Any advice for expressing from 36wks?

**Freya** · February 21st, 2013, 08:23 PM

I've been diagnosed with gestation diabetes. My new care provider has mentioned about expressing colostrum as a just in case should bub need a glucose boost. I have never had to worry about this before and post birth for all of my babies I have had a lot of trouble pumping.

Any tips I should know to try and get some sort of colostrum storage happening?

**forshelby** · February 21st, 2013, 08:27 PM

Do you have any colostrum leaking yet?

**Freya** · February 21st, 2013, 08:29 PM

Not regularly, some days I get a let down feeling and can hand express a few drops but nothing substantial.

**forshelby** · February 21st, 2013, 08:52 PM

Hmm. I would say try hand expressing as much as you can to stimulate production. I've noticed in the last couple of weeks that I had a few drops, so started hand expressing when I have a shower as the warm water helps. That familiar feeling of letdown happens and I'm able to get it to run. Not a lot, but it's more than a few drops. Surely doing this can't hurt anyway.

I don't have a huge amount of BF experience but I know that stimulation is key to production, so if you have a hand pump I'd go for it.

I had GD last pg and am waiting on results for this pg - but I don't remember anyone suggesting I express colostrum in case bubs needed a glucose boost. I was told he'd be taken to the SCN if his sugars were low. I did not like the idea of that at all. In fact, I hate the idea even more this time around for various reasons.

Have you had GD before? Are you diet controlled or on insulin?

**Frangipani Lou** · February 21st, 2013, 09:09 PM

Hi Freya,
I expressed and stored colostrum from 37weeks. I was advised not to do it before them because it can stimulate labor.
Buy some 3ml syringes from the chemist. I used 1 for the whole day.
I found a wheat bag or warm shower good to warm my breasts first before expressing.
I expressed up to 4 times a day for 10-15 minutes at a time. Some sessions I got 3ml some .5ml.
Massage your breast, hold the syringe tip to your nipple, squeeze behind your areola and pull the plunger of the syringe to suck up the colostrum. You will need to frequently hold the syringe upright and gently push the syringe plunger to get the excess air of the syringe.
Put 1 days worth of syringes in a Mini snap lock bag with your name , the date and amount of colostrum.
I would recommend keeping a tally so you know how much of a stash you have when you go into labor.
If you decide to take some in when you go into labor, put it in a chiller bag with a couple of ice packs. Colostrum can go missing in hospitals if its not kept with you, it's liquid gold.
I didn't end up using it in hospital but used it for DD when she has colds... It worked a treat.
Good luck, I hope my experience helps you to get the hang of it fast.

**little_O** · February 21st, 2013, 09:27 PM

I was practically the same as frangipani Lou.

I only expressed twice a day though. My practitioner told me to only hand express, ie no pump. Even if you don't have a lot coming out(I started with being lucky to get .25 of a ml the first few days) I was told that at least the colostrum is ready to go when bubs first latches on and will give them their sugar if they need it.

I think they are encouraging it now so that if the baby is low in sugar they won't have to be topped up with formula, but will have colustrum ready to go

I found it best to express after a shower and just trying to relax.

Hth

X

**Freya** · February 21st, 2013, 09:28 PM

My hospital will provide me with syringes etc to store it in, they want me to do it after 36wks because a) it means no formula top ups and b) it will minimise the time he is away from me IF he needs it (which we don't anticipate anyway).

**little_O** · February 21st, 2013, 09:45 PM

This was the same reasoning for my hospital.

Tbh, dd's sugar was fine when she was born. However the nurses were able to use the colustrum to feed her and let me rest a little.

Did they give you any information about how and why it works?

**jellybean88** · February 22nd, 2013, 05:09 AM

I will be doing this from 37 weeks last time ds sugar was quite low but I didn't have gd and my labour was only 5 hrs so it wasn't from that either so he had formula top ups so I figure if I don't use it ill just give it to him later

**bellany** · February 22nd, 2013, 06:07 AM

Im doing this too. Ive been told from 34 weeks is ok but I do occasionally feed my son still so we feel a few minutes of expressing wont set anything off.
My hospital also have a donor policy where any of my friends can go in and have a blood test to clear them as my donor then they csn express at the hosp or bring milk in for my babes. Very awesome. Might be worth looking into?

**HotI** · February 22nd, 2013, 07:07 AM

hand expressing is more effective than a pump for colustrum.

**HotI** · February 22nd, 2013, 02:53 PM

Freya,

i was looking for some info for you and found this http://www.biomedsearch.com/article/...156448946.html

Plus, the ABA forum has a long thread on expressing prenatally for GD.

**Pholi** · February 23rd, 2013, 10:32 AM

I totally agree with everything Frangipani Lou said. I did the same thing exactly, and it was invaluable in getting us through the 3-4th day when my milk hadn't come in yet.

**OceanPrincess** · February 23rd, 2013, 07:38 PM

...My hospital also have a donor policy where any of my friends can go in and have a blood test to clear them as my donor then they csn express at the hosp or bring milk in for my babes. Very awesome. Might be worth looking into?

That is really awesome. Wow. Wish more hospitals had that!

**bellany** · February 23rd, 2013, 08:41 PM

That is really awesome. Wow. Wish more hospitals had that!

It is. Only down side is they dont tell u about it so if you dont know its there and ask youre in the dark!

**blondedoctor** · March 9th, 2013, 02:54 AM

Thanks for this thread!!! I am booked for a c-section in about 10 days (GD, previous C, mild pre-eclampsia and massive breech baby - 98th percentile!) and asked my OB about expressing inadvance to supplement bub for his first feed if I am unable too. The OB and midwives just fumbled for answers as if I was the first person ever to ask it. Obviously BF is not a priority in this hospital! Glad to know I can start now because I think I might actually go into spontaneous labout any day now (lost my mucous plug today) and I need to be prepared.

**little_O** · March 9th, 2013, 06:30 AM

Hope everything goes smoothly for you BD!

My ob hadn't really had much to do with it either. The hospitals LC was who told me to do it.

Is it all fine for you to go into spontaneous? How exciting!! Hopefully the expressing helps

**Frangipani Lou** · March 9th, 2013, 08:12 AM

Good luck Blondedoctor! It may bring your labor on. How many weeks pg are you?

If your close to birthing you may be able to get a small stash together before bubs comes. Formula may be offered if medically indicated but hopefully you won't need it.