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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

nervous new mum - how do you KNOW you will produce milk?

23 replies

mrsbray · 12/10/2005 20:26

Sorry, this is SUCH a silly question, but I just need to know - I am 36 weeks preg with my first and so far my mosquito-bite boobs have grown a cup size, and the nipples darkened, which is all good, but I'm not leaking like others in my antenatal classes, and will be having an elective C section as my baby is lying the wrong way and has wrapped himself completely in my cord... so Q is - how do I know I am producing colostrum right now, and will it just magically appear if I offer my boob to him? Can it come in now, or just only after the baby being born? Will it only appear later in my pregnancy, or is it there now? I'm just nervous I wont be able to feed him, and as I really want to BF, I need to know.. can you all put my mind at rest? Is there any way of stimulating the colostrum to be made?
Thanks, and sorry for the muppet question..

OP posts:

startingtobehalloweenylover · 12/10/2005 20:29

i NEVER leaked. not til about a week after ds was born! but i did have milk

don't worry... i know you will produce it... because that's what boobs do!

if you squeeze the nipple then you may get some out now!

Blu · 12/10/2005 20:37

I never leaked before the birth. And never actually saw any colostrum - it only came out when DS suckled. Don't worry - your milk will be there, like a miracle.
Maybe talk to your mw / consultant and tell them that you would like skin-to-skin contact with your baby as soon as is absolutely possible, and that you would like him to start feeding as soon as possible. It's the baby that starts it off!

beansprout · 12/10/2005 20:39

I never leaked but am now still feeding ds at 11 months!
He was also born by c-section and this can mean that your milk may take a tad longer to come in. The hospital will try and give your db formula but it is ok to stand your ground. I kept reminding myself that nature knows exactly what it is doing and the first time I smelt my milky baby was one of the best moments of my life. Best of luck!!

muminlondon · 12/10/2005 20:42

I didn't leak, had no idea how it was going to work out, and had an emergency CS. My milk came in on the third day and I soon had more than enough.

Rhubarb · 12/10/2005 20:43

I have very tiny boobs too, and I used to wonder where all the milk was! My would leak later in pregnancy just after sex, or if I had a very hot bath. So very rarely!

I was suitable shocked when, the day after I'd given birth and she went through a whopping 10 hour sleep, my tiny boobs grew to Jordan size and regularly drenched me!

CarolinaFullMoon · 12/10/2005 20:44

I never leaked, before or after ds was born, but he was exclusively bfed till 6mths. I worried endlessly about it too, and It wasn't until I actually saw milk trickling out of his mouth after a feed that I believed there really was enough milk.

It'll just happen, promise .

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 12/10/2005 20:45

Give your nipples a squeeze in the shower. You might be surprised. AFAIK leaking boobs now is no indicator of milk supply. Just make sure post c/s you get lots of skin to skin contact. Day 3/4, you will know you have milk. Try not to worry. Nature is very clever.

Blondeinlondon · 12/10/2005 20:47

I didn't leak either. Only saw colostrum when I was shown how to hand express after birth. DS is still breastfed at nearly 8 mths.

Baby on the boob should be the only stimulation you need!

hermykne · 12/10/2005 20:48

me too, neverleak prior to both births by c/s
both babies feed contently immediatly and took it it quite quickly
supply / boobs went bu-lu-bus days 3/4 and then settled to sort of bulbous and then settled at a DD til i stopped.

meet a lady at my lll club and she had very small boobs and wwas still feeding her ds at 8mths, twice a day am and pm , she worked.

kama · 12/10/2005 20:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

QueenVictoria · 12/10/2005 21:08

Mine leaked with my first but not my second. I didnt have a c/section but the hormones should still be there to stimulate it, it just might take longer than with a vaginal delivery.

If the absolute worst does happen and it doesnt come in (VERY rare i might add), dont beat yourself up on it. It just happens sometimes - happened to my mum with her first but she was fine with the rest of us!

The best thing you can do is try to relax and as other have said - lots of skin to skin contact is v good.

Good luck.

suzi2 · 13/10/2005 15:35

I did wonder this too... anyway, I never leaked before my DS was born and have only leaked twice since he's been here (10 wks). I had no idea if I was producing anything but since he seemed to suck well, I assumed he was getting something! Don't worry (lol -I'm one to talk, I panic at everything!), it will just magically happen. With regard to the bf, I found it really hard at first but just try and stick with it and give baby your boob as often as they want it (or even in between if they want to suckle). get some lansinoh cream (boots sell it) in case your nipples get sore - it saved mine! Good luck

Roxswood · 13/10/2005 20:02

You just will. Not having enough milk for your baby is incredibly rare if you give your baby unlimited access to your breast and only usually occurs in women who have had breast surgery or have a serious hormonal disturbance which you would know about.
People only think they don't produce enough milk because they've been given bad advice and not given their baby enough time on the breast, or for whatever reason the baby isn't latching on correctly and so not stimulating the breast enough.
Try and get in touch with a breastfeeding support group before your baby is born then at least you know where to go for experienced help, unfortunatley most midwives and health visitors know nothing, and convince mothers that they can't breastfeed when all they really needed was knowledgable help.
Sorry for ranting, you WILL be able to breastfeed if you want to.

LIZS · 13/10/2005 20:07

You don't, but you almost certainly will. I was less than convinced beforehand - no leaks , nipples flat etc. However when it came to it I had to express colostrum for ds (he was sleepy post delivery then jaundiced so didn't latch on readily let alone feed well for a couple of days) and, lo and behold, something came out with pumping and when my milk came in a few days later I was full !

Lonelymum · 13/10/2005 20:20

Like everyone else is saying, I never leaked before giving birth. I remember looking at my nipples when I was pg with my first and thinking they looked like extinct volcanoes! They just didn't look like they were going to produce anything. But they did! I breast fed all of my 4 children. It will happen naturally, don't worry. Your body has been clever enough to make a baby so give it the credit of being clever enough to feed it!

moondog · 13/10/2005 20:28

Never leaked a drop before or after giving birth,and that was over 3 1/2 years of b/feeding. (Actually,leaked one drop once.)

Never saw any colostrum and only ever saw milk that I had expressed or occasionally in the baby's mouth.

Relax and have faith in yourself and your body mrsbray. It truly is a miracle.

bobbybob · 13/10/2005 20:39

Mine never leaked while pg - I never even knew they could.

edam · 13/10/2005 20:41

Moondog's right - it's amazing that your body can just do this stuff with no conscious intervention from you, apart from having sex!

I remember being amazed and thinking 'ah, so THAT'S what they are for'. Up to that point had been purely decorative, now suddenly they became functional all on their own. Very strange.

I never leaked when pregnant, either. And only a few times in the first few weeks - maybe because I was feeding on demand, so ds was getting everything I produced, maybe just because some people don't.

Roswood is right, it's really helpful to have the phone number of a good breastfeeding counsellor in case it doesn't go smoothly at first. Many midwives and HVs don't really know a lot about breastfeeding, sadly (although mine was excellent).

teeavee · 13/10/2005 21:01

I had an emergency c-section. Like you, I was determined to breastfeed but wasn't quite sure what to expect. My advice would be: don't hesitate to request help while in maternity ward - that's what the midwives are there for, and in my case they were incredibly supporting and helpful - I buzzed for a midwife at every feed for at least 3 or 4 days and nights running, because I had trouble with the 'latching on'. but I persevered, and, of course, just like everyone else, I succeeded in the end. It is really worthwhile and you will feel so proud of yourself for doing this for your baby!!!!!

ellasmum1 · 13/10/2005 21:08

Most women have colostrum quite early in pregnancy but most dont leak so wouldnt know.Trust me -women breastfeed/express for premature babies.To hand express colostrum in bath/shower you dont squeeze nipple you squeeze areola(brown bit surrounding nipple)as thats where the areola are.I'm a midwife by the way!

ellasmum1 · 13/10/2005 21:09

sorry-meant to say thats where the milk ducts are!

Original poster

mrsbray · 14/10/2005 08:30

Thanks everyone, you've really helped put my mind at rest. I'll ignore the boobs then, and just let them do their 'thing' when the time comes, phew.

OP posts:

dobbin · 15/10/2005 23:01

Just noticed this interesting question and wanted to add a word of reassurance as I had much the same worry. I also had no sign before or immediately after birth that I would be able to produce anything. Additionally, after he was born ds showed no interest in feeding, or crying for that matter. After 12 hours I was starting to panic and kept asking the midwives if we should give him a bottle as I was sure he would die of starvation and that I was not able to produce colostrum. All they said was wait and give him time. Sure enough, with the help of an assured midwife, once he'd had a rest he just latched on and was away. It was a wonderful moment and a bit amazing to know I could produce colostrum without having a clue how... So enjoy and don't worry.

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