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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Nipple stimulation for Labour (Not politically related lol)

24 replies

Heartburn888 · 23/11/2019 18:48

So not an AIBU as such, posting here for the traffic - but I’m looking into ways I can try and bring on labour safely. I’m 38+6.

I’ve read quite a lot about nipple stimulation and this is meant to be scientifically proven to bring on labour more than other methods, I.e eating pineapples, sex etc etc

Anyway just got the ‘ole electric breast pump out and had a go on that, not for 15 mins each side probably about for 5 mins for each boob. I stopped as I felt like I was expressing all the ‘best’ milk out and I don’t want to not have enough for when my boy is here.

Can I run out of this colostrum? When is it recommended to start the stimulation prior to a due date?

Has anyone any suggestions/ advice on this method?

Thanks

OP posts:
Timmytoo · 23/11/2019 18:50

Can you not freeze it? I'm 8 months pregnant and was advised not to prematurely express due to labour.

nolassie · 23/11/2019 19:03

I can’t answer your question I’m afraid, (though I would think your body would know it’s not had a baby yet and only start changing to milk once the right hormones were released ) but I do remember - a little too vividly though it was 20 years ago - the midwife telling my husband to play with my nipples to help contractions during labour. I HATED it!

It wasn’t suggested to bring on labour - I was 38 weeks when my waters broke but labour didn’t follow, I had to be induced.

CmdrCressidaDuck · 23/11/2019 19:06

Anything you get out by pumping will simply be replaced so don't worry about that. The more you remove, the more your body makes. If anything it'll increase your supply, but tbh if you're going to go to the trouble I'd probably hand express into syringes as it can be handy to have a mini stash if your baby is sleepy after birth or has any trouble feeding.

You also don't have to worry about triggering labour because, y'know, that's what you're trying to do Grin there are no guarantees it'll work, but it won't do any harm, so crack on.

Sleeplesssleepseeker · 23/11/2019 19:26

Your body will continue to produce colostrum until baby is born, so don't worry about that. Milk comes in a few days after the birth.
Definitely collect colostrum in small syringes and freeze, don't let it go to waste. It's great to have handy to feed baby if you have any initial feeding issues.

Original poster
Heartburn888 · 23/11/2019 20:05

So literally just express it into the bottle and suck it up through a syringe and then freeze?

How long does it last once defrosted?

OP posts:
Sleeplesssleepseeker · 23/11/2019 20:07

Or you can hand express directly into the syringe. You lose less that way. I think it lasts three hours after defrosting... kellymom.com will probably have the answer...

GrumpyHoonMain · 23/11/2019 20:08

Yes you can run out of the best quality stuff (the bit that is produced in the first few days) but if you syringe it and freeze, you can just syringe it into the baby’s mouth after you establish breastfeeding.

GrumpyHoonMain · 23/11/2019 20:08

You need to hand express. Colostrum is produced in tiny amounts and will get lost in the breastpump

putputput · 23/11/2019 20:21

You don't run out of colostrum. Your body will keep producing it until after you have given birth and milk production kicks in.
I hand expressed colostrum from about 37 weeks and built up a good freezer stash. It's magic stuff, I used it6 months later when DD had conjunctivitis and it cleared it up in hours.

ISmellBabies · 23/11/2019 20:26

It lasts 24 hours after defrosting at room temperature. If you warm it up to defrost it it lasts 6 hours. I built up a good stash hand expressing into syringes over a few weeks. You only get a tiny bit at a time. It didn't bring on labour though.

AllTheCakes · 23/11/2019 20:35

The midwives told me the only reliable way to bring on labour is sex. A “squirt of joy” directly at the cervix and if that failed, swallow said squirt Blush. It’s all about the prostaglandins apparently, semen contains the same stuff they use for induction.

Oysterbabe · 23/11/2019 20:50

The midwives told me the only reliable way to bring on labour is sex. A “squirt of joy” directly at the cervix and if that failed, swallow said squirt blush. It’s all about the prostaglandins apparently, semen contains the same stuff they use for induction.

I refuse to believe a midwife told you to swallow semen unless they were a man. Prostaglandins aren't doing much to stimulate Labour when they're being digested in your stomach.

Thebig3 · 23/11/2019 20:54

I genuinely think that the baby will come when the baby wants too and no amount of things that are suggested will unfortunately help. If for example sex was the best way to start labour then surely you would be told not to have sex during pregnancy in case it brought on premature labour? Equally with nipple stimulation surely you would be told to avoid this for the same reason??

With my 2nd I was 9 days over and I remember saying the the midwife and she suggested all the usual and I asked if they genuinely did anything. She said no but it makes you feel like you're doing something!!!!

Having said that I hope this does work for you as the final weeks of pregnancy are tough x

AllTheCakes · 23/11/2019 20:55

Oysterbabe - I can assure you this is what I was told by a female midwife. She was a bit bonkers, mind you.

Pinkflipflop85 · 23/11/2019 21:01

You can't run out of colostrum. Best way is to hand express then suck up the drops with sterile syringes. I harvested for 3 weeks leading up to birth and continued to hand express colostrum after lo was born.

General advice is not to use a pump at all before birth.

RoseReally · 23/11/2019 21:02

I used a pump to bring on both of my labours after going a week overdue. Both times it did bring on contractions, but labour was extremely slow (3 days) and painful. I'm convinced it was because I used the pump rather than let my body do it's own thing - so I wouldn't recommend it!

rosiejaune · 23/11/2019 21:46

Colostrum is not demand-driven like mature milk. It will be produced until hormone levels change after birth.

Look up lactogenesis if you want to learn more.

mrsjackrussell · 23/11/2019 21:58

I know this sounds weird but I don't know how to put it but just stimulate nipples by twiddling them. This started labour for me. I felt pains as I was doing it.

I'm not sure there's any need to express milk as this does the same thing.

babycatcher411 · 23/11/2019 22:07

I refuse to believe a midwife told you to swallow semen unless they were a man. Prostaglandins aren't doing much to stimulate Labour when they're being digested in your stomach.

Probably the same midwife that told my friend that you can get pregnant from blowjobs

tashakg89 · 23/11/2019 22:31

As pp said just twiddle nipples- I did this on and off for an hour and it started labour off. It really works.

Squidsister · 23/11/2019 22:39

I just did nipple twiddling by hand. Whilst bouncing on a birthing ball....

EleanorShellstrop100 · 24/11/2019 07:16

No advice but the title made me laugh SO much!

Original poster
Heartburn888 · 24/11/2019 10:27

It made me laugh writing it lol

OP posts:
AmeliaMiax · 03/06/2021 17:32

How to do nipple stimulation properly without a pump !?!?

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