Benefits of antenatal milk expression

Harvesting colostrum before birth - also known as antenatal milk expression - can be a way to increase exclusive breastfeeding, according to research.

From the early use of formula to perceptions of insufficient milk supply, mothers can face quite a few barriers to exclusive breastfeeding - which can prevent their babies from receiving the recommended diet of 6 months of exclusive human milk.

Antenatal milk expression (AME) - expressing and storing colostrum during late pregnancy - is a known practice among diabetic mothers¹. But could this also be a way to help more mothers breastfeed for longer? To find out, researchers reviewed studies carried out in Australia, India, the UK, the USA and New Zealand, of a total of 2842 mothers².

The majority of the studies in this review followed pregnant women who started antenatal milk expression at 36 or 37 weeks - and who expressed between 1-3 times a day, for 5-10 minutes. Themes explored included infant well-being, breastfeeding self-efficacy, milk supply, and infant feeding methods - with a focus on the first 2 weeks after birth.

Gestational age

There has been some concern among parents and healthcare professionals, that AME may affect trigger labor contractions, and decrease gestational age. This review found "no difference in mean gestational age at birth for participants who practiced antenatal milk expression in comparison to participants in standard care groups."

In fact, AME is becoming increasingly common, and appears to have many benefits. But as every mother is different, AME should only be initiated under the supervision of a midwife or other healthcare professional. Aside from evaluating their individual situation, mothers will also need help learning the proper techniques, and how to store the colostrum safely.

Earlier lactation

Research also showed that the milk supply of AME mothers improved - and mothers reported an earlier onset of milk supply than expected. In addition to this, mothers who had previously given birth said their milk came in earlier than in previous births.

When comparing mothers who practiced AME with those who didn't, the AME mothers achieved full lactation earlier - within 30 minutes to 6 hours after starting breastfeeding after birth.

In case of postpartum hospitalization, AME helps ensure babies are fed human milk during their care. This was proven in the literature reviewed - which showed that a higher percentage of babies of AME mothers were exclusively fed human milk while in the hospital - compared with infants whose mothers did not practice AME.

Confidence boost

Confidence is a key factor in a mother's commitment to breastfeeding. One of the benefits of AME is the confidence boost it gives new moms. Not only did antenatal milk expression help mothers become more familiar with their breasts, it gave them a chance to practice before their baby was born. These mothers also felt reassured in the knowledge that they had a supply of colostrum - just in case any problems arose. And AME was positive proof that they were capable of producing milk.

Babies of mothers who practiced AME appeared more likely to continue breastfeeding 1-2 weeks after birth. It was also reported that the infants of these mothers were fed formula less often - and 50%-60% were exclusively fed mother's milk 3 months after birth.

This review highlights the opportunities that antenatal milk expression offers - not only in case of hospitalization or other postnatal problems. It's also a good way to help ensure mothers breastfeed exclusively, for a longer period of time. Midwives and other healthcare professionals should feel free to discuss this technique with parents who plan to breastfeed - so they and their newborn have a greater chance of enjoying the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.