Abstract: A colostrum collection system includes a breast cup, an intermediate reservoir, a syringe attached below the intermediate reservoir, and a vacuum pump drawing vacuum from the breast cup and syringe, through the intermediate reservoir. The vacuum pump maintains vacuum throughout a vacuum pump cycle, but varies the level of the vacuum between a low vacuum and a high vacuum. During high vacuum, the colostrum is drawn from the breast and into the intermediate reservoir, and air is drawn from the syringe creating reduced air pressure in the syringe. During low vacuum, the colostrum is drawn into the syringe by the reduced air pressure in the syringe.

Abstract: A cap and rigid bottle converts an expressed milk syringe from an open system to a closed system. The cap is in fluid communication between a breast pump and breast cup. The rigid bottle is attached to the bottom of the cap and the syringe is captured inside the bottom under the cap in a sealed environment. The pump provides varying positive vacuum to the cap and through the cap to the breast cup. Milk is drawn by the vacuum into the cap and flows by gravity down into the syringe. A passage between the interior of the syringe and the interior of the bottle equalizes pressure and allows the syringe to fill while maintaining a closed system, allowing a piston in the syringe to remain stationary. The closed system protects a mother's milk being pumped into a milk collecting syringe from air born contaminants.