The Truth About Colostrum Milk

Dispelling the myths

Many women start harvesting their colostrum in the late stages of their pregnancy, but soon find that they can’t produce much or anything at all, and then worry that their future milk supply will be low. However, this really isn’t the case. Let’s take a look at why you might be struggling to harvest your colostrum, and how this shouldn’t be taken as an indication of your feeding journey to come. 

Colostrum harvesting – what’s all the fuss about?

Colostrum is the first milk your breasts produce. It’s a thick, yellowish fluid that is rich in essential nutrients, antibodies, and immune-boosting goodness for your little one. It’s often referred to as ‘liquid gold’ due to its invaluable role in protecting and nourishing your newborn. You will have been producing colostrum since the 12-16 week stage of your pregnancy, so it’s actually been in your breasts all along. But it starts to be made in much higher quantities after you have given birth.

 Colostrum harvesting is the process of hand-expressing small drops of colostrum from your breasts, which are then stored in special syringes. These syringes can be brought with you to your hospital or birth location, and can be given to your baby if they aren’t able to breastfeed straight away for any reason.

Understanding breastfeeding

No matter how you want to feed your baby, your body will produce breastmilk, and the way this works is nothing short of incredible. Lactation – otherwise known as breastfeeding - relies on your brain producing hormones in order to work.

First up, we have prolactin, also known as the mothering hormone. This is the hormone that orders the milk. Think of it as the customer at the bar. Prolactin is triggered when the placenta comes away from your uterine wall to be birthed. Early skin contact with your baby is essential to generate large amounts of prolactin and activate maximum milk production. And suckling prompts it, too. As soon as your baby suckles, or you hand express, or use a breast pump - your brain gets the message that milk is needed, and it puts the order in.

Next, we have oxytocin, known as the love hormone. This is the hormone that delivers the milk. Think of it as the bartender. Oxytocin is triggered by your baby suckling. It comes from your brain - once your brain has put the milk order in, oxytocin quickly follows to deliver the milk. 

So why can prenatal colostrum harvesting be difficult?

Your hormone levels shift significantly as your body experiences birth. You go from having high levels of oestrogen and progesterone during pregnancy to having high levels of prolactin and oxytocin after birth, and these, as we have learned, are the hormones necessary for breastfeeding.

If you’ve tried to hand express colostrum while pregnant, then you’ll know it can be a struggle. You might be left disappointed when you’re only able to produce small amounts of colostrum, or perhaps none at all, and then end up panicking that you’ll have no milk to feed your baby. But it’s important to remember that at this stage, you won’t have the right levels of lactation hormones in place until after birth. Any colostrum you happen to harvest while you’re still pregnant is simply a bonus! Don’t beat yourself up if it’s a really slow process - perseverance and removing yourself from the pressure of expectation is key. And if it’s just not happening for you at all, then don’t despair. You WILL be able to feed your baby when you’ve given birth. Only a very small portion of the population actually have low milk supply, and this is usually down to factors such as insufficient glandular tissue or a history of breast surgery. The vast majority of us (approximately 95%) do produce enough milk to feed our babies. 

If you remember one bit of information from this guide, then let it be this: antenatal hand-expressing is no indication of your future milk supply. Building a strong, consistent milk supply when you start breastfeeding is really about feeding against your baby’s hunger cues.

Giving it a go

Now that you’re aware of the facts, if you do want to try harvesting colostrum milk while you’re pregnant, you can do so confidently while anticipating success with a pinch of salt. You can buy colostrum syringes on Amazon in a pack of 10, which is all you’ll need, and we’ve included a link at the bottom of this blog post for ease.

Start with one session of hand-expressing per day, and then slowly build up to a routine you’re comfortable with. You may find the process strange at first, so it’s important to check in with yourself regularly and ensure you’re comfortable. Perhaps pop something on TV to watch while you’re doing it, and be sure to take your time. Colostrum comes in tiny quantities, so don’t be surprised by how little you produce. The most important thing is to slowly and comfortably build up the technique of expressing milk from your breasts – trust me, it’s an invaluable skill to learn for when you’re postnatal. 

And remember, it’s perfectly alright to seek professional support if you struggle with feeding post-birth. There is no shame in reaching out for help. 

Finding this useful?

This blog was created by Lucy, antenatal educator and birth expert, and founder of butterbean. Winner of the Loved by Parents award 2023 for best innovative maternity product. Butterbean is a trusted hub of empowering resources for new and expecting parents. Providing holistic care that’s tailored to your unique journey, butterbean offers a comprehensive hypnobirthing course, a midwife-monitored helpline, personalised pregnancy yoga sessions, and detailed feeding guidance. It’s inclusive of all journey stages and accessible on demand to suit your schedule. Put simply, butterbean is Lucy’s gift to you - from one Mum to another. To take a closer look, head to the butterbean website, or drop Lucy a follow on Instagram for regular top-notch content on pregnancy, birth, and beyond. You can find out more by visiting our website: www.butterbean.uk

Colostrum syringe multipack link: www.amazon.com

Lucy from Butterbean!

Butterbean is a digital platform that provides support to parents in preparation for birth, feeding, postnatal recovery and support throughout the first year with their baby. Founded by multi award-winning antenatal teacher Lucy Woodbridge – Butterbean is loved and trusted by midwives and mums. Visit www.butterbean.uk to get started today!