Yes it is often difficult to get the small volumes of colostrum when using a
breastpump in early days. Hand expression would work better but
unfortunately seems to not be well-accepted by moms. Even though I don't
like adding anything to the colostrum, I have on occasion used sterile
glucose water (plain sterile water is unavailable) and squirted it down the
flange so that it siphons thru the little valve (where the thick colostrum
usually collects and won't flow through) and into the collection bottle.
Then I draw every drop up into a syringe. In a way this is good, becoz for
little premies it gives a higher volume than the colostrum alone would have
given, so then the baby does not have to get any formula. I try to very
carefully remove the flange and tilt it back, or show the mother how to,
from her breasts so that mimimum of the colostrum is lost. At my hospital,
the only pump we have is the Ameda SMB and we use the disposable kits, so
the flange does not come apart. Martha I guess you were describing the
Medela setup?

Laurie Wheeler, IBCLC, MN, RN
New Orleans Louisiana, s.e. USA




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