Colostrum harvesting in pregnancy - should I do it?

If you’ve been on social media, or on any pregnancy forums recently, you’ve probably heard people talking about colostrum harvesting. But what is colostrum harvesting, how do you do it, and is it as crucial to breastfeeding success as it’s made out to be?

What is colostrum harvesting?

Colostrum harvesting, also known as 'antenatal colostrum expression', is the practice of hand-expressing and collecting your early milk (colostrum) during the final weeks of pregnancy.

Sometimes called ‘liquid gold’, colostrum is a more concentrated form of your milk and is full of antibodies, nutrients, and immune-boosting properties that is super beneficial for your baby in the early days.

Colostrum harvesting is the practice of collecting and storing some of that colostrum before your baby is born.

Why should I harvest colostrum?

You don’t have to harvest colostrum - lots of people don’t, without it impacting their breastfeeding journey. 

I find it helpful to think of colostrum harvesting like an insurance policy - if breastfeeding starts smoothly, your baby latches on early and you’re able to feed them regularly, then you may never need any colostrum that you harvest in pregnancy. But sometimes there are challenges in the early days of breastfeeding, and in some of those cases having some colostrum ready can be useful - but with some caveats.

Some of the benefits of colostrum harvesting can be:

• Learning to hand express colostrum can help you become more familiar with your breasts in a relaxed, pressure-free environment. You'll learn how your body responds to touch, what techniques work best for you, and how to recognise when milk is flowing. This knowledge can really help when your baby arrives and you're navigating those early feeding sessions.

  
  

• For some people, challenges in the early days, such as a sleepy baby or a baby that struggles to latch, can mean that they want or need to hand express colostrum once their baby is here. Hand expression can also be useful in other scenarios too, like the relief of engorgement or pumping preparation. Trying to learn to hand express when you’re tired, recovering from birth, and feeling pressurised to produce milk for your baby can make it more difficult, and can interfere with our oxytocin levels, a key hormone in breastfeeding. Starting during pregnancy means you can practice this technique when you're calm and unhurried, rather than learning it in the emotional postpartum period.

  
  

• And while we’re on the subject of oxytocin -  feeling prepared and confident can actually help your body produce MORE of it. When you know you have colostrum stored away, you're likely to feel more relaxed during those first feeding attempts, which can actually improve your early breastfeeding journey.

BUT - there are a few things to look out for.

Not everyone can produce colostrum in pregnancy - which can then makes them doubt themselves and worry that they won’t have any milk when their baby arrives. Not so good for oxytocin.

There are lots of reasons why you might not be able to harvest colostrum - but it’s rare for women to not produce enough milk for their babies. 

For some women, the pressure to harvest colostrum can create anxiety, especially if they're not expressing much or anything at all. Remember - doing this is supposed to be helpful, not stressful. If colostrum harvesting is causing you worry, then maybe it’s not a great idea for you - your milk will still be there for your baby when they arrive.

If you do give your baby colostrum you’ve harvested when they’re born, and if they haven’t latched on and tried to feed, it can be super important to try and hand express some more to protect your milk supply. Although in the first few days your milk supply is driven by hormones, after a few days it’s managed on a supply and demand basis - so if you haven’t been regularly removing colostrum then your body might not know to produce quite as much as your baby needs.

Want to take control of your breastfeeding journey? Get your free guide - 'My baby hasn't breastfed yet - now what?'

When should I start colostrum harvesting in pregnancy?

Most healthcare providers recommend starting colostrum harvesting around 36 weeks of pregnancy, though some suggest waiting until 37 weeks to minimise any small risk of stimulating early labor. However, it’s worth noting there’s very little evidence available to support the suggestion that colostrum harvesting can start labour prematurely.

If there have been any complications in your pregnancy, if you’re considered ‘high-risk’ or if you’d rather be sure, then it’s always useful to speak to your midwife or consultant before starting colostrum harvesting. 

If you’re in the UK then your midwives should also be able to provide you with the purple syringes - you can buy syringes from other places, but these are often white or blue, and the purple colour is known for being for colostrum so some healthcare providers prefer them if you’re bringing your colostrum into a hospital.

Who should consider harvesting colostrum?

Literally anyone! As we’ve discussed above, colostrum harvesting can be really beneficial for getting to know your body and practicing hand expressing techniques. But in some cases it can be beneficial if you’re more aware that your baby may have feeding challenges.

Some examples might be:

• Babies with expected blood sugar issues (due to gestational diabetes, and possible large or small babies - but please remember growth scans are known for being inaccurate!)

• Premature babies

• Babies with known conditions like cleft lip/palate or tongue tie

• Multiple births (twins, triplets)

• Planned c-sections or inductions

• Previous breastfeeding challenges

  
  

BUT as I’ve said, if you can relate to the above and struggle to harvest colostrum, please don’t worry - get the right support set up from the start and there’s no reason any of these should impact your long-term breastfeeding journey.

HOW do I harvest colostrum?

Start by washing your hands and getting your container ready - usually this is a 1ml or 2ml syringe, but you can also use a sterile spoon if you think you might get larger amounts.

Make yourself comfortable, and try to make sure you’re unlikely to be interrupted and that you’re not feeling under too much time pressure. It can help to think about what you can do to increase your oxytocin levels (the hormone which stimulates the milk ejection reflex) - scents and music which make your feel relaxed or which trigger happy memories can help, cosy blankets, and avoiding bright lights.

Once you’re relaxed and settled, you can then start by gently massaging your breasts, lightly using your fingers to stroke all over (including up into your armpits). Do this for a few minutes.

Once you’re ready to give colostrum harvesting a go, make a c with your thumb and forefinger, and put this c-shape around your areola. Exactly where will be different for everyone so it’s usually a case of trial and error, but around a centimetre back from the areola (the dark area around your nipple) is sometimes a good place to start.

Once your fingers are in position, squeeze gently, hold, then release. Repeat this a few times. Try not to press too hard, and try to avoid sliding your fingers down towards the nipple - try to keep them in one place.

Once you’ve been doing this for a while (how long will vary for everyone) you may start to see drops of colostrum! Hold the syringe underneath and slowly pull down the plunger to draw the droplet into the syringe. Then go again.

Once you’ve been pressing down gently on one area for a while, you can then move around different areas of the breast, and when you feel ready you can move over onto the other side - and you can swap sides as many times as you’d like.

If you’d like a more detailed explanation with some helpful videos, check out my guide to hand expression here

How much colostrum will I get when colostrum harvesting in pregnancy?

Obviously this varies hugely, but anything from a drop to a teaspoonful is completely normal. Even tiny amounts of colostrum will be hugely beneficial to your baby, and as their tummies are tiny when they’re born they really don’t need huge amounts.

How do I store my colostrum?

Colostrum can usually be stored at room temperature for 4-6 hours, in the fridge for 4-6 days, and in the freezer for up to six months. Labelling your syringes with the date it was expressed can be helpful.

When you come to use your colostrum, you can thaw it under warm water, and and once thawed use within 24 hours. It’s not recommended to refreeze it. You can then give your baby the colostrum directly from the syringe by placing it in the side of their mouth.

How often should I be harvesting colostrum?

Whatever works for YOU - some people harvest 2-3 times a day, others just a couple of times a week. Remember that in most cases your baby will be drinking directly from you when they’re born, so it’s very possible that you won’t end up even needing the colostrum you’ve got.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to collect bags and bags of colostrum.

So what if I struggle to harvest colostrum?

If you’ve been trying and you’re not getting any colostrum then stop, breathe, and take a break, Get some fresh air, go for a walk, watch your favourite TV programme, or just leave it for today. 

There are a whole range of reasons why you might not be getting any colostrum - your colostrum might be a but too thick at the moment to express easily, your technique might just need more practice, you might need to think of some different ways of boosting your oxytocin levels - or your body might just know that your baby hasn’t been born yet and is saving the good stuff for them!

Remember that once your baby is born and the placenta is no longer present a whole chain of hormones kick in to help boost your milk supply - so if you’re not getting colostrum now that usually has no impact on how much milk your body will produce once they’re born. You’re still getting valuable experience with hand expression and becoming more familiar with your breasts.

What do I do when my baby arrives?

Having some harvested colostrum can be really helpful, but you might be thinking about what happens in those first few hours if your baby doesn't latch immediately and you need to give them that colostrum.

Whether it's due to birth complications, sleepiness, feeding difficulties, or maybe just needing time to learn, having a flexible plan can make all the difference.

If you're feeling worried about those first few days of feeding, you're not alone. Many new parents face unexpected challenges in the first 24-48 hours, and having a clear action plan can help you go from feeling anxious to feeling confident.

Download my free guide, ‘My baby hasn’t breastfed yet - now what?’ to help you feel prepared, not powerless, in those early days.

In this 30-minute guide we’ll talk through protecting your milk supply, methods you can use to feed your baby, different things you can try, and where you can get support.

Get your free guide

And if you don’t want your breastfeeding success to depend on how busy the postnatal ward is that day, then have a look at my breastfeeding support offers - including my ‘in your pocket’ breastfeeding support packages, giving you support on speed-dial from the minute your baby is born.

Katie x

Katie Small | Rewrite your Postpartum

Doula and breastfeeding support in Dorset, Hampshire and online