Pumping Colostrum

SomersIsles

First of all, wow this stuff is thick! My first efforts led to 0.1 ml haha. Tonight I just pumped 1.2ml !!! It's like pumping molasses!

Wicked random questions...

1) How much colostrum do you think people can get in one sitting (both breasts pumped at the same time... 20-25 min effort)? Or maybe I should say... Is my 1.2 ml an impressive amount, typical amount, or pathetic amount?

2) I hear that people save time by refrigerating pump parts and then doing a good cleaning at night. Does this rule apply to colostrum too?? It dries and turns into hard sticky chunks... So I'm assuming putting the parts in the fridge still won't help?

3) similar to #2... If I don't clean my breasts really well with soap then the colostrum dries up and sticks to my nipples like crusty superglue! Will this happen when my milk comes in too? I've heard about rubbing breast milk all over to help moisturize... It's not going to crust up right? This is just happening because it's colostrum, right?

Thanks!!

Andreabills

I would say that your 1.2 MLs is a good amount. The first few days P&P are such a blur that I honestly don't remember how much I got. As for the boobie super glue, yes that stopped after my milk came in and the colustrum went away.

Good luck!

chocoroom

I got literally a drop or two when pumping at the beginning, so your 1.2 ml sounds awesome! Newborn tummies are only the size of cherries so they need very little at first. I had hardly anything though so we had to supplement with formula at first.

I hadn't heard of refrigerating parts to save on cleaning - I need to look into that!

And breastmilk is a totally different consistency. It doesn't dry hard or cake on your nipples like colostrum does.

lvlichelle

I have no idea about the colostrum.  I stared pumping after my milk came in. I don't get crusty nipples from my milk. My nipples seem to stay pretty moist.  When I first stared pumping I was getting about an ounce oer breast. Now I range anywhere between 5-7 ounces. A typical pumping session yields about 5 1/2. I'm hoping that increases soon. I've been trying to pump every 3 hours to increase output.  

Hope some of this helps

Oh, and im totally going to research the refrigerator thing. 

ProudMommy030614

I just rinse my pump parts with hot water during the day and do a hot soapy water scrub down at night. I have heard of putting parts in a bag in the fridge too. I started pumping as soon as my milk came in and no sticky nips here

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CruiseGirl28

The first time I double pumped colostrum, I got 30-40ml in 15 minutes, but apparently that's not normal at all, because the nurses were amazed.

memo9

With my first I had a ton of colostrum and could get an ounce or so.  I don't feel like I had as much the second time around.

Mature milk is sticky, but not thick like colostrum. 

AnonymousMotherOfOne

I must be like the weirdest BFer ever... The first time I pumped colostrum (day 2 in the hospital because LO wasn't latching so she wasn't getting enough to eat) I got around 2.5oz. The nurse was ecstatic. And then it went bad because Mia just wasn't hungry and wouldn't touch it.

pepperedmoth

I am literally sitting here trying to pump colostrum.

First time I tried with the Medela Symphony from the hospital and got 3ml. Tried again later and got 1.3. Tried again and got nada.

At home, nada nada nada with the Medela Pump In Style. Also no luck with hand expression.

Questions:
1.) If I am pumping for stim as much as actual supply, does it matter so much that I don't get much?

2.) How do you colllect with hand expression? Literally getting drops at a time.

CruiseGirl28

pepperedmoth said:

I am literally sitting here trying to pump colostrum.

First time I tried with the Medela Symphony from the hospital and got 3ml. Tried again later and got 1.3. Tried again and got nada.

At home, nada nada nada with the Medela Pump In Style. Also no luck with hand expression.

Questions:
1.) If I am pumping for stim as much as actual supply, does it matter so much that I don't get much?

2.) How do you colllect with hand expression? Literally getting drops at a time.

For number 2, they had me hand express into a medicine cup