Colostrum

[diyqueen]

Hi
Just wondering what is normal in terms of producing colostrum before giving birth? My baby is being born next week by ELCS at 40 weeks and I really want to breastfeed, but am a bit concerned that I don't seem to have much in the way of colostrum. I've had the occasional tiny drop leak onto my clothes at night (this has only happened a couple of times, and several weeks ago now) but nothing comes out if I squeeze. My breasts are also quite soft and 'normal' again now after being quite tender earlier in my pregnancy. Is this normal or should I be worried?

Don't know what's normal but I was exactly the same as you, now still bf-ing my 7 monther. Never leaked much once I started feeding either - let's count ourselves lucky!

Normal - there is a wide range of leaking and breast 'texture' in pg :)

No need to squeeze - that's not what the baby does to get at it :)

I never had a drop of colostrum before my ds was born, and my breasts were soft until my milk came in. Sounds normal to me.

Thanks! That's reassured me. Was starting to worry that I'd be struggling with a starving baby...!

when baby is born, are you able to have skin to skin straight away and not have baby washed / wiped and wraped up before being given to you?

It's totally possible to have a birth plan for an elective c section and getting some of the baby gunk is really really important for bonding with baby and also early breastfeeding initiation.

No harm in putting some of the breastfeeding helpline numbers in your phone too, or finding out the details of local b/f support and calling them early if you have any concerns, from the hospital bed, as it's a lot easier to sort things out earlier rather than later (ie day 1 rather than end of week 1)

newborn babies are all waterlogged and don't need much volume of liquid which is why the milk doesn't increase till day 3. nature didn't get it wrong..all baby needs is lots and lots of skin to skin with mum and popping on and off the boob. if baby gets stressed and cranky, skin to skin works wonders!

wishing you all the best for a wonderful birth day and finally meeting your little one!

Fwiw, getting skin-to-skin in theatre as the PP described isn't always possible - my hospital wouldn't do it as the theatres weren't very warm and you can't get the baby far down your chest while they're stitching you up. It's still lovely having a towel wrapped baby on your shoulder though.