Most parents can begin antenatal colostrum expression around 36–37 weeks of pregnancy; start sooner only if your clinician advises it.
Colostrum is the first milk your body makes. It’s thick, concentrated, and full of protective factors for a newborn. The big question many parents ask is timing: when to begin collecting it, and when a pump helps versus when hands work better. This guide gives clear week-by-week windows, practical safeguards, and step-by-step methods you can use alongside your care team.
Quick Answer And Who It Applies To
In a routine, low-risk pregnancy, antenatal collection usually starts at 36–37 weeks. People with risks for preterm birth, placenta problems, or frequent contractions should wait for a personalised green light. After birth, begin within hours if your baby isn’t latching or you’re separated. In the very early days, hand expression often beats pumping because colostrum arrives in tiny drops.
At How Many Weeks Can You Start Pumping Colostrum?
For antenatal collection, most hospital services place the green light at 36–37 weeks. Before that point, nipple stimulation can feel strong and may be uncomfortable. Short, gentle sessions later in pregnancy are usually fine when your midwife or OB has okayed them. If anything feels crampy or painful, stop and call your team. After birth, the clock changes: start right away if a latch isn’t effective within the first hour or if you’re apart from your baby. A pump becomes useful once flow increases over the next few days, while hand expression remains a solid option any time drops feel easier to collect with fingers.
When To Start Expressing Colostrum By Week (Safe Windows)
The table below lays out typical start points by situation. It keeps things practical while leaving room for individual plans made with your own clinician.
| Situation | Recommended Start Week | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Low-risk, singleton pregnancy | 36–37 weeks | Short hand-expression sessions once or twice daily. |
| Planned caesarean birth | 35–37 weeks | Some units suggest earlier practice to have a small supply for recovery day. |
| Gestational diabetes | 36–37 weeks | Having drops ready can help with early feeds and blood-glucose dips. |
| Twin or higher-order pregnancy | 36 weeks (if stable) | Confirm with your team, as preterm labour risk varies. |
| History of preterm labour | Case-by-case | Only with clinician guidance, or delay until after birth. |
| Placenta previa, bleeding, or frequent contractions | Delay | Skip antenatal sessions unless your team clears them. |
| Breast surgery or flat/inverted nipples | 36–37 weeks | Gentle practice can build skill and confidence. |
| Baby expected to need extra care | 36–37 weeks | Collected drops can be fed if separation happens. |
| After birth, baby not latching | Within first hour | Start hand expression; add a pump if drops are hard to collect. |
| After birth, effective latch | As needed | Direct feeding leads; pump only for supply goals or relief. |
Hand Expression Or Pumping: What Works Best For Colostrum
Colostrum arrives in teaspoons at first. A pump flange can miss those tiny beads, while fingers can nudge them out and draw them into a syringe. Many parents find that short hand-expression sets—about 5–10 minutes per side—beat long pump sessions during the first couple of days. A hospital-grade pump helps later for supply goals or when you’re building freezer stores.
To hand express, wash your hands, sit upright, place fingers and thumb in a “C” shape about an inch back from the nipple, press back toward the chest, then compress and release in a steady rhythm. Rotate around the breast and switch sides when the flow slows. Warmth, light massage, and steady breathing can make let-down easier.
Safety Rules Before You Start
Who Should Get The Green Light First
If you’re under care for preterm contractions, placenta problems, cervical stitches, a short cervix, or bleeding, get explicit clearance. Anyone with a history of fast labours, multiple miscarriages, or uterine surgery should ask for a personalised plan. Many services invite people with diabetes in pregnancy to practice, since those early drops often help with baby’s sugars.
Session Lengths And Frequency
Keep antenatal sessions short. Think one or two daily sets of 5–10 minutes per side from 36–37 weeks. Stop early if you feel uterine tightening that doesn’t fade with rest. Postpartum, aim for 8–10 milk removals in 24 hours if you’re not directly breastfeeding; combine hand expression with pumping to match that number.
What To Watch For
Strong cramps, bleeding, or leak of fluid needs medical assessment. Fever, aching breasts, or red hot patches can signal mastitis; rest, remove milk often, and seek help the same day. If any device hurts, change flange size or switch to hands.
Method: How This Guide Was Built
Recommendations here line up with maternity leaflets from large UK hospital trusts that place antenatal expression at 36–37 weeks, as well as public health instructions on safe hand expression and milk storage. Clinical language is translated into plain steps you can use in real life. Always follow the plan made with your own team.
Step-By-Step: Collecting Drops Antenatally
Gear You’ll Need
Clean hands, a warm compress or shower, sterile 1–2 ml syringes for drops, small labelled containers, and a pen for times and dates. Your clinic may supply “colostrum collectors.”
Five Simple Steps
- Warm up with a few minutes of gentle massage.
- Place thumb and fingers an inch back from the nipple in a “C.”
- Press back toward the chest, then compress and release in a steady rhythm.
- Collect beads in a syringe tip or let them drip into a clean cup.
- Switch sides when the flow eases; stop within 5–10 minutes per side.
How Often
Start with once daily from 36–37 weeks. If you’re comfortable and cleared, move to twice daily. A few millilitres across several days builds a helpful stash.
Postpartum Plan: First 72 Hours
If Baby Latches Well
Offer the breast often—8 to 12 feeds per day. Expect small, frequent feeds. Your milk will shift from thick gold to a lighter flow across day three to five. If you want a small store, add one short pump after the morning feed once your flow increases.
If Baby Isn’t Latching Yet Or You’re Separated
Begin hand expression within the first hour, every two to three hours. Add a hospital-grade pump as soon as you have access. Skin-to-skin time, even with wires or tubes, supports let-down and bonding. Label any collected drops with date and time.
Taking An Evidence-Led Approach (With Links)
Public-health guides show the exact “C-hold” technique and rhythm for hand expression. For a clear, visual walkthrough, see the CDC’s page on hand expression. For an antenatal leaflet that places the start at 36–37 weeks and advises pausing if cramps appear, see Imperial College Healthcare’s guide to antenatal colostrum harvesting.
Storage Rules For Collected Colostrum
Safe handling protects those drops you worked for. The table below lists typical storage times for fresh human milk, including early colostrum. When in doubt, chill sooner and freeze a portion into small, single-use amounts. You can also cross-check these ranges on the CDC’s page for breast milk storage.
| Container | Fridge (≤4°C) | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Freshly expressed, sealed cup or syringe | Up to 4 days | Best within 6 months; up to 12 months acceptable |
| Thawed in fridge | Use within 24 hours | Do not refreeze |
| Room temperature before chilling | Move to fridge within 4 hours | Freeze once chilled |
| Small ice-cube tray with lids | N/A | Pop out and bag in dated portions |
| Hospital syringes | Follow local label | Often frozen flat, then placed in a bag |
| Mixed with later milk | Match the older milk’s date | Freeze in small portions |
| Milk warmed for a feed | Use within 2 hours | Discard leftovers |
How To Feed Collected Colostrum
Small amounts go a long way. Many units use a syringe to place drops inside the cheek while a baby practices latching. A cup or spoon also works for alert, term babies. Preterm or unwell babies may need team-directed methods such as a feeding tube. Whatever the method, slow pacing and close watching keeps baby settled.
Common Questions Answered
Will Starting At 36 Weeks Bring On Labour?
For most low-risk pregnancies, short hand-expression sets late in the third trimester haven’t been shown to start labour. Strong cramps or any bleeding mean you should stop and get checked.
Is Pumping Before Birth Ever Suggested?
Hand expression is the usual antenatal method. A pump may be suggested near term when hand expression is tricky or to collect larger amounts under guidance. Many find a pump more helpful a few days after birth when flow increases.
How Much Should I Expect?
Think millilitres. Drops add up across sessions. Any amount helps with early feeds, especially for babies who need small, frequent volumes.
When Professional Support Helps
Book time with a lactation consultant if you feel unsure about technique, flange sizing, or pain. Troubles through the first week respond well to early, hands-on help. If you’re back on the ward or visiting a neonatal unit, ask staff to watch a session and suggest small tweaks.
At How Many Weeks Can You Start Pumping Colostrum?
Here’s the headline, stated plainly once more: most people start in the late third trimester after clearance, and they begin right away after birth if a latch isn’t working or separation occurs. That keeps the focus on baby’s needs and your comfort while avoiding sessions that feel too strong, too soon.
Putting It All Together
If you’re wondering, “at how many weeks can you start pumping colostrum?” the short, practical answer is late third trimester for most people, with hand expression as the first tool and your own team setting the guardrails. The same phrase—“at how many weeks can you start pumping colostrum?”—also applies after birth: start right away if a latch isn’t working or you’re apart, and layer in the pump as your flow grows. With a few calm sessions, labelled syringes, and safe storage, you’ll have drops ready for early feeds while direct breastfeeding gets established.