When do you start producing Milk?

[Baby2018]

This is probably a very first timer question but just wondering if I should expect to start leaking before having the baby? my breasts haven't got much bigger Im 32 weeks and just wondering when you start producing milk? should I buy bra pads now? Is it unusual not to show any sigs of milk at all until the baby is born?

Thanks

I started leaking bits of milk around 20 weeks pregnant but from what I can gather amongst my Nct friends, I was somewhat unusual in that respect

I’ve had 3 children, all breastfed, and haven’t produced milk in pregnancy with any of them. In fact, I was still feeding DS 2 when I got pregnant with DS 3 and he basically self weaned as soon as the sperm hit the egg and there was no sign of any milk until DS3 arrived.

I had nothing until DS was born. They didn’t get bigger or go tender or anything during pregnancy.

I have two children and with the second I leaked milk during the tww but none during the pregnancies. I breastfed both.

Ah thanks ladies, I was just starting to think Im quite far along now and haven't had any signs of milk, I really want to breastfeed so was hoping that the milk might just appear after the baby is born, I just had no idea if that was the case! I will tick it off the worry list

Thats good to know @RiddleyW I have had literally no symptoms associated with my breasts either, they aren't sore they're not really bigger etc maybe they are a little more veiny? but thats it

I had some colostrum leakage starting about 1 month before due date. Yellow sticky liquid but only a few drops at a time and not constantly, maybe once or twice a day

I never leaked at all in pregnancy. In the last few weeks, if I tried really hard I could squeeze out a few almost clear drops of colostrum but that was it. Still BF DS at almost 2.

I found Lansinoh the best of the disposable breast pads, then moved to washable ones.

I have never leaked. I breastfed 2 children successfully (with an oversupply). Your milk doesn’t come in until approx 3 days post birth, before that it is colostrum.

@Baby2018 I never had any leakage while I was pregnant, and my boobs didn’t significantly change in size until my milk came in. Be aware that for the first few days your breasts will be producing colostrum, in absolutely tiny amounts - if you were to try and express you would literally get a couple of drops. So don’t expect loads of milk initially, until around day 3-5 after baby arrives.

I never leaked with my first pregnancy. Baby cluster feeds after it's born and forced your milk to come in if it hasn't already.

In my first pregnancy I didn't leak at all, no tenderness or increase in breast size either. My milk never came in unfortunately but I was told this was due to an infection that made me very poorly after DD was born.
This time around my breasts are definitely bigger and feel rock hard and very uncomfortable. I have also been leaking colostrum (but not consistently) since about 20 weeks. However, this pregnancy has been very different altogether from my first, completely different symptoms so who knows.

I was told that the placenta being detached from the womb was what triggered milk production. I had small amounts of colostrum after a day or two and proper milk within a week.

Some women don’t notice milk before hand. For me it just looks like slight discoloured skin. Basically it was dried colostrum.

However milk making is triggered by the removal of the placenta. So having your baby is the really key thing.

I know NCT classes are poo pooed on here but I found the breastfeeding class really helpful.

Also neverleaked and successfully breastfed for more than 2 years.

Milk literally poured out of me when feeding too!

Thanks everyone Im way clearer on this now so @InMemoryOfSleep this is probably a silly question but if you dont produce milk straight away, if its like 2/3 days before I have any doesnt the baby get hungry? I didnt realise it took a while to come in

You produce colostrum until your milk comes in. You produce very small amounts, but a baby only has a tiny stomach.

Nothing until after they were born, even with squeezing!

The colostrum for the first few days is very calorie and nutrient dense so it should be all baby needs until milk comes in. I never leaked anything during pregnancy and I remember wondering if I’d actually produce it. It magically appears once baby is born.

Ah ok thanks @Grandmaswagsbag @SoyDora

Sorry @Baby2018 only just saw your question! Yep, baby’s stomach is absolutely tiny - about the size of an acorn - so they can only take small amounts, which is why they’ll feed so often to start with. It’s really important to let baby feed as often as they want, especially in those first few days as that helps the milk to come in and helps to regulate your supply. I would defo recommend having a look to see what BF support you’ve got locally as well, so you’re ready for when baby arrives - do you have any NCT BF cafes or BF supporters, or similar? You don’t want to be doing panicky Googling (like I did!) if you’re struggling!

All women have colostrum in their breasts by the time they are full term and usually from about 20 weeks on. Many women won't leak or see anything on squeezing though. Colostrum is produced in very small amounts and hand expressing it is a bit of a knack. It's thick, yellow, and sticky although it can also emerge as clear liquid.

Mature milk comes in after the birth, usually 2 or 3 days after. It is thinner and white(ish) in colour. It's produced in much larger quantities and gives you the distinctive engorged boobs. It's not made until triggered by the placenta coming away.

I'm not personally a fan of saying you don't have "milk" until days after the birth because you do - colostrum is a type of milk and is all the baby needs for the first few days. Might seem like semantics but I think it makes people worry unnecessarily that there's nothing there, when there is!

No worries @InMemoryOfSleep thanks for replying! that makes sense I will look up the breast feeding support people in my area :)

That makes sense @QueenAravisOfArchenland I have to say I did worry if I don't produce milk for a few days that the baby would get hungry but now I understand its just not the same milk, I knew about colostrum but naively assumed it was just the first round of milk with extra goodness in. I didnt realise it was different, like thick and yellow and in smaller amounts!

I started leaking colostrum at 18 weeks but my proper milk didn't come through until dd was 3 days old xx