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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Expressing milk before baby is born?

17 replies

chloejessmeg · 19/01/2009 21:15

I have never heard of this but a friend said today that she knew somebody who expressed milk from 37 weeks? She said she would get a few onces a day and would freeze it, so she already had a supply for her DH to use when the baby was born and she needed a rest? I have heard it can bring on labour, but then after 37 weeks I guess it is safe anyway?

Has anybody else heard of this or done this? What is everybodys views?

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bangandthedirtisgone · 19/01/2009 21:18

Milk doesn't come in til after the placenta is delivered.

Was she expressing colostrum? Would be v v surprised is she got a few ounces of that.

madwomanintheattic · 19/01/2009 21:20

i'm eagerly awaiting folks who know better than i do, but i do remember feeling distinctly uneasy in scbu that they were mixing up the order of my frozen bottles... ie i wanted dd2 to have the first, well, first, as in, get that colostrum into you, baby...
wouldn't do it myself... wouldn't even occur to me actually... but then, by 5 weeks i'd got 80 odd bottles in the scbu freezer lol, so there were plenty on hand for dh to get on with it and for me to have a rest rofl...

i'd rather they cooked for the full 40 if poss...

napa · 19/01/2009 21:22

some women have a lot of colostrum prior to the birth and for some women it is actually advisable for them to express. Women who have diabetes and wish to breastfeed are often advised to express before they deliver as the baby may have periods of low blood sugar and rather than give formula they can give the expressed milk.

thisisyesterday · 19/01/2009 21:22

yes, you can do it. i know a couple of people on another forum who have.

Original poster

chloejessmeg · 19/01/2009 21:22

Yes, I mean colostrum, I know milk doesn't come in for a week or so after the baby is born.

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napa · 19/01/2009 21:23

also using some by expressing before the birth doesn't reduce the amount you have after the birth.

bangandthedirtisgone · 19/01/2009 21:24

Right, obviously possible, yes.

I got nothing when I pumped to try and induce labour though, so not everyone could do it.

Original poster

chloejessmeg · 19/01/2009 21:24

This is really interesting. I had never heard of it before but if there is no reason why I can't, then I might give it a go when i get to that stage.

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2pt4kids · 19/01/2009 21:26

surely if its colostrum it will only be of use in the first few days though?
If saving to let DH feed baby later on, will the baby want a bottle of expressed colostrum rather than the actual milk he will be by then getting direct from the breast?

CantSleepWontSleep · 19/01/2009 21:28

I tried to, as I had gestational diabetes, but couldn't get any out, despite still bf my elder dd! But I always was a rubbish expresser. The hospital advise hand expressing from 38 weeks where it might be needed after birth. A few syringes full is all that's usually expected though, not a few ounces a day.

Original poster

chloejessmeg · 19/01/2009 21:28

Good point.

Also, if there is nothing wrong with it, why don't more people do it?

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Original poster

chloejessmeg · 19/01/2009 21:30

If it is just a syringle full we are talking - I could have done that without a pump last time! I leaked for England when I was pregnant with DD

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CantSleepWontSleep · 19/01/2009 21:32

Well they only advise hand expressing, so that's kind of the idea!

Why would anyone (except those with GD) want to do it just because they could chloe? Much easier after the birth, and expressing isn't really advised until about 6 weeks after anyway, once the supply is properly established.

llareggub · 19/01/2009 21:33

I've been advised to do this. I also have gestational diabetes and am still breastfeeding DS1. They advised starting about 3 months before, so that's what I'll do.

StarlightMcKenzie · 19/01/2009 21:40

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Original poster

chloejessmeg · 19/01/2009 21:40

Have you been advised to use a pump or your hand?

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llareggub · 19/01/2009 21:47

I'll be breastfeeding myself as much as I can. When DS1 was born he was very jaundiced and under a phototherapy lamp and I was pretty much coerced into giving formula. I wasn't really in any position to argue, as I had a post c-section infection, was feeling very ill and hadn't really found mumsnet so wasn't particularly equipped to argue!

So I'll express in case the same happens again.

I could never do it by hand so will dig out my trusty medela pump.

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