Liquid Gold: Your Complete Guide to Colostrum
Colostrum: tiny drops with a huge job
Colostrum is the first milk your body produces during late pregnancy and the early days after birth. It is often called liquid gold because of both the color and the concentrated power it holds. Even a few drops can be enough to fill a newborn's belly.
Unlike mature milk, colostrum is thick, sticky, packed with immune protection, and custom made to meet your baby’s needs in the first 24 to 72 hours of life. While your baby’s stomach is literally the size of a marble, colostrum is designed to match that size and offer everything they need.
What makes colostrum unique?
According to research from the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine and the La Leche League, colostrum contains:
Immunoglobulin A (IgA), which coats the gut and protects against bacteria and viruses
High levels of white blood cells
Lactoferrin, which fights infection
Growth factors that help seal the intestinal lining
Higher protein and lower fat compared to mature milk so it is easy to digest
Colostrum is not “practice milk.” It is immune support, nourishment, and medicine in one.
Why collect colostrum before birth?
Prenatal colostrum collection is also called colostrum harvesting. It involves hand expressing and saving small amounts of colostrum starting around 36 to 37 weeks of pregnancy (if cleared by your care provider).
People choose to collect colostrum:
To have extra on hand if baby needs supplementation
If planning for a cesarean birth
If they have gestational diabetes (babies may have low blood sugar and colostrum helps stabilize it)
To ease anxiety about early feeding and give confidence in hand expression
You do not need to collect colostrum prenatally to breastfeed successfully. It is simply an option that can help you feel prepared.
Fun fact: Colostrum is so concentrated and sticky that many pumps can’t remove it. Your hands are more effective.
How to hand express colostrum
Hand expression is the most effective way to collect colostrum because pumps are often not able to pull out those tiny, thick drops.
Step by step:
Wash hands.
Get comfortable and warm. A warm washcloth on the chest helps.
Gently massage the breast, starting from the outer tissue and moving toward the nipple.
Place your thumb and fingers around the areola, about 2 to 3 cm back from the nipple.
Press back toward your chest wall, then compress fingers toward each other.
Release and repeat with a rhythm. Not sliding, not pulling, just compressing.
Colostrum will appear as thick yellow drops.
How to collect:
Catch drops in a sterile colostrum collector, oral syringe, or a small sterile cup and draw it up afterward.
Label the syringe immediately.
If nothing appears right away, that is normal. Hand expression is a skill and becomes easier with practice.
How to store colostrum
Follow Health Canada and Breastfeeding Committee for Canada guidelines for storage:
Refrigerate between sessions if you are collecting more that day.
Freeze within 24 hours.
Store in small syringes or breastmilk storage containers.
Storage times for colostrum and breastmilk:
Room temperature (20 to 25°C): up to 4 hours
Refrigerator (0 to 4°C): up to 4 days
Freezer (-18°C or colder): 6 to 12 months
Always label with:
Name
Date
Time expressed
Tip: freeze multiple tiny syringes instead of one big container. Newborns need very small amounts.
How to use colostrum
You can use stored colostrum:
After birth if baby is sleepy and not latching well
For low blood sugars (hospital staff often encourage supplementation from your stored colostrum)
For jaundice support (frequent feeding helps clear bilirubin)
As “top-ups” if latch needs improvement
You can also use a drop of colostrum on:
Cracked nipples
Baby acne
Cuts or scrapes
Diaper rash
Eye infections
Colostrum is literally the original all purpose healing balm.
To feed colostrum:
Use a syringe
Use a clean finger (let baby suck while you drip a little at a time)
Use a tiny spoon or cup
Always follow baby’s hunger cues and work with your healthcare team.
When to avoid prenatal expression
Do not express colostrum prenatally if:
You are at risk for preterm labor
Your care provider has asked you to avoid nipple stimulation
You have placenta previa or unexplained bleeding in pregnancy
Always check in with your midwife or doctor before starting.
A final reminder
Whether you collect colostrum ahead of time or not, your body knows what to do. A few drops are enough. Your baby was born expecting this exact milk.
And if breastfeeding feels confusing or overwhelming in those early hours, that is where a lactation consultant or doula comes in. You deserve support just as much as your baby does.
