Five questions (and answers) about prenatal colostrum collection
Chances are you’ve heard of colostrum collection before! Maybe from a friend or relative, or through social media. It has become more and more popular to collect colostrum prenatally in recent years—with good reason. Expressing and storing colostrum before baby arrives can be very beneficial, but it also has some ‘dos and don’ts’ that are important to keep in mind before you start. Here are some key points that can help you decide if prenatal colostrum collection is right for you—and what to do next if it is.
The five questions we’ll look at with prenatal colostrum collection are: What is it? How does it work? Who benefits? Why might you want to try it? And what do you need to know before starting?
But first… the basics on colostrum
Colostrum is the first milk your body makes when you are pregnant. It’s a super-concentrated, highly nutritive and unique stage of human milk that has not been replicated—there’s nothing else like it. More than just food, colostrum contains healthful (sometimes called medicinal) properties such as stem cells, antibodies and a unique blend of other components and nutrients that are just right for a newborn’s optimal well-being in the first days of life. Colostrum is a vital part of the human milk spectrum that grows with your baby and meets their exact needs at every stage.
While some people may notice colostrum leaking while they are still pregnant, others will not see a sign of it until after baby is born. It’s important to note that not seeing any leaking doesn’t mean it isn’t there! So, let’s talk about what you might want/need to know as you decide whether colostrum collection is something you want to try.
What is colostrum collection?
Colostrum collection is the process of collecting (and storing) colostrum for your baby. By ‘hand expressing’ the milk (more on that later), any amount of colostrum you have available can be collected for later use—whether it’s just a few drops or a seemingly endless supply. The collected colostrum is stored in specially designed syringes, or other suitable containers, and then labelled and frozen in order to preserve it for when it’s needed. You can collect colostrum once or many times—your body will continue to produce more, so you won’t ‘run out’.
How does colostrum collection work?
As already mentioned, the body’s natural process of making milk begins during pregnancy. And the earliest milk (colostrum) is ready and available even before the birth. Hand expression is often the most effective way to get some colostrum out. With a gentle push and squeeze motion, the milk ducts are ‘activated’ and drops of colostrum will begin to appear at the nipple. Every drop counts, so bringing a syringe (or cup/spoon) close to the nipple allows every little bit to be collected. (Remember, this is a super concentrated milk so just a few millilitres goes a long way!) You can plan anywhere from just one to a few short collection times—either in one day or over several days—and with patience and practice you may soon have one, two, or more syringes ready to use as needed.
Who benefits from colostrum collection?
The person who benefits most from prenatal colostrum collection is your newborn. Having some colostrum available before the birth means it will be there if baby needs it. Some common situations where expressed colostrum can be helpful might be:
· if the mother-baby dyad (that’s you and your baby!) are separated at birth
· when you’re trying to feed a very sleepy newborn
· if you experience difficulties with latching in the first few days
· to help fill the gap before your mature milk ‘comes in’, especially if it’s delayed
With a little bit of colostrum collected and ready to go, you have the means to support situations like those —and many others—giving baby the wonderful benefits of that first, unique milk even if they can’t get it through suckling.
Secondarily (but also importantly) you, the birthing person, will benefit as well. Some ways you might be supported are:
· reassurance in knowing that baby will get the life-giving benefits of early milk
· feeling more confident about the start of feeding (because you have a backup)
· supporting the goal of avoiding formula for your baby
· having extra colostrum available to give as ‘medicine’ to your baby
· being more successful in feeding your baby your milk for as long as you choose to
Why might you want to try collecting some colostrum prenatally?
In addition to the benefits listed above, the latest research on an infant’s microbiome is another reason to consider colostrum collection. Around the world, scientists are learning that colostrum (along with continuing to feed baby your milk) is an essential part of supporting a newborn’s best chances at a healthy start and a healthy future. The ingredients in colostrum uniquely support the immature digestive system of a newborn and support healthy brain development. And with dramatic outcomes like lowering the future risk of diseases like type-2 diabetes and asthma, along with benefits such as a healthier immune system, metabolic regulation and more, the upside of giving your baby colostrum cannot be overstated. Even if you are unsure of exactly how long you might want to feed baby your milk, exclusively feeding them colostrum in the first few days is a wonderful gift to give your child.
What do you need to know before starting colostrum collection?
Before jumping in and starting prenatal colostrum collection, here are a few important tips to keep in mind:
1. Wait until you’re at least 37 weeks into your pregnancy to begin trying. For most people, this is a safe time to start. Check with your care provider to find out if there are medical reasons you shouldn’t start at that time (or if you need/want to start earlier for a specific reason).
2. Immediately refrigerate after each collection. (If you collect any more colostrum later in the same day, you can add into the same syringe.) And be sure to label and freeze each day’s ‘harvest’ at the end of the day.
3. ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.’ You may not get anything (or you may just get a drop or two) on your first attempt, but with gentle persistence, and maybe some guidance on technique, you may soon have successfully collected your first full syringe!
Some final thoughts
Birth and parenting (like the rest of life) don’t come with many guaranteed outcomes. But there are invitations along the way to choose the best we can—to offer the best we have—for ourselves and for our babies. Colostrum is one of those opportunities, and collecting some prenatally can be part of supporting your baby’s best start in life.
Colostrum is incredible. It’s irreplaceable. It’s available for a limited time only, and offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something amazing for your baby’s health. If adding colostrum collection to your day feels overwhelming—like just one more job to add to your long ‘to do’ list, I encourage you to at least give it some thought. Just a little bit of time spent preparing for baby this way can reap huge rewards in a variety of situations!
Interested in knowing more about prenatal colostrum collection? I invite you to join me at one of my free information sessions. Check my website for times and locations (pre-registration is required). Can’t make an in-person session? There are many good resources available online from reputable experts such as La Leche League.
Or, if you are looking for more in-depth lactation classes or support postpartum, I hope you’ll register for my Lactation 101+ class or reach out for my one-on-one lactation support for early feeding help or later lactation issues!
P.S. And don’t forget about other supports offered to you locally. Here in the Greater Sudbury area they include: Public Health’s lactation clinic, the lactation clinic at Sudbury Community Midwives and other lactation specialists. We’re all part of your village!
Wishing you all the best on your feeding journey.