Tessa Quinn
Colostrum is the first breast milk produced by the body, packed with valuable nutrition and protective properties to give your newborn baby the best start. It is recommended to harvest colostrum antenatally, especially if your baby is likely to have difficulties with feeding or maintaining their blood sugar levels during the first few days after birth. This can be done by hand expressing or using a colostrum collector, and the harvested colostrum can be frozen and stored in a hospital freezer or fridge. If you plan to bring colostrum to the hospital, it is important to inform the hospital staff and transport the frozen colostrum in a cool bag between 2 blue ice blocks. This guide will provide comprehensive instructions on how to bring colostrum to the hospital, ensuring your baby receives the essential nutrients they need.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When to start harvesting colostrum | From around 36-37 weeks of pregnancy |
| How to harvest colostrum | By hand expressing or using a colostrum collector |
| How to hand express colostrum | Wash hands, ensure comfort and relaxation, massage breasts, make a 'C' shape with your hand roughly 2-3cm away from the base of the nipple, gently compress breast tissue with thumb and forefinger |
| How to store colostrum | In a labelled syringe in the freezer or fridge |
| How to transport colostrum to the hospital | In a cool bag between 2 blue ice blocks |
| How to defrost colostrum | By immersing the plastic bag containing the syringe of colostrum in a bowl of warm water or placing it next to the skin |
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What You'll Learn
- Prepare colostrum by hand expressing or using a pump from 36 weeks
- Store in a sterile container or syringe, labelled, in the freezer
- Transport in a cool bag with ice blocks, or bring frozen colostrum to the hospital yourself
- Inform hospital staff and let them know it's frozen
- Defrost and bring to room temperature before feeding to the baby
Prepare colostrum by hand expressing or using a pump from 36 weeks
Preparing colostrum by hand expressing or using a pump from 36 weeks can be done by following these steps:
Firstly, it is important to note that colostrum is the first breast milk your body will make, and it is highly concentrated, so you won't produce a lot of it. It is packed with valuable nutrition and protection for your baby.
From week 36, you can start hand expressing for a few minutes once a day. Ensure your hands are freshly washed and use a sterile container or colostrum collector, such as a syringe, to collect the colostrum. You can also ask your healthcare provider to supply you with sterile syringes. Get comfortable, perhaps seated and leaning slightly forward, and start with a gentle breast massage. Stroke from the back of your breast towards the nipple to encourage the let-down reflex.
To hand express, make a C-shape with your hand about 2-3cm back from the base of the nipple. Push back towards the chest wall, compressing firmly for a few seconds without sliding your fingers towards the nipple. Release the pressure, then repeat, building a rhythm. Initially, only a few drops may appear, but keep going as this will stimulate milk production.
If you prefer to use a pump, you can use an electric breast pump on one or both breasts, depending on the type of pump. A manual pump may give you more control, but colostrum is thick and a little goes a long way, so hand expressing may yield more.
Remember, colostrum can be collected two to three times a day in the same syringe, and it can be frozen for up to six months. Label the syringe and storage bag with the date and time, and if you bring it to the hospital, transport it in a cool bag between two blue ice blocks.
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Store in a sterile container or syringe, labelled, in the freezer
If you are planning to harvest colostrum before giving birth, it is important to use a sterile container or syringe to collect and store it. Colostrum is the first breast milk your body makes, and it is packed with valuable nutrition and protective properties to give your newborn baby the best start.
You can start hand-expressing colostrum from around 36 weeks of pregnancy. To do this, ensure you have freshly washed hands and a sterile container or colostrum collector to hand. You can collect colostrum in a syringe with a blunt end (no needle). It is important to feel comfortable and relaxed before you begin, as this will help you to express the colostrum more easily.
Once you have collected your colostrum, it should be stored in a sterile container or syringe, labelled, and kept in the freezer. Make sure that hospital staff are aware that you have frozen colostrum. If you are bringing it to the hospital, transport it in a cool bag between 2 blue ice blocks. When the colostrum is needed, it will be taken out of the freezer and checked with you first. It will then need to be brought to room temperature by immersing the plastic bag containing the syringe in warm water or placing it against your skin.
Remember, colostrum is very concentrated, so a small amount will provide your baby with all the nutrients they need. Your midwife will show you how to feed your baby with a syringe or a small cup, and any unused colostrum can be brought home when you are discharged.
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Transport in a cool bag with ice blocks, or bring frozen colostrum to the hospital yourself
Colostrum is the first breast milk produced by the body, packed with valuable nutrition and protective properties to give your newborn the best start. Harvesting colostrum can be beneficial if your baby is likely to have difficulties with feeding or maintaining their blood sugar levels during the first few days after birth. It can also be beneficial if you are taking medication to control high blood pressure.
If you are harvesting colostrum, it is important to know how to transport it to the hospital. The best way to transport frozen colostrum is inside a cool bag with ice blocks. If you use a cool bag, place the frozen colostrum between two blue ice blocks. Alternatively, you can bring the frozen colostrum to the hospital yourself. If you bring it yourself, make sure that hospital staff are aware that you have frozen colostrum. They will then be able to store it in the hospital freezer.
If you are unable to bring the colostrum to the hospital yourself, you can ask someone to bring it in for you. Make sure that the colostrum is labelled and stored in a re-sealable food bag. Ask the person bringing the colostrum to inform the midwife, who will arrange for it to be stored in the hospital fridge.
Remember, if you bring frozen colostrum to the hospital yourself and it turns out to be a false alarm, the milk may defrost and it will not be safe to freeze it again. Milk will only last for 24 hours in the fridge once defrosted.
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Inform hospital staff and let them know it's frozen
It is important to inform hospital staff if you are bringing your own frozen colostrum to the hospital. Colostrum is the first breast milk your body makes, and it is packed with valuable nutrition for your baby. Harvesting colostrum can be beneficial if your baby is likely to have difficulties feeding or maintaining their blood sugar levels during the first few days after birth.
You can start hand expressing for a few minutes once a day when you are 36–37 weeks pregnant. You can collect and freeze this milk during the last few weeks of your pregnancy. This process is known as 'colostrum harvesting'. If you are harvesting colostrum, it is important to inform your midwife, lactation consultant, or obstetrician for individual advice.
If you are bringing frozen colostrum to the hospital, it is important to let the hospital staff know. They will need to store it in a freezer or fridge, depending on the policies of the hospital. For example, at Cork University Maternity Hospital, there is a freezer for storing colostrum on Ward 2 East in the treatment room, and there are fridges on all wards.
If your baby needs the colostrum, the hospital staff will take it out of the freezer or fridge and check the label with you. They will then bring it to room temperature by immersing the plastic bag containing the syringe of colostrum in a bowl of warm water or placing it next to your skin. Your midwife will show you how to feed your baby with a syringe or a small cup.
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Defrost and bring to room temperature before feeding to the baby
If you have harvested your colostrum before giving birth, you can bring it to the hospital in a labelled, frozen state. It is best to transport it in a cool bag between two blue ice blocks. Inform the hospital staff that you have brought your colostrum, and they will store it in the hospital freezer or fridge.
When your baby is born, if they require extra colostrum to support their feeding, the midwife will retrieve your colostrum from the hospital fridge or freezer. It is important to bring the colostrum to room temperature before feeding it to the baby. You can do this by immersing the plastic bag containing the syringe of colostrum in a bowl of warm water or placing it against your skin.
Before feeding the colostrum to your baby, always remove the cap from the syringe. Your midwife will show you how to feed your baby with a syringe or a small cup. Feeding your baby colostrum will give them energy and increase their blood sugar levels, encouraging them to breastfeed well.
It is important to note that colostrum defrosted in a fridge should be used within 24 hours, while colostrum defrosted at room temperature should be used within 5 hours or discarded.
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Frequently asked questions
Colostrum is the first breast milk produced by the body, usually from around 18-22 weeks of pregnancy. It is packed with valuable nutrition and protective properties to give your newborn baby the best start.
Harvesting colostrum can be beneficial if your baby is likely to have difficulties feeding or maintaining their blood sugar levels during the first few days after birth. It can also be useful if you have diabetes or are taking beta blockers to control high blood pressure.
You can start hand expressing for a few minutes once a day from around 36 weeks pregnant. Ensure you have freshly washed hands and a sterile container or colostrum collector. You should feel comfortable and relaxed before you begin. Gently massage and stroke both breasts, your nipples, and under your arms. Making a ‘C’ shape with your hand, roughly 2-3cm away from the base of the nipple, gently compress the breast tissue with your thumb and forefinger.
Colostrum can be frozen and stored in a freezer or fridge. Frozen colostrum will defrost quickly if needed. Colostrum defrosted in a fridge should be used within 24 hours, whereas colostrum defrosted at room temperature should be used within 5 hours or discarded.
If you think someone will be able to collect your colostrum for you, ask them to bring your labelled frozen syringes in a re-sealable food bag. If not, you can bring it with you in a cool bag between 2 blue ice blocks when you come to the hospital in labour.
