Colostrum, otherwise known as first milk, is a thicker viscosity golden fluid released before breast milk production begins. For some, it comes during their third trimester which means you may be able to express the colostrum and store it ahead in preparation for your baby's arrival.
Colostrum is regarded as ideal nourishment for a newborn. It is highly concentrated, full of good fats, protein, nutrient-dense, so a little goes a long way. You can build up a ‘stock’ and keep it in your fridge so, should you hit a curve in your breastfeeding journey, and your baby needs extra fluid or nutrition, you have the expressed colostrum that can help you bridge the gap.
Not everyone is a candidate for antenatal colostrum expressing, so always get the green light from your midwife, OB-GYN or doctor before you do it.
Colostrum can be collected in single-use, plastic syringes sometimes provided by your health provider, but they can be difficult to use one handed. The Haakaa Colostrum Collector is a set of six 100% medical-grade silicone collecting tubes that can be used to collect, store and feed colostrum, reducing the chances of cross contamination. Each comes pre-sterilised. The soft squeezable silicone works like a vacuum effect to collect droplets that can be safely stored in the fridge or freezer for later. Unlike traditional syringes, you can feed and manage your colostrum from the same container, which are portable, leakproof and reusable.
