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 _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html