's a clear to yellow colour fluid that your breasts produce before your breastmilk comes in. Colostrum is low in fat, but is high in protein, carbohydrates and antibodies. Colostrum is very important for your baby's digestive track. During the first week or so postpartum, your milk will gradually transition from colostrum to breastmilk.

Photo courtesy of Mama Natural

When does colostrum come in?

Your body will start producing colostrum during the second trimester of pregnancy, between 16 and 22 weeks. Many women don't notice colostrum right away because they aren't leaking. It's normal to start leaking colostrum during the third trimester, however, some women never leak.

Does colostrum mean labour is coming soon?

It's normal to start leaking colostrum a few weeks before labour. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that labour is imminent. Some women start producing colostrum as early as 16 weeks pregnant and their breasts may leak throughout pregnancy, while others may never leak. Although leaking colostrum is a good indication that your body is getting ready to give birth, there are some much better signs that labour is fast approaching, such as your baby dropping low into your pelvice.

Is pumping colostrum before birth safe?

Under normal circumstances pumping colostrum before birth is safe. There are no studies that show pumping or breastfeeding while pregnant is unsafe. Many women worry about pumping while pregnant because it causes mild contractions. These contractions, which may feel like menstrual cramps, are harmless to your unborn baby. They're caused by the hormone oxytocin that your body releases while breastfeeding, and the amount of oxytocin is so little there shouldn't be any concern about preterm labor. It's normal for women to continue breastfeeding through pregnancy and go on to tandem feeding, so there shouldn't be any concern about pumping colostrum before birth. In fact, your body will release more oxytocin during sex - which is considered safe during pregnancy - than from breastfeeding or pumping.

That said, there are some circumstances under which pumping during pregnancy may be risky. If you have one of the following conditions, you should talk to your care provider before pumping colostrum:

• You have a high-risk pregnancy, or are at risk for preterm labour (e. g. you have a thin cervix).
• You are carrying multiples.
• If you have been advised not to have sex during pregnancy.
• You are experiencing bleeding or uterine pain.

Benefits of pumping colostrum before birth

Pumping colostrum before birth is not a requirement for a healthy baby. There are definitely some potential benefits should you choose to pump colostrum before birth - and, especially if you're leaking, it doesn't hurt to save it! Here's how pumping colostrum before birth can be advantageous:

• You'll learn how to use your breast pump or hand express ahead of time.
• If your baby is unable to latch due to a medical condition (e.g. cleft lip or tongue tie).
• You'll have colostrum available just in case while you're learning to breastfeed.
• If your baby is born prematurely and uses a feeding tube.
• You'll have colostrum that you can donate to infants in need - talk to your birthing centre for recommendations, or find local donor groups on Facebook.

How to pump colostrum before birth

Get started pumping colostrum by making sure you've cleaned and sterilised your milk collection kits and any storage containers you plan on using. Start by single pumping on one breast. When you begin pumping, you should start at a low vacuum setting and gradually increase to your comfort level. Massage your breast while you're pumping to encourage the colostrum out. If you need help getting started, Spectra has lot of resources on our website, so we encourage you to have a look. You can join the Spectra Mums Facebook group to talk to other mums about pumping, and our customer support team made up of expert pumping mamas is here to help too. When you pump colostrum, don't expect to get much. You may get a few drops, and you may not even see any land in the milk collection bottle! That's completely normal and fine. Your newborn baby will have a teeny tiny stomach, so just a few mililitres of colostrum will be enough at each feeding.

When you're done pumping, check in and around the breastshield for droplets of colostrum, and look in the valves, as these are places colostrum likes to get stuck. You can use a feeding syringe to suck the droplets up, and store the expressed colostrum.

Storing expressed colostrum

You should follow the same guidelines as you would for storing breastmilk. You can refrigerate expressed colostrum for up to 8 days, and you can store it in the freezer for several months.

Tip: You can use a finger to assist in inserting the syringe into baby's mouth, as shown here.

Also, since your newborn baby will eat just a very small amount of colostrum, you might consider storing it in a food syringe. One syringe can be more than enough for one meal for baby's tiny tummy. You can put several food syringes in a regular freezer safe snaplock bag, or into a milk storage bag. Remember to bring these (and your breast pump) with you when you go into labour, and let the staff know that you'll need a refrigerator for safe storage.

More From Spectra Blog

Can You Pump Before Giving Birth? – BabyBuddha Products

Can you pump before giving birth? When it comes to fitting breast pumping into a busy life with a new baby, find out what new moms want to know most 65-75% of lactating women suffer from breast engorgement.

Mothers who know know. The engorgement that comes with breast milk production is painful.

Unfortunately, some women start experiencing breast milk engorgement before they give birth. But, they're not sure about pumping before birth.

Many women wonder, "can you pump before giving birth?" Keep reading to find out.

Who Can Consider Pumping Before Birth?

A lot of pregnant mothers begin expressing colostrum long before it's time for them to give birth.

Colostrum is the first bit of milk that a woman begins presenting. It is very nutrient-dense while being high in antioxidants and antibodies. Colostrum is important to helping build a newborn's immune system.

In fact, many scientists refer to colostrum as "liquid gold."

After two to four days, this colostrum will turn into regular breast milk. If you start expressing this before birth, there's no harm in pumping and saving this milk as long as you don't have a high-risk pregnancy.

Pumping milk can cause the uterus to start contracting. While it may not trigger labor in a low-risk pregnancy, it may do so in a high-risk pregnancy.

Here are some things that may categorize your pregnancy as high-risk:

• You've been told you have a high-risk pregnancy
• You've been told that you're at risk for pre-term labor
• You're carrying multiple babies
• You've been told to stop sexual activity during the rest of your pregnancy
• You've been experiencing bleeding during pregnancy
• You've been experiencing uterine pain during pregnancy

If any of these apply to you, you should avoid pumping before labor. However, you can check with your OBGYN to see whether you're able to pump. There may be an exception.

If you aren't able to pump, you can massage your breasts to relieve pressure as the milk begins to accumulate in the ducts.

When Can You Start Breast Pumping Safely?

One of the primary concerns with early milk expression is whether pumping is safe for pregnant mothers to do. Unless you have a serious medical condition or previous trauma to your breasts, early milk pumping shouldn't be a problem.

In fact, milk expression can release oxytocin which is a hormone that can stimulate the uterus. While this may sound scary, it isn't linked to premature labor. Other activities like sex and breastfeeding also release oxytocin and both are safe during pregnancy.

However, you should let your provider know if you start to experience some cramping in your uterus. This could be a sign that your body is over-producing oxytocin.

Who Should Seriously Consider Pumping Before Birth

Some physicians recommend milk expression before birth. If you have certain health conditions, you could benefit from pumping early.

Here are some of the most common conditions that may benefit from early milk expression:

• Gestational Diabetes
• Type 1 Diabetes
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Previous surgery on the breasts

If you have one of these conditions and your physician hasn't brought up pumping before birth, you should ask them about your options. They can look at the advancement of your condition and determine if it's safe.

If you don't have one of these conditions, that doesn't mean you shouldn't ask about pumping before birth. It just means that you don't have to worry about chronic illness on top of the breastfeeding.

You should go ahead and ask your physician about what you can do, chronic illness or not.

Individuals with chronic illnesses have to worry about regulating their hormones, blood sugar, blood pressure, and more while pregnant. But, pumping early could help them control these metrics while taking care of their baby.

Advantages of Pumping Colostrum Before Birth

Pumping early will help your baby and you build up a store of milk before she arrives. Because of this, you'll be able to take advantage of several benefits:

• Your newborn will get more colostrum in their diet, which will expose them to more nutrients and immune support
• You can feed your baby quickly after birth, which is useful in case you can't breastfeed for various reasons
• You can feed your baby while you're learning to breastfeed
• A premature baby can receive the colostrum through a feeding tube to support their growth and immune function as they grow
• Your baby can learn how to feed with a bottle, which is useful while you're working or otherwise need to be away from the baby
• The extra milk that you collect before birth can serve as a supplement for your child, whether they're taking breast milk, formula, or another form of feeding
• If you don't use the colostrum, you can donate it to other infants in need

Pumping colostrum is useful whether you use it or not. Getting that extra nutritional value for your child will never be a disadvantage unless the early pumping could harm you.

When in doubt, ask your physician about what you're able to do. They can consider your medical conditions and determine your risk with early pumping.

Advise Your Healthcare Providers on When to Start Pumping

Most medical choices are individual. Pumping is no different.

You should ask your healthcare provider about when the best time is for your first pump. If you decide that it's time to start pumping, you need a plan.

After collecting the first bit of colostrum, you can gather it in syringes and freeze it. You should place these syringes in a freezer bag for transport to the hospital.

When it's time to defrost the colostrum later, you can run the bag under some warm water.

If this is a part of your birth plan, you should let your healthcare provider know. When you go into the birthing center, you should let the staff know about your plan, too. This may include your colostrum plan as well as other wants.

The hospital you're giving birth at may want access to your colostrum stores so they can help you administer the colostrum to your baby after birth. However, it's best to breastfeed first if you can. This will help your milk stores come in quickly after giving birth.

If your baby has trouble breastfeeding after birth, your team may want to try with the colostrum you collected first.

In the end, some of this collected colostrum may go to waste. Some people become disappointed by this, but this isn't a cause for disappointment. Rather, you should be celebrating the fact that you were able to breastfeed comfortably and confidently.

Collecting the breast milk early can help you have a backup plan in case breastfeeding takes a while for you and/or your baby to get used to. It also helps you get a good idea of how breastfeeding works and how your breasts will form during breastfeeding.

Can You Pump Before Giving Birth?

As with most medical advice, the short answer is that it depends on your personal case.

Your pumping timeline may change depending on your ideal milk delivery techniques, potential length of maternity leave, and other personal preferences.

As you learn more about what your schedule after delivery looks like, you'll be able to build a schedule with pumping and saving.

If you're planning on breastfeeding your child, you may not want to start breast pumping before birth. In fact, you may want to wait until your child gets his/her very first feeding.

As you and your child spend time together during breastfeeding, you'll be able to build a ritual. Breastfeeding will become like a rhythm that you and your child follow together.

You should worry about working on latching and milk production before you worry about pumping. However, pumping may become useful later on if you're planning on incorporating bottle feeding.

For Women Who Are Primarily Bottle Feeding

Many women use bottle feeding as their primary choice for feeding their babies. They may pump milk and serve it in a bottle or use supplemental milk like formula.

There are many reasons to choose this form of feeding:

• Easier balance of work and family life
• Medical issues
• Personal choice
• Convenience
• Low milk supply
• Trouble pumping

No matter the reason, women who are primarily bottle feeding may be able to start pumping early. You can store your milk in the freezer until the baby arrives, so there's no reason to hold onto the milk until your baby arrives.

In fact, having a supply of milk may help while your breasts get used to supplying enough milk for your baby. And, it'll be useful when you want some rest postpartum.

Get the Breast Pumping Equipment You Need

So, can you pump before giving birth? Absolutely!

Pumping before birth is a great choice, especially if you have a chronic illness that may affect your hormones, blood sugar, or other important body metrics during pregnancy.

If you're ready to start pumping before birth, you should collect all of the material early. At BabyBuddha, we can help you get all of the breastfeeding items you need. From pumps to accessories, we can help with everything you need.

Check out our shop here.

Antenatal (prenatal) colostrum expression

Patient information leaflet * .

Colostrum is a fatty, nutrient-rich substance that is excellent for nourishing and protecting your baby from infections during the first days of life. It is especially rich in immunological factors that promote the growth and development of the infant's immune system and protect it from allergies and various diseases. Colostrum also helps the newborn eliminate meconium (original feces), which helps prevent jaundice. nine0005

This first milk begins to be produced at 16-20 weeks of gestation. Some women notice leakage of milk during pregnancy, while others may not. In both cases, this is normal and does not affect a woman's ability to breastfeed successfully.

The importance of exclusive breastfeeding for all newborns has been proven in many studies. Some babies may have difficulty breastfeeding as well as blood sugar regulation in the first few days after birth. By hand expressing and preserving colostrum during pregnancy, your baby will be able to get your milk despite the difficulties. Research data show that colostrum is able to stabilize blood sugar levels in newborns significantly better than formula. nine0005

You can start expressing colostrum from the 36th week of pregnancy, although if you notice milk leakage earlier, you can collect it in a sterile syringe. You can discuss this with your midwife or other healthcare provider. They can provide you with tools and guidance to start collecting colostrum.

Benefits of collecting colostrum during pregnancy.

If women start harvesting colostrum during pregnancy, studies show that they:

- gain more confidence in how their breasts work even before the baby is born  reach “full production” of milk faster

- increase their confidence that they will be able to breastfeed their baby manual pumping skills.

Most women can express during pregnancy, although there are several groups of mothers and children for whom antenatal colostrum expression may be particularly beneficial:

- Infants at risk for hypoglycaemia or possible difficulty sucking

- Children of mothers with diabetes mellitus

- Very small and low birth weight children

- when it is known during pregnancy that the baby will need special care in the neonatal unit

- Twins or triplets.

There are also women who, due to their common medical or gynecological history, will find it difficult to exclusively breastfeed their babies. Others suffer from certain diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, for which breastfeeding is very beneficial:

- any form of diabetes

- polycystic ovary syndrome

- breast hypoplasia

- previous breast surgery

planned caesarean section

In mothers with diabetes and allergies, as well as a family history of dairy intolerance, inflammatory bowel disease or diabetes, children may also have these diseases more often if they are fed artificial protein-based formulas from the first days of life cow's milk.

It is especially important for mothers with diabetes to completely avoid the use of artificial formulas, or at least not to use them until the baby is 6 months old. nine0005

Women with gestational diabetes are less likely to develop the disease after childbirth if they are breastfeeding.

Women with diabetes should monitor their blood sugar levels especially if they express colostrum before giving birth. They may need to adjust their insulin doses and change their diet.

Are there women who should not express colostrum during pregnancy?

There is no scientific evidence that daily hand expression of colostrum activates labor in women who are not at risk for preterm birth. nine0005

However, we would advise some women not to actively express colostrum until a sufficient pregnancy is reached: multiple births before 36/40 weeks

- women with cervical sutures to prevent preterm labor

If you feel uterine contractions during pumping, you should stop the procedure. If contractions continue, contact your midwife. nine0005

How can I express colostrum during pregnancy?

Preparation.

To prevent cross-infection, please:

- wash your hands thoroughly before pumping

- wash your breasts no more than once a day (avoid using detergents that can irritate or dry out the skin on the nipples, causing soreness ).

Prepare a sterile milk collection container, such as a cup, bottle, wide-mouth container, or syringe (may be best for collecting small amounts of colostrum with minimal wastage). Activation of the release of OXYTOCIN (milk ejection reflex) can facilitate the outflow of milk. Find a quiet, secluded place where you can relax properly. You can gently massage your entire breast before pumping (you can see some of the massage techniques in the picture), be careful not to slide your fingers over the breast, as this can damage the skin. You can gently roll the nipple between your index and thumb. Some women find it helpful to put a warm diaper (soaked in warm water) over their breasts before pumping. nine0005

Make gentle circular motions with your fingertips.

Gently roll with a clenched fist towards the nipple.

Locate the milk ducts.

Place your thumb on top of your chest with your index finger opposite it underneath. Both fingers are placed as far from the base of the nipple as you can comfortably do. Gently “walk” your fingers along the chest until you find structures that feel different to the touch. nine0005

This means that you have felt the milk ducts (usually they are located 2-3 cm from the nipple).

Expression positions.

It can help if you lean forward slightly. Place your thumb and forefinger in the place where you found changes in the tissue of the gland. The thumb should be at 12 o'clock and the index finger at 6 o'clock, as shown in the picture (your hand is in a C-shape), covering the chest.

Pumping .

Without moving the thumb and forefinger, gently press the chest towards the chest (if the chest is large, it should be lifted first). Without releasing the pressure, roll your fingers towards each other to draw the milk out of the ducts. After that, you should reduce the pressure to allow the ducts to refill with milk. At first, you will be able to get only a few drops, but with practice, the amount of colostrum will increase. You can move your hand in a circle, changing the position of your thumb and forefinger, or change your hand, if necessary, to express milk from the entire breast. Collect drops of your colostrum in a sterile syringe or capped cup if more. You may find it easier to deal with this if your husband or other family members help you. Write your name, date of delivery, time and date of pumping on each syringe. Colostrum is usually produced in small amounts, so don't expect to be able to express a lot right away, although you might get lucky! You can make just 1 or 2 servings, but don't despair. ..every drop counts, and the more often you pump, the more likely you are to increase your milk production. Hand pumping is generally more effective than using a manual or electric breast pump. nine0005

Colostrum can vary greatly in color from dark orange/brown, yellow/green to pale/clear. Don't worry if your colostrum changes color or consistency after a few pumps. This is fine. Rest assured, the colostrum has not "run out". You continue to produce colostrum until the milk "comes in" (about 3 days after your baby is born). You can pump as often as is comfortable for you.

What if colostrum is not produced? nine0004