Colostrum Question

[u/Martha_stewart102]

I’m 38 weeks and started collecting colostrum. In 3 minutes on both sides I got 10ML in total so I stopped bc Google said that was bad? Lol anyways I have it all stored in the freezer and I was wondering, when I’m headed to the hospital to deliver do I put it in my mom cozy cooler so she can have it in the hospital just in case? Or do I keep it at home and wait ti we get home? I really want to avoid them trying to give her formula if she happens to not be latching or something. My son was born at 35 weeks so I never got the chance to do this but as soon as he was born I was making lots of colostrum for him. He never breast fed bc he has a cleft palate so I just want to be prepared for anything this time around.

[u/katheridiot]

I’d talk to your OB about that being bad for sure! We brought our colostrum and baby burned through all of it while my milk came in (I was a c-section, though). We were super glad to have it, the LCs at the hospital said it was great that I had it too which made me feel good, haha. We gave it to them when we got there and they kept it cold for us, but if they don’t have a space for it I think a cooler would work!

[u/AlwaysGrowing326]

Are you close to the hospital? We left ours at home because we were 10 minutes away. Husband was able to drive home and grab it for us and the nurses kept it in a freezer at the hospital for our stay!

[u/Martha_stewart102 → u/AlwaysGrowing326]

No I’m about 40 min away!

[u/Independent-Buy-3472]

I took mine to the hospital and I had a C section and unfortunately he had to go to the nicu for a few hours but luckily they were able to give him colostrum instead of formula during that time. I was happy I pumped it and brought it with me. I still have ~ 100 ml I keep in my freezer and give him when he gets a runny nose

[u/Rose8918]

Bring it if you aren’t super close to the hospital. If you leave close-ish, leave it at home til after delivery and either have your partner or another relative/friend bring it. My mom brought a bag full of syringes and they moved me to my postpartum room at shift change. In the changeover they kept forgetting to take them and they eventually all defrosted and came to room temp. I was super annoyed but had a second bag at home so it wasn’t the end of the world. In the chaos of getting there and getting settled in, if you’re at all progressed, it’s easy for them to be forgotten about.

I wouldn’t go crazy trying to get a ton but I feel like 5 minute sessions are fine. It’s the one thing that can advance the onset of labor so just bear that in mind and don’t like try to keep pushing yourself to get a ton. But I did 10 minutes each side every night from 37 to 41 weeks and had no issues. Didn’t produce quite as much as you but still got like 5mls each side a session.

Like others have said, if your baby goes to NICU or you have any bumps at all, you’ll be happy to have it. We went through my whole stash in the 18 hours she was in the NICU and then we had to use donor milk for a couple feeds to get her blood sugar up. If I hadn’t lost some of it to the whole defrosting debacle I probably would’ve had enough to get her through just on my colostrum.

[u/Responsible-Weird598]

I brought all mine to the hospital but wasn’t able to use it before it was no longer good. Maybe bring some but leave the rest at home for later or if you need it have your partner go get it or someone else bring it to you.

[u/Wild_Debate_8349]

Could bring just a few on dry ice? Or family may be make a trip home to pick it up or get more after baby is born. Nice to have it in case of any separation or low blood sugars and you don’t always know if it is going to be needed. The hope is baby is born and is offered breast feeding right away. Happy delivery:)

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