Is it normal for you NOT to leak?

[Hodge85]

Hi,

I'm 37 weeks with my first pregnancy and everything I've read keeps saying "by now your breasts will be starting to leak"... however they haven't at all. Absolutely bone dry. Is this normal? I've read that people start collecting the colostrum from now and I'm just worried something isn't happening when it should be? x

Mine didn't with my last pregnancy but that didn't stop my milk coming in just fine.

Mine didn't either, but I breastfed without any problems x

Mine didn’t leak at all but if I hand expressed I got bucketfuls of colostrum (should have been a warning for oversupply on reflection 🙄). Have you actually tried hand expressing? Plenty of women don’t have anything before birth and go on to breastfeed just fine.

Mine didn’t either, took ages to come after birth and I never managed to establish breastfeeding. I do think that was more to do with a difficult birth ending in EMCS though.

Mine didn't leak until my milk came in a couple of days after birth, but there'll be plenty of colostrum in there which is all the baby needs for a few days.

I'd really recommend harvesting a few syringes of colostrum and popping them in the freezer. You can then stick them in a little coolbag and take to hospital. My hosp stuck them in the freezer for me and I just asked the midwives to grab me one every few hours, my baby went on the boob pretty easily but was a comfort to know they were getting a decent 'feed' in those first few hours x

Mine haven't leaked at all and I was worried I'd struggle to harvest any colostrum. Decided to have a go at it yesterday and very quickly filled a syringe once I'd got the hang of it. I'm 38 weeks today. So I don't think leaking has any bearing on anything.

Mine never did and I went on to breastfeed for 14 months !

Mine didn't leak at all with either of my pregnancies, but it had no impact at all on my milk or colostrum production once I gave birth. Breastfed both babies no problem. Never occurred to me that I should be leaking tbh!

Also unless you have been specifically advised by a doctor to harvest colostrum in advance for a reason, you don't need to do that.

I'm 36 weeks with my third baby. Extend breastfed my first two children so I know they work but I have nothing as yet AND I'm I'm trying to harvest colostrum this time.

Might give the breast pump a go today and see if that works!

I didn’t leak at all but I did notice a bit of crustiness on my nipples and if I squeezed the colostrum cane out but only a tiny bit

Nope, not a single drop leaked in pregnancy. My milk didn’t come in until 4 days after birth (I think it’s quite late, isn’t it?) but there was plenty of it. Also, I had loads of colostrum in the first few days.

I have never leaked. Breastfed both of my DC for a long time each. I have never had to wear breast pads when breastfeeding either, I just don’t leak for some reason!

Mine didn't at all that I was aware of in either of my 2 pregnancies. Breastfed both, still feeding my 2 year old. Though my milk was possibly a little slower to come in the second time, late on day 3. But still within what would be considered normal I think. Was a bugger with a very hungry baby though.
I've done lots of reading around it all and I think it's fairly common not to leak, and doesn't necessarily mean there will be any problems feeding.
I didn't try and express any colostrum either. I honestly didn't know it was a something people did. And the midwives never mentioned it.

Mine didn’t at all and even collecting colostrum was like getting blood from a stone so I didn’t bother. I still managed to breastfeed with no issues though so I don’t think it matters too much! X

No leaking here. I only got to 37 weeks though, so who knows if it would have happened in the final few weeks. Colostrum and milk came in just fine. I even had an over supply in the early months of breastfeeding, which is when I did leak!

Don't worry about it.

I've never leaked and have 5 children all breastfed with no issues.

Thanks so much everyone! I honestly thought it was just me after what I've read but pleased to know it's not. I don't have any syringes and to be honest I wouldn't even know what to do to try and get anything flowing honestly got no idea on this whole side of it. Hopefully, I'll be able to breastfeed just fine once baby is here. Thanks again x

I never leaked in any of my 3 pregnancies and really struggled to express anything when they were born. However I exclusively breastfed all 3ds and carried on breastfeeding until they were 15months!

I only leaked on my first, I’ve had three since then and am 37 weeks with fifth and final baby and haven’t leaked a drop on any x

Didn't leak a drop! I was able to get a good supply of colostrum straight after DS was born, but the proper milk didn't come in until 2 days after birth (I don't know what's normal but he did need formula top-ups until this happened).

Then I had quite an oversupply and would constantly leak and feel sore.

I didn't leak at all. Milk came in on day 3, bfd ds for nearly 4 years without any problems.

Never leaked either pregnancy, DS1 breastfed until 18m, DS2 (4 months) had some tongue tie jaundice issues so never latched but have expressed for him and I make double what he needs. Definitely no correlation between leaking in pregnancy and milk supply for me. I never bothered harvesting colostrum but it can be handy to have an idea of how to hand express for comfort, it's a bit of a learned skill to find out what works for you.