Nursing

Unfortunately, if you pump before having the baby it can cause contractions and premature labor, so the prenatal leaks really can't be saved for later.

I suggest that when the baby is born, you rent a hospital-grade pump and use it often in the first few weeks in addition to nursing... that way you can build up a supply.

Good luck!

for me the leaking is never enough to really amt to much. I am 7 weeks from my due date with #2 and i think i've had to use nursing pads once or twice and they were barely wet. i don't know of anyone that leaked enough while pregnant to actually store it.

I nursed 12 months with #1. With #2 I don't remember leaking much-if all while pregnant. Good luck trying to nurse this new one and congratulations!

E., Congratulations! I counsil clients in the WIC(Women, Infant, and Children) clinic. Leaking is a good sign during pregnancy, but do resist from pumping during pregnancy. This could release a hormone that can start preterm labor. Talk with your health care provider about it and let him/her know your concerns. That way they can help you have success in breastfeeding. If you have any other concerns, feel free to ask me. Best wishes, A.

I'm pregnant with baby number 2, 30 weeks today. While I could probably express a little bit of colostrum, certainly I can't pump anything. I'm not even wearing any breast pads even though it sometimes is needed at this point with second or third babyies. Also, pumping or stimulating can lead to early labor so don't try it until after baby arrives! If you've not gotten the Amy Spade breastfeeding guide, I would highly recommend it. It was given at the Brookwood breastfeeding class to me with my first. I used it often as questions came up such as medications, nursing strikes, dips in supply, how to pump a good supply without interfering with existing feedings, etc.

Hi
I nursed my first child 10 months and found out I was pregnant with the second and they were 16 months apart. I actually stopped nursing even though some go on through so that my body could rest a little. I did leak some but not the volume you would expect. The great part was my milk came in super fast and much more than the first time so nursing was much easier in every way the second time. Good luck and Congrats!

Hi momma! For me so far I've noticed leaking but like the other mommas said not NEARLY enough to pump/collect. Hang in there though. Those first couple of weeks are HARD but keep nursing and don't worry about collecting any milk during that time. Even when your sore just nurse, you'll both get through the first couple of weeks and then you can start to build a supply.
www.kellymom.com is a GREAT source of help for nursing mommas!
((hugs))

No No NO!!! It's extremely dangerous to pump while you are pregnant! Besides the toxins that are relesed, it causes your uterus to contract and can cause a premature delivery.

Hey E. -

I never leaked enough milk to collect until after the boys were born. With my boys I would wear nursing pads when not feeding them and then I would hold my pump up on the breast on the opposite side then my baby was nursing to collect any milk that would release when my milk "let-down". I didn't want to loose that milk in the early days. You may or may not have a lot to collect. Each time I have breastfeed my four boys it has been different. These LLI websites are great for information. Hope this helps!

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/FAQSubject.html
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/leak.html
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/milkstorage.html

Congratulations. I work for the Central louisiana breastfeeding coalition, we help moms suceed in breastfeeding. Most moms start leaking in the last trimester and through my experance it is usually during a hot bath or stimulation. If it is more of a problem you can use breastpads to elimate accidents. After you have the baby you may have leakage the first couple of weeks until your body learns how much milk your baby needs. I hope this helps check us out on the web we are a non profit organization
www.cenlabreastfeeding.org

Good luck,
K.

I have had 4 kids and never leaked the first time before the baby. I did however leak after, before they got ready to leak or when hearing them cry. You can freeze breast milk but I have never heard anyone freeze leakage before birth. Good luck on nursing. Look up the Lelechie league for help. I am not sure of the spelling.

I just had my third baby five months ago. I too was leaking but honestly you do not want to mess with your breasts too much because it can lead to pre-ternm labor. Also the composition of your colustrom will change. So it really wouldn't be a good idea to save it. HTH

In my experience, I never leaked before delivery with any of my 7 kids! I only had minimal leaking when milk first came in, but after several weeks it stopped. (once feeding leveled out).

As far as your infections, if they were staff infections in the breast, read the book Preparation for Parenting, or On Becoming Babywise. One of the things that leads to breast infections is blocked ducts, which happens when sufficient milk is not drained from the breast. You need to first make sure the baby is having a complete feeding and not a snack. Then if you are still "full" or certain ducts have not emptied, pump. Just pump enough to relieve the fullness in the full ducts. It keeps them open and helps prevent infection. Good luck!

Hi there,

I think you have a while before you start leaking. When I was pregnant with number 2 I never leaked but I also didn't have any problems with my milk when she was born. I guess I got lucky.

As far as storing the milk, in a self-contained freezer unit of a refrigerator the milk will spoil between 3-4 months. But if you have a separate deep freeze with a constant temperature of 0 degrees F, then your milk can stay in there for 6 months or longer.

I'm not sure if you know this or not but stimulation of the aerola can bring on early contractions and possibly early labor. So your doctor would probably not agree with you pumping but then again, all doctor's are different. I asked mine if I could start pumping about a month prior to my due date and he said he didn't think it was a good idea.

Oh and if you leak, use breast pads. I hate them but they work.

Hope this helps!

I have three kids and nursed all of em--youngest is currently 6 weeks :-D..

I never leaked a LOT but towards teh end of 2nd trimester there were certain triggers that would lead to some leaking..so I wouldnt worry or even consider saving it..your body just won't be ready to make a lot..
but with my last two my milk came in hard and fast and I was GRATEFUL for a pump!

Hi E. :)

I wouldn't worry about the leaks while pregnant. In most cases, it's too little of it to be of much concern. I wouldn't worry about pumping til the baby gets here either. Any stimilation of the nipples can bring on early labor so it's not a good idea.
As far as healthy nursing goes I would definately recommend taking Colostrum (made from cow colostrum) tablets while nursing. I kept getting infections over and over again til my doctor recommended them. I stopped getting them after that.
I also recommend oats to help with milk production (cheerios, oatmeal, etc).

Congrats on your new baby! :)
M.

I started leaking at 4 month pregnant. I'm sure this is different with every woman though. I'm very active in La Leche League and I nursed my son for over 3 years. There wouldn't be any reason to save the milk you leak during pregnancy. It won't be much anyway, but it's all colostrum and your baby only needs that the first few days of life. And it's important to be actually nursing those days and not giving the baby a bottle.
BTW there are plenty of antibiotics that are safe to take while nursing, infact many other medications can be taken while your nursing. I would suggest contacting the local group for La Leche League and going to a meeting or talking to a leader before you have this baby. Good luck.

Hi E.,
Congradulations!

I have had 5 children and I neverleaked with any of them. This follows the rule that is every pregnancy is different for you and for each other mom as well. As for saving your milk. I would not think you could express enough to store it. I am baseing this on the fact that the colostrum *(sp!!!)
Comes out the first thing for the baby to get all the "good stuff" first.
Just my 2 cents.

Probably the only leakage you will have while pregnant will be extremely small (a drop or two), and then only if you press on your breasts. But once you have the baby, then you should save your milk if you're at all concerned about needing spare milk for any reason.

My baby #2 is now the big 1! How time flies. I nursed my 2nd child until she was 11 months. I also nursed my 1st. With my 2nd I leaked very little and only in the very last month, not even enough to use nursing pads, it was mostly at night. I also was an avid reader (still am) when it came to the baby books, and from what I have read you SHOULD NOT pump before your baby comes. Your newborn will need the colestrom that comes in the first few days, this is very vital. I lived by "What to expect when you are expecting" by Arlene Eisenberg. They sell this book everywhere and anywhere that has baby stuff, you can also probably pick a copy up dirt cheap off of Ebay. Good luck and I hope this has helped!

I know you shouldn't try and pump it bc it can make you have contractions. I wouldn't do anything with it. Your milk doesn't come in until after the baby is born from what I understood. I nursed all three of my children! Good luck with everything!

I wouldn't keep any until a week or so before the baby is born. But if you are anything like me, (my forth baby will be 7 weeks old tomorrow) you will not be leaking enough to save any. All it was to me was a comfort to know that my milk was coming in so I could breastfeed her. I'd also make it a point to talk to your doctor to make sure, some may say not to keep any.