Thanks
Meet Elodie!
https://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q158/lissylops1/1dayold_zps968f2b0b.jpg
I am obviously absolutely delighted with how everything went from a GD perspective. I gave birth at 39+5 and I think her weight is pretty much as it should have been for that gestation - she was 1lb heavier than my older daughter but born two weeks later so that makes sense
In the days leading up to my inductions I got a bit freaked out because from week 37-39 my numbers had been REALLY hard to control and then literally over night I woke up at 39+2 and was getting 3.5's in the morning and low 4's after meals
I was so scared the placenta was giving up that I was relieved to be induced.
I found it quite stressful during labour having to check my sugars every hour - I basically felt like I couldnt eat because different doctors would come in and ask for a sugar reading and if it had been over 7 they would have wanted to start a sliding scale. Fortunately it was all pretty quick and my sugars were fine.
Re. colostrum harvesting. It was recommended by my MW as I was forced to give formula top ups in hospital with my older daughter and it really knocked my bfing confidence (we got through it and I fed her for 16.5 months though after that)
I started expressing at 36 weeks. My boobs are not the best when it comes to expressing but I managed to get 15ml to take into hospital over the 3 or so weeks. I didnt do it every evening, more like every other.
I hand expressed the colostrum into 1ml syringes, sometimes I would only get 0.5ml but as long as it was 0.5 or above I would just freeze it there and then.
I found I got the most out after warm baths and as time went on I was getting more and more each evening, it also really helped to toughen my nipples up
My MW said to make sure baby was offered as much boob as they wanted and if baby was still alert after the feed to just over 1ml of the colostrum. I kept it in the ward freezer and just defrosted it in a cup of warm water. I would drop in 0.3ml or so at a time.
Elodie's sugars never dropped particularly low but I did use the colostrum to put my mind at rest and keep the midwives off my back. They seemed to step back because they I had the colostrum to give to her.
I was in hospital for 2 nights (because I had her very late at night and then in the UK they keep even diet controlled GD's for 24 hours) On night 2 in hospital I will admit giving some of the colostrum to get a bit of a break, it was nice to give her something that satisfied her really easily. One time though I made the error of offering 2ml and that was too much after a normal feed and she spat most of it back up.
I really think the harvesting has made me produce more colostrum and made my milk come in faster - milk arrived 60 hours post birth this morning and I have produced loads of colostrum.
I really really recommend it
Glad to hear all is well. I haven't heard of Colostrum Harvesting and am very interested also! Can you do this if insulin controlled also? xx
will look tomorrow on my laptop - off to bed now, as I am shattered.
