When are you supposed to start leaking
breast milk?
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Dannzibelle
Supporter
Joined: 23 Oct 2006 Posts: 3703 Location: South East, England
Thanks: 17
Thanked:6
Posted: 04-30-07 14:03pm
It varies form woman to woman. I stared at
about week 24 maybe i can't really
remember but that sounds about right. Some
people don't start untill labour has
started
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Becky
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 6217 Location: London, England
Thanks: 0
Thanked:7
Posted: 04-30-07 14:10pm
mine varied with each pregnancy. it was
around 6-7 months. some women don't leak
at all. there is no set time. some women
only start once their baby is born and
rarely some women don't produce milk at
all
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Bridget
Moderator
Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 10748 Location: the land of sheer exhaustion,
Thanks: 52
Thanked:33
Posted: 04-30-07 14:25pm
i didn't leak at all until 4 days after my
baby was born and my milk came in.
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ebarnhard33
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 533 Location: Denver, CO
Thanks: 2
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Posted: 04-30-07 15:18pm
IHeartMyBostonTerrier
wrote:
i didn't leak at all until 4
days after my baby was born and my milk
came in.
Ok, so then here's a question: What do you
do if you plan on breast-feeding but your
milk doesn't come in until a couple days
after the baby is born? Just give them
formula? And if you do that, won't the
baby prefer the bottle over the breast?
I'm just worried about it because .i'm 30
weeks and i haven't had any breast leakage
yet. i'd really like to breastfeed but of
course i don't know if i'll get my milk in
right after the baby is born. damn boobs
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Becky
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Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 6217 Location: London, England
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Posted: 04-30-07 15:28pm
your baby will feed from the colostrum
first. they usually tell you to keep the
baby feeding from you as this helps bring
in your milk. i'm not sure but they may
supplement your baby with formula if they
are not getting enough milk.
my milk never came in and my daughter was
screaming and hungry so i told them to
give her formula. i then developed
mastistis and it was too painful to
express. by this time though she was
happily settled on forumla.
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sillyakchick
Supporter
Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 2685
Thanks: 4
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Posted: 04-30-07 15:35pm
ebarnhard33
wrote:
IHeartMyBostonTerrier
wrote:
i didn't leak at all until 4
days after my baby was born and my milk
came in.
Ok, so then here's a question: What do you
do if you plan on breast-feeding but your
milk doesn't come in until a couple days
after the baby is born? Just give them
formula? And if you do that, won't the
baby prefer the bottle over the breast?
I'm just worried about it because .i'm 30
weeks and i haven't had any breast leakage
yet. i'd really like to breastfeed but of
course i don't know if i'll get my milk in
right after the baby is born. damn boobs
Hey wow, you are like 50 miles from me!
Are you committed to nursing your baby?
If you are, you will want to stay away
from formula until your supply is well
established. Women who leak prior to
pregnancy leak colostrum, but not milk.
Your actual milk won't come in until 2 to
4 days after the baby is born. Colostrum
gives the baby antibodies at the
beginning, and your baby will wait for
your milk to come in.
Babies often prefer bottles to boobs when
exposed too early because they don't have
to wait for let-down, and they don't have
to suck as hard. If you are committed to
nursing, try to stay away from the bottle
for the first 3-4 weeks. If you plan to
return to a job after baby, 4 weeks is a
good time to give them some breast milk in
a bottle. This way, the baby will have
established both good nursing and bottle
feeding habits prior to you returning to
work.
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ladylee70
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Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 1912 Location: Boise, Idaho,
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Posted: 04-30-07 15:45pm
I never leaked with my first child and the
milk didn't come in until three days
after..poor little guy. I haven't leaked
with this one, however, I am only 28 weeks
pregnant.
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ebarnhard33
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 533 Location: Denver, CO
Thanks: 2
Thanked:7
Posted: 04-30-07 15:54pm
Is there any case where your colostrum
doesn't come in until a few days after
birth? I knew that "milk" didn't come in
for a couple days, but i wasn't sure if
there was a chance that the colostrum
might not even come in.
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kaerbear
Most Diplomatic Poster
Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 1557 Location: ,
Posted: 04-30-07 15:55pm
I was told that babies aren't really
hungry the first couple of days but
they'll suck on whatever you give them and
that they will usually only get colostrum,
like a teaspoonful at a time from your
breasts the first couple of days anyway.
What's weird is I leaked only once, when I
was like 22 weeks or so and I haven't
leaked at all since then. I'm now 28
weeks. I ran out and bought those breast
pads and then nothing happened. I hope I
will be able to breast feed, sometimes it
sounds so complicated.
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sillyakchick
Supporter
Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 2685
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Posted: 04-30-07 16:19pm
ebarnhard33
wrote:
Is there any case where your
colostrum doesn't come in until a few days
after birth? I knew that "milk" didn't
come in for a couple days, but i wasn't
sure if there was a chance that the
colostrum might not even come
in.
I have not heard of this. You might be
able to express some right now, if you
worked your nipple a little bit. If
your'e worried about breastfeeding, you
might contact a le leche league leader in
the area. I am sure your local hospital
has a lactation support program-most do
now.
Last edited by sillyakchick on 04-30-07 16:48pm; edited 1 time in total
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arcadia
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Joined: 06 May 2006 Posts: 4468 Location: Illinois,
Thanks: 1
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Posted: 04-30-07 16:26pm
kaerbear
wrote:
I was told that babies
aren't really hungry the first couple of
days but they'll suck on whatever you give
them and that they will usually only get
colostrum, like a teaspoonful at a time
from your breasts the first couple of days
anyway.
What's weird is I leaked only once, when I
was like 22 weeks or so and I haven't
leaked at all since then. I'm now 28
weeks. I ran out and bought those breast
pads and then nothing happened. I hope I
will be able to breast feed, sometimes it
sounds so
complicated.
.breastfeeding is extremely difficult.
some people can do it really easily, &
for others, it can be damn near
impossible. my son wouldn't latch on to my
breast, & when he *would* manage to
get latched on, he wasn't able to get
enough milk to satisfy him. he would have
to be at my breast for over an hour- &
it got to be extremely painful. i pumped
for him & he got my milk exclusively
for almost 4 weeks- but if it's not easy
for you, don't get discouraged. it isn't
simple, but it's worth it for your baby!
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Lauren_Jay15
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 483 Location: ,
Posted: 04-30-07 17:24pm
My boobs have started leaking since I was
18 weeks pregnant.
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Mommy35
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 3166 Location: Vacationland, USA,
Posted: 04-30-07 19:52pm
When you are in the hospital the nurses
and lactation specialists will help you in
every way they can. The colostrom is very
rich, so even a little bit fills them up.
The more you put a baby to your breast the
quicker your milk will come in.
I agree with not giving a baby a bottle if
you plan on breastfeeding and he seems to
have a good latch. They get confused and
bottles are so much easier to eat from.
Breastfeeding is difficult for some and
it's a huge committment!
the worst thing you can do when you are
breastfeeding is supplement with formula.
everytime you supplement, you are loosing
the chance of stimulating milk production
from your breasts. babies initially get
colostrum-many women dont have their milk
for about a week, and their babies are
perfectly healthy. and like someone said,
the first few days of life, babies dont
have a huge appetite.
and just to assure you, think about the
thousands of years before there was
formula-we managed to survive! if you
truly want to breastfeed, offer the breast
often, and your baby sucking will
stimulate milk flow.
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musikmaker
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Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 1736 Location: Chicago, US
Thanks: 5
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Posted: 05-01-07 10:55am
I have already informed my hospital that I
don't want them giving the baby formula or
the bottle. They told me that whenever I
do go into labour I need to make sure that
the nurses know that because sometimes
they tend to do there own thing anyway. I
am sorry if this makes anyone mad but I am
going to exclusively breastfeed and I
think that giving them formula is one of
the worst things if you plan on nursing
them. But that is just my opinion.
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kaerbear
Most Diplomatic Poster
Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 1557 Location: ,
Posted: 05-01-07 11:40am
Your breasts produce colostrum beginning
during pregnancy and continuing through
the early days of breastfeeding. This
special milk is yellow to orange in color
and thick and sticky. It is low in fat,
and high in carbohydrates, protein, and
antibodies to help keep your baby healthy.
Colostrum is extremely easy to digest, and
is therefore the perfect first food for
your baby. It is low in volume (measurable
in teaspoons rather than ounces), but high
in concentrated nutrition for the newborn.
Colostrum has a laxative effect on the
baby, helping him pass his early stools,
which aids in the excretion of excess
bilirubin and helps prevent jaundice.
Colostrum actually works as a natural and
100% safe vaccine. It contains large
quantities of an antibody called secretory
immunoglobulin A (IgA) which is a new
substance to the newborn. Before your baby
was born, he received the benefit of
another antibody, called IgG, through your
placenta. IgG worked through the baby's
circulatory system, but IgA protects the
baby in the places most likely to come
under attack from germs, namely the mucous
membranes in the throat, lungs, and
intestines.
Colostrum has an especially important role
to play in the baby's gastrointestinal
tract. A newborn's intestines are very
permeable. Colostrum seals the holes by
"painting" the gastrointestinal tract with
a barrier which mostly prevents foreign
substances from penetrating and possibly
sensitizing a baby to foods the mother has
eaten.
Colostrum also contains high
concentrations of leukocytes, protective
white cells which can destroy
disease-causing bacteria and viruses.
A 1 day old baby's stomach capacity is
about 5-7 ml, or about the size of a
marble. Interestingly, researchers have
found that the day-old newborn's stomach
does not stretch to hold more. Since the
walls of the newborn's stomach stays firm,
extra milk is most often expelled (spit
up). Your colostrum is just the right
amount for your baby's first feedings!
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sillyakchick
Supporter
Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 2685
Thanks: 4
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Posted: 05-01-07 14:26pm
musikmaker
wrote:
I have already informed my
hospital that I don't want them giving the
baby formula or the bottle. They told me
that whenever I do go into labour I need
to make sure that the nurses know that
because sometimes they tend to do there
own thing anyway. I am sorry if this makes
anyone mad but I am going to exclusively
breastfeed and I think that giving them
formula is one of the worst things if you
plan on nursing them. But that is just my
opinion.
musikmaker, i think you are spot on in
your opinion. My sister had a terrible
time nursing because they gave both of her
boys bottles of formula while she was in
the hospital. Many women prepare a birth
plan ahead of time indicating the
interventions they do or don't want
performed on their child. I had several
copies of this in my suitcase and gave it
to every caregiver who came into my room.
I also posted a copy and gave one to my
hubby so he wouldn't get confused when
there was a lot of commotion. I ended up
with a section, so i was really glad he
had a copy.
For example, I did not have them put eye
drops in her eyes, she did not get a
vitamin K shot, they were not allowed to
feed the baby, my husband gave her her
first bath, but not until much later in
the day, and I did not let them do a heel
stick test on her until 7 days after her
birth. This really helped him stick to
his guns when they questioned him about
it--he just said, it's in the plan and we
have discussed it at length.
I have already informed my
hospital that I don't want them giving the
baby formula or the bottle. They told me
that whenever I do go into labour I need
to make sure that the nurses know that
because sometimes they tend to do there
own thing anyway. I am sorry if this makes
anyone mad but I am going to exclusively
breastfeed and I think that giving them
formula is one of the worst things if you
plan on nursing them. But that is just my
opinion.
musikmaker, i think you are spot on in
your opinion. My sister had a terrible
time nursing because they gave both of her
boys bottles of formula while she was in
the hospital. Many women prepare a birth
plan ahead of time indicating the
interventions they do or don't want
performed on their child. I had several
copies of this in my suitcase and gave it
to every caregiver who came into my room.
I also posted a copy and gave one to my
hubby so he wouldn't get confused when
there was a lot of commotion. I ended up
with a section, so i was really glad he
had a copy.
For example, I did not have them put eye
drops in her eyes, she did not get a
vitamin K shot, they were not allowed to
feed the baby, my husband gave her her
first bath, but not until much later in
the day, and I did not let them do a heel
stick test on her until 7 days after her
birth. This really helped him stick to
his guns when they questioned him about
it--he just said, it's in the plan and we
have discussed it at
length.
awesome!
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musikmaker
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 1736 Location: Chicago, US
Thanks: 5
Thanked:2
Posted: 05-01-07 15:00pm
sillyakchick
wrote:
musikmaker
wrote:
I have already informed my
hospital that I don't want them giving the
baby formula or the bottle. They told me
that whenever I do go into labour I need
to make sure that the nurses know that
because sometimes they tend to do there
own thing anyway. I am sorry if this makes
anyone mad but I am going to exclusively
breastfeed and I think that giving them
formula is one of the worst things if you
plan on nursing them. But that is just my
opinion.
musikmaker, i think you are spot on in
your opinion. My sister had a terrible
time nursing because they gave both of her
boys bottles of formula while she was in
the hospital. Many women prepare a birth
plan ahead of time indicating the
interventions they do or don't want
performed on their child. I had several
copies of this in my suitcase and gave it
to every caregiver who came into my room.
I also posted a copy and gave one to my
hubby so he wouldn't get confused when
there was a lot of commotion. I ended up
with a section, so i was really glad he
had a copy.
For example, I did not have them put eye
drops in her eyes, she did not get a
vitamin K shot, they were not allowed to
feed the baby, my husband gave her her
first bath, but not until much later in
the day, and I did not let them do a heel
stick test on her until 7 days after her
birth. This really helped him stick to
his guns when they questioned him about
it--he just said, it's in the plan and we
have discussed it at
length.
Thanks, I needed the encouragement! I am
also choosing not to have the drops put in
the eyes and I don't want him to get a
bath right away. If I could've had a
midwife I would've but since I am on
medicaid there were no midwives in my area
that accepted it.
My Dh is being very supportive and my mom
is going to be there and knows all of the
things I want done so that she can watch
them too. My dr is super awesome about all
of my wishes though so I think it will go
smoothly.
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