My boobs are working!

[enchantedspleen]

19 weeks pregnant, and I was wondering how to express (might breastfeed, still undecided) and I followed some directions how to do it, and omg they worked a little! Surely it's too soon?! Or is this normal? Am I part cow?

Its quite normal to have colostrum at that stage of pregnancy

Mine leaked from this stage continuously 🤦🏻‍♀️ Good thing is I've had no supply issues when breastfeeding (maybe oversupply if anything). My midwife said boobs leaking at this point is a positive sign if you want to breastfeed, how true that is I've no idea but it was in my case 😊

I started leaking around that stage - buy some bamboo breast pads. Disposables will cost you a fortune!

Wow really !! I had no idea gibs was possible. I should try 😂

Ive heard this is normal. You won't run out of colostrum, you'll keep producing it so it's there when baby arrives 🎉

I'd say disposable pads are bloody uncomfortable! Don't use them.

Whenever I used them, it'd feel like I was putting in sandpaper or scrunched up baking paper. Ouchy.

The reusable ones are great! Saved a fortune and were lovely and comfortable.

Remember that you shouldn't express during pregnancy if you're at risk of premature labour as the Oxytocin stimulates the uterus, don't use a pump and the more you express the more you will leak.

It's way to soon, remember it can last maximum 6 months in the freezer.

Plus can stimulate early contractions.

I never expressed. Unless there is a medical reason and you are advised by a consultant to do so, I think it's unnecessary. Baby needs to stay latched on you for a good milk supply, not fed in other ways, if you know what I mean.

If you are leaking quite a bit, you could use those silicone breast pads to collect it there, as it's coming anyway and would be a shame to throw it away.

That is not necessarily true at all @R2D2abc. I had to express and milk supply was enormous. American websites have more up to date advice on this as they get such short mat leave over there.

As others have said, it’s not advised to express early because of the risk of early labour.

But from 36/37 weeks I expressed and froze the milk in syringes. I’ve been warming them up and giving them to my baby when her sister has had a cold and used it for sticky eyes. Very handy!

I also think it helped establish my supply as I’ve always had plenty of milk.

I asked my midwife about this because my milk was slow to come in last time and DS1 needed more milk/colostrum than I had (ended up back in hospital due to weight loss). I’ve been advised that even though I have colostrum, I should leave well alone until 36/37 weeks but can then start to express and freeze it.

I got some colostrum at 9 weeks this time round. Was so shocked! But it also made me very happy.

Sorry to derail a bit but people are saying expressing can cause early labour, what do you do if you're breast feeding while pregnant? Genuinely curious now.

I had the same. Just get some reusable bamboo breast pads for now.
Around 37 weeks I started maternity leave and I used some of my spare time to practice hand expressing. I got syringes from a medical supplies company online to collect the colostrum because to begin with it comes out in tiny drops. The first day I did it, I got a total of 0.1ml and the day I went in to labour I got 4ml. I froze all of the syringes in the packaging they'd arrived in.
I didn't do it every day but just when I was sat around. It proved to be absolutely invaluable because my dd couldn't latch on properly for the first few days so giving her a combination of the syringes and hand expressing in to her mouth meant so much less stress for us both. On our hospital ward there were mums crying because they couldn't get their babies latched on and their babies screamed a lot of the night because they were hungry. Not the best start to motherhood!
I think if you can do anything before your baby comes to be prepared and reduce stress, do it.

I'm pregnant while nursing my 2 year old so hopefully it doesn't trigger preterm labour! Loads of people tandem feed so I wonder why there is advice to not express

If you're already feeding during (and presumably before) pregnancy your body has already adapted to processing and balancing excess Oxytocin.

Expressing during pregnancy releases a sudden surge which is what can cause uterine contractions.

I leaked at 21 weeks and every so often after that until I gave birth. Now I'm successfully breastfeeding my 4 week old DD. I have an oversupply if anything so no issues here! Good luck!

I have never leaked in any of my three pregnancies and have had a terrible supply problem every time. People say there is no relationship between the two but I think there must be. So I would count yourself lucky!!

Wow, thank you so much for all the advice!
I'll definitely be leaving well enough alone until much much later, I had no idea. It really took me by surprise, thankfully not leaking yet so I'm not ready for pads but the reusable bamboos sound great.
Thank you so much!!! I really thought there was something wrong with me!