Enf.ª Margarida LançaSpecialist Nurse in Maternal and Obstetric Health
Last updated 2 September 2026
Perhaps you have already heard of antenatal colostrum harvesting. This consists of hand-expressing small drops of your first milk in the final weeks of pregnancy and storing them so they can be used after birth, if necessary.
It is a simple technique that should be taught by a professional, and it can increase a woman's confidence in breastfeeding and hand expression.
In most pregnancies, this harvesting is not mandatory. However, it can be beneficial in certain situations, such as when there is diabetes, a caesarean section is planned, a twin pregnancy, a history of breast surgery, or when there is a higher chance that the baby will not be able to feed directly from the breast in the first days of life.
In these cases, having the mother's own colostrum available can avoid the use of formula milk, and it facilitates and protects the start of breastfeeding and the baby's health.
If it is recommended for you, harvesting is usually started from 36 weeks of pregnancy, after a professional confirms that there are no contraindications and teaches the correct technique.
The collected colostrum is stored in appropriate syringes and frozen until the time of birth.
Antenatal colostrum harvesting is not recommended for all pregnant women.
In situations such as a risk of preterm labour, a history of premature birth, placenta praevia, or cervical cerclage, it should be avoided. Before starting this practice, always seek advice from the professional monitoring your pregnancy.
Learning hand expression while still pregnant can also be a great help in the postpartum period. This technique can be useful to relieve breast engorgement, express milk when necessary, or help your baby receive colostrum if they have difficulty breastfeeding in the first few days.
It is always preferable and nutritionally more beneficial to offer your baby freshly expressed colostrum; if this is something you have already familiarised yourself with during pregnancy, you will find it easier to do after birth.
