? about breastfeeding

are your boobs supposed to leak during pregnancy? i havent had any leaking at all and i'll be 39 weeks this week. i'm just a little worried that im not producing what im supposed to and i'll have trouble breastfeeding.

Re: ? about breastfeeding

Mine never did and I BFed DS #1 till he was 15 months and they didn't with my second pregnancy either and we're still going strong at 5 months. No worries!

Re: ? about breastfeeding

My boobs did not leak during pregnancy at all.
Nor were they sore.
Nor did the grow a whole lot.

I gave birth on Wed via C section.
My milk came in at early early sun morning at 3am.

I posted some tips for the "in between time"/ the colostrum time on my "hello all" thread (you can just skip down to the BFing part (I even labeled that part) for some pointers if you are having the issues I had in the few days before my milk came in.

I too, was nervous that I wouldn't have any milk... I hoped I would... but a part of me thought I wouldn't because there was no leakage, no soreness, and they didn't get huge. But alas, I did have milk in the end.

Try to squeeze your boobs and see if anything comes out. Do this after birth too. I didn't know this was how you could tell if you have Colostrum yet... learned that from a friend after I delivered and was wondering if she was getting anything at all when she sucked.

Good Luck!!

Re: ? about breastfeeding

There is no correlation between leaking and success with breastfeeding. It's just one of those things- some women leak colostrum, and some don't. Nothing to worry about!

Re: ? about breastfeeding

thanks everyone for easing my concerns! makes me feel better.

Re: ? about breastfeeding

I did not leak at all with pregnancy #1 and my milk came in no problem.

I started leaking before 20 weeks with #2

Re: ? about breastfeeding

I leaked so much with #1, but nothing with #2. #2 I had a bigger supply.

Re: ? about breastfeeding

I didn't leak, no changes, no soreness, nothing, and had severe supply issues (along with unusually large amount of blood loss at birth) -- but I also have irregular cycles, a history of cysts, and hormonal imbalance (I paint a great picture of myself...). I never got a supply, never leaked, never got engorged, no hardness, nothing and was unable to breastfeed despite round-the-clock (attempted) nursing, supplementing at the boob, and pumping the first 6 weeks of her life (I never ever slept). If I had not given her formula, she would have starved. I was heartbroken.

My suggestion is to take a class or find a LC now and discuss everything in advance and just in the back of your mind considering the possibility that you may have struggles. I'd heard that BF can be difficult (especially due to latching problems) but no one ever told me a woman could be unable to do it. I thought it was physical like the way all women have a vagina -- all women could breastfeed. I was so stupid. It's still hard to wrap my head around this.

I was taking so many supplements the LC put me on after DD was born, it looked like an alternative medicine shop in my house. My OB's office even talked about putting me on experimental off-prescription drugs to get my body to produce milk. That's when I "woke up" and realized that formula has to be better than drugs that "might" make me produce breast milk, but could also get passed to the baby and we don't know what happens then.

I still feel sad when I think about all this.

I've since read that it can happen in up to 5% of women -- so it's VERY unlikely to happen to you unless you have all these other mitigating circumstances. I was just one of the wacky cases. I've heard from a few others like myself on this website, but most of the time women who worry the first few days end up having no problem if they stick with it.

I just wanted to let you know that there is a slight change you *could* have problems, but honestly, I posted the exact same question before DD was born and every single person who responded said "don't worry -- your milk will come in" -- even around day 10 PP when I still had no milk, everyone said "it just takes time." I wish ONE person had told me of the possibility that it WOULDN'T happen, just so I could mentally prepare for it. I felt like the worst mother in the whole world and a complete and utter failure who didn't deserve to have a baby because I couldn't feed her. I'm not exaggerating. I was so miserable and sad. I wasn't even enjoying my newborn because I thought I didn't deserve to have her because I couldn't feed her.

Stupid societal pressure that puts "breast is best" on every friggin can of formula you have to open when you're a worthless failure like me.

Don't feel like I did/do. Know that whatever happens, you will raise a healthy, happy, wonderful child. And that breast isn't always best if it's an impossibility.

But in all likelihood, you'll be able to breastfeed.

Re: ? about breastfeeding

Re: ? about breastfeeding

This was one of my concerns when I was pregnant with DS. I had absolutely no leakage when pregnant with him and i went on the successfully BF him until 15 months. So far no leakage with this pregnancy either.

I also never really leaked when BF DS either. I never wore nursing pads. I know he got enough becuase he gain more than enough weight and had enough output of pee and poop.

Re: ? about breastfeeding

This is my 3rd pregnancy, and I BF both my first 2 kids for 11 months and I never had any leaking with my pregnancys! Everyone's body is different, if this is your first baby, the milk takes a while to come in, you will have to pump a lot once the baby is born to get your milk flowing!

Re: ? about breastfeeding

Posted by springsandra

I didn't leak, no changes, no soreness, nothing, and had severe supply issues (along with unusually large amount of blood loss at birth) -- but I also have irregular cycles, a history of cysts, and hormonal imbalance (I paint a great picture of myself...). I never got a supply, never leaked, never got engorged, no hardness, nothing and was unable to breastfeed despite round-the-clock (attempted) nursing, supplementing at the boob, and pumping the first 6 weeks of her life (I never ever slept). If I had not given her formula, she would have starved. I was heartbroken.

My suggestion is to take a class or find a LC now and discuss everything in advance and just in the back of your mind considering the possibility that you may have struggles. I'd heard that BF can be difficult (especially due to latching problems) but no one ever told me a woman could be unable to do it. I thought it was physical like the way all women have a vagina -- all women could breastfeed. I was so stupid. It's still hard to wrap my head around this.

I was taking so many supplements the LC put me on after DD was born, it looked like an alternative medicine shop in my house. My OB's office even talked about putting me on experimental off-prescription drugs to get my body to produce milk. That's when I "woke up" and realized that formula has to be better than drugs that "might" make me produce breast milk, but could also get passed to the baby and we don't know what happens then.

I still feel sad when I think about all this.

I've since read that it can happen in up to 5% of women -- so it's VERY unlikely to happen to you unless you have all these other mitigating circumstances. I was just one of the wacky cases. I've heard from a few others like myself on this website, but most of the time women who worry the first few days end up having no problem if they stick with it.

I just wanted to let you know that there is a slight change you *could* have problems, but honestly, I posted the exact same question before DD was born and every single person who responded said "don't worry -- your milk will come in" -- even around day 10 PP when I still had no milk, everyone said "it just takes time." I wish ONE person had told me of the possibility that it WOULDN'T happen, just so I could mentally prepare for it. I felt like the worst mother in the whole world and a complete and utter failure who didn't deserve to have a baby because I couldn't feed her. I'm not exaggerating. I was so miserable and sad. I wasn't even enjoying my newborn because I thought I didn't deserve to have her because I couldn't feed her.

Stupid societal pressure that puts "breast is best" on every friggin can of formula you have to open when you're a worthless failure like me.

Don't feel like I did/do. Know that whatever happens, you will raise a healthy, happy, wonderful child. And that breast isn't always best if it's an impossibility.

But in all likelihood, you'll be able to breastfeed.

Re: ? about breastfeeding

I never leaked during pregnancy and I've been EBFing for seven months!

No worries!

Re: ? about breastfeeding

at 38 1/2 weeks i got a little bit of colostrum only if i squeezed my nipples and only a little bit. don't worry...once your body goes into labor and you get contractions and birthing process etc your body will react by increasing its production. you're not necessarily supposed to Leak...but you might see a tiny bit if you squeeze around this point.