Colostrum- What It Is And How To Collect It | Safe Collect

Colostrum is small in volume, big in purpose. It’s the first milk your body makes for a newborn, and it shows up in drops and teaspoons, not bottles. That can feel surprising when you’re tired, sore, and staring at a hungry little face.

This article clears up what colostrum is, what’s normal, and how to collect it safely—either after birth, or (for some parents) in the final weeks of pregnancy. You’ll get clear steps, storage tips, and a few red flags that mean you should pause and call your care team.

What colostrum is

Colostrum is the early milk produced in late pregnancy and during the first few days after birth. It’s thicker than mature milk and often looks yellow or deep gold. Some people see it as clear or pale at first, then darker later. Both can be normal.

It’s made in small quantities on purpose. A newborn’s stomach is tiny, and frequent small feeds fit that first-day rhythm. Many parents worry they “don’t have enough” when they only see drops. Drops are how colostrum works.

What’s inside colostrum

Colostrum carries concentrated building blocks for a new baby: immune factors, proteins, and energy in a form that’s easy to digest. Public health guidance often calls it a baby’s first vaccine, since it carries antibodies that help guard against germs early on. UNICEF uses that framing when describing colostrum’s role in the first days. UNICEF report on early initiation of breastfeeding.

Colostrum can help the baby pass meconium (that first dark stool). If your baby is sleepy or slow to latch, collecting drops can keep feeds going while you work on latch.

Why colostrum matters in the first days

Early feeding sets a rhythm. Frequent feeds can help your milk supply ramp up. Many maternity units promote skin-to-skin and early feeding for that reason. The WHO early breastfeeding guidance points to starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth when possible.

Colostrum is also handy when your baby needs a little extra. Some newborns have a higher chance of low blood sugar, like babies of parents with diabetes, babies born early, or babies who are smaller than expected. In those cases, a few milliliters of expressed colostrum can be useful alongside latching.

When collecting colostrum makes sense

There are two common times colostrum gets collected: after birth (most common), and before birth in the last weeks of pregnancy (only for some people). The goal is simple: make sure the baby gets colostrum, even if the latch is still a work in progress.

Colostrum- What It Is And How To Collect It after birth

After birth, colostrum collection can fill gaps when the baby is sleepy, separated for medical checks, or learning to latch. Hand expression can pull out drops that you can feed by spoon, cup, or syringe, depending on what your hospital uses.

Collecting before birth (antenatal expression)

Some hospitals teach hand expression in late pregnancy so you can freeze small syringes of colostrum for the first days. Many NHS leaflets suggest starting around 36–37 weeks, and stopping if you get painful contractions. Here’s one example: Imperial NHS antenatal colostrum harvesting leaflet.

Many NHS Trusts share similar hand-expression steps, and ABM UK has a clear explainer: ABM UK antenatal expression of colostrum.

Antenatal expression isn’t a must-do, and it isn’t right for everyone. If you’ve had preterm labor, bleeding, placenta issues, or you’ve been told to avoid nipple stimulation, skip this and ask your midwife or doctor what’s safe for you.

Collecting colostrum before birth with care

Before you try antenatal expression, get a clear green light from your maternity team. A quick conversation can prevent a lot of stress. You’re asking one thing: “Is hand expressing colostrum safe for me now, and when should I start?”

If you get the go-ahead, most guidance keeps it gentle and short. Many people do a few minutes once or twice a day, then stop. If you feel cramps that don’t fade with rest, stop and call your maternity contact line.

How to collect colostrum by hand

Colostrum is thick, so pumps often aren’t the best tool at the start. Hand expression tends to work better because it’s precise and you can aim drops right where you want them.

What you’ll need

• Clean hands and a clean surface
• A small sterile container or colostrum syringe (1–5 mL)
• Labels and a pen (date and time)
• A clean spoon or medicine cup if you’re feeding right away

Step-by-step hand expression

1. Wash your hands. Dry them well. Keep pets and food prep away from your collection area.
2. Warm the breast. A warm shower or a warm compress for a couple of minutes can help milk flow.
3. Find the right spot. Place your thumb and first finger about 2–3 cm behind the nipple, opposite each other, forming a “C.”
4. Press back, then compress. Press your fingers gently back toward your chest wall, then compress thumb and finger together. Don’t slide your fingers over the skin.
5. Release and repeat. Keep a steady rhythm: press back, compress, release. Rotate your fingers around the breast to collect from more ducts.
6. Catch the drops. Let drops fall into the container or directly into a syringe held close to the nipple.
7. Switch sides. Try 2–3 minutes per side, then swap. Total time can be 5–10 minutes.

What “normal” looks like

At first you may see nothing, then a sheen, then a drop. That’s still progress. Some people collect 0.5–2 mL in a session; others get more. Early postpartum sessions can yield teaspoons over time. Your baby will feed often, so you don’t need a big stash to make this worthwhile.

Common snags and quick fixes

• Nothing is coming out. Try warmth, a gentle breast massage, and a calmer pace. Switch to the other side and come back.
• Nipple soreness. Check that you’re pressing behind the areola, not pinching the nipple itself.
• Sticky colostrum in the syringe. Hold the syringe tip right at the drop so it slides in, rather than trying to “suck” it in from a distance.

Colostrum collection situations and practical notes

Colostrum collection isn’t one-size-fits-all. The table below gives common situations and what tends to work in real life. Use it as a planning tool, then fit it to your own birth plan and medical needs.

Situation	Typical timing	What tends to help
Baby latches well and feeds often	First 24–48 hours	Focus on frequent feeds; collect only if you want a backup for sleepy stretches.
Sleepy newborn or long stretches between feeds	First day	Hand express drops after a feed attempt; feed by spoon or syringe, then try latch again.
Cesarean birth with delayed first feed	Recovery period	Skin-to-skin when possible; short hand-expression sessions can keep milk moving.
Risk of low blood sugar (parental diabetes, small baby)	First hours	Have a plan with staff; expressed colostrum can be used alongside direct feeding.
Baby in special care nursery	First days	Hand express early and often; label each tiny amount so staff can give it at the next feed.
Twins or higher-order multiples	First days	Alternate sides, keep sessions short, and track which baby got which feed if you’re topping up.
Flat or inverted nipples	Early postpartum	Hand expression can keep intake going while you work on latch positions and tools offered by your unit.
Antenatal expression with maternity approval	Often 36–37 weeks onward	Collect into sterile syringes, freeze quickly, and stop if you feel painful contractions.

How to store and handle collected colostrum

Colostrum can be stored like expressed breast milk, just in smaller volumes. Clean handling matters because newborns are still building defenses. The CDC breast milk storage and preparation page lists time limits for room temperature, fridge, and freezer storage.

If you’re freezing antenatal colostrum, use tiny portions. A 1–3 mL syringe is common. Label each syringe with the date and time. Put the newest in the back so you use the oldest first.

Where it’s stored	General time limit	Handling tips
Room temperature (up to 77°F / 25°C)	Up to 4 hours	Keep it out of direct sun; feed sooner if the room is warm.
Refrigerator (40°F / 4°C)	Up to 4 days	Store at the back of the fridge, not in the door.
Freezer (0°F / −18°C)	About 6 months for best quality; up to 12 months acceptable	Freeze flat if using bags; keep syringes in a sealed container to prevent odor pickup.
Thawed in the refrigerator	Use within 24 hours	Count the 24 hours from fully thawed, not from when you moved it.
Warmed milk at room temperature	Use within 2 hours	Warm in a bowl of warm water; skip microwaves to avoid hot spots.
Leftover after a feed	Use within 2 hours, then discard	Backwash from the baby’s mouth can change milk safety.

Feeding collected colostrum to your baby

Hospitals often use spoon, cup, syringe, or finger feeding for colostrum. The aim is gentle pacing, not speed. If you’re syringe feeding, go slow and let the baby swallow between tiny pushes. Keep the baby upright and watch for steady breathing.

Safety notes and when to pause

Stop collecting and call your maternity line if you’re pregnant and you get painful contractions, bleeding, or reduced fetal movement. After birth, call for help if you see fever, worsening breast pain, or a baby who won’t wake for feeds.

If your baby was born early, has medical needs, or your care team has given you special feeding instructions, follow those first. Colostrum collection can still fit the plan, but it should match the plan.

Making the first days easier

Tiny amounts are normal, and frequent feeds are the rule. Hand expression lets you collect drops when latching takes time, and antenatal expression is an option only when your maternity team says it’s safe.