Doula recommended banking colostrum for gd

[Emmea12uk]

Re my earlier post about the hospital wanting me to go in after just 2 hours so my baby's blood glucose could be monitored due to "equipment issues" - my doula did some research and found that if I have a stash of colostrum in the freezer and use my own machine to test her blood glucose then the risks were do pathetic that if I were to come to blows with the local trust over child safety issues - at least I would know she was getting enough and could prove it.

It is a contentious thing banking colostrum - but I am term so why not? I gave it a go and in 30 minutes only got 0.09ml lol! I have tummy and backache now so am waiting for my hormonal backlash.

Anyone got any info on this?

 

[lozzy21]

When LO's blood sugar was tested in hospital they just used a normal adult BM machine to do it so i dont see why not.

 

[Bournefree]

Newborns stomachs are the size of a pea. I'm sure that you would have any trouble either breast feeding that much or expressing that much after birth.

However I can see that it might make you feel better, and there certainly is no harm in that! So go for it. Also it has the benefits that the nipple stimulation will help your oxytocin flow, and may rippen you up for labour. If not, just enjoy it!

Getting baby to feed is a concern only IF they are hypo (and that is very unlikey).. but say they are, then it is the excess insulin they have in their blood that you need to put to use on your sugars in thier blood - and that will rapidly solve the problem... waiting 2 hours and going into hospital is far to long. Get on with feeding anyway you feel comfortable with, pref within 30 mins, if not right away (not just because of the GD, but because newborns have thier best reflext to feed before 30 mins after birth)

Please don't feel that you will exclude initiating brestfeeding on the basis that you can prove they have had X amount. You don't need that pressure - your baby will prove they are not hypo by behaving normally. It doesn't really matter how you feed only that you do if they are hypo.

I know that you know all this.. you are very clued up on the whole GD.. please don't let them make you feel like you have to jump through hoop the minute your baby is born - it is a special time for you both, and just tell them that you are going to get on with it... YOUR WAY. ;-)

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