Breasts leaking and breastfeeding

I keep reading about more and more girls whose breast became fuller, bigger and nipples even sorer and they started leaking towards the end. I'm around 34 weeks now and haven't really noticed any significant changes since the second trimester and definitely not leaking... Any BTDT mommies didn't really experience significant changes and were successful in breastfeeding since the first day LO was born?

Re: Breasts leaking and breastfeeding

I never leaked, not even once with my twins, and breast fed them until they were 15 months.

I haven't experienced any leaking this time either (I'm 35.5 weeks) but my boobs are much bigger!

Re: Breasts leaking and breastfeeding

with #1 there was no leaking and my boobs only got a little bigger. I was able to BF without any problems.

This time around I've been leaking from my left side for quite some time, my right side is here and there. I plan to BF again this time.

Re: Breasts leaking and breastfeeding

Sorry to tell you my story, but everyone kept telling me this wouldn't happen... so better to know there's a possibility so you can start early on trying to fix it...

So my boobs never changed. Never grew, never hurt, never anything. I was producing a tiny tiny bit of colostrum right away but not enough to satisfy my newborn. By day 3 at the hospital, they had to give us an SNS (supplemental nutrition system) where we basically fed her formula through a tube attached to my breast... they kept saying my milk will come in. They said pump every 2-3 hours after feeding her from the breast so basically we rented a hospital grade pump and I attached myself to it almost permanently... I'd try to feed her for 30 minutes on each side, then pump for 20 minutes and then I'd have about an hour before I had to do it all again. It was impossible because I couldn't do anything but try to feed her (and she'd get really upset because so little came out) and pump!!! So we switched to bottle and pump. She still latches SO well, but there isn't enough in my breasts to satisfy her. By day 7, people started to say "oh, start taking supplements" (I did that at day 4)... by day 10, people were saying "oh, maybe there is a problem."

We're at Day 27 now since she was born and I can't pump more than an ounce total from both breasts at a time. I basically feed her formula and give her whatever breast milk I can mixed in there a few times a day. It's all I can do.

My milk "came in" as far as I am producing milk, but it isn't enough for my baby. I was devastated for about 24 hours, crying nonstop and thinking I was a failure as a mother. But then my father reminded me how we thought it would be so hard to get pregnant (I have extremely irregular, long cycles and never got my period growing up) and it wasn't... and we have this perfect beautiful healthy little baby girl... and that formula has been around 100 years and is perfectly healthy for her as well. The LC at my ped office helped as much as she could, but also said that whatever I do give her is gold and so good for her, and to be proud of how hard I have tried.

But, basically, no, I can't breastfeed. I'd start researching supplements and options now just in case so you will feel educated in it before the baby comes. Trying to take care of newborn AND figure out why your body is failing you at the same time was more stress than a first-time mommy could take.

HTH. Also hope this doesn't happen to you!!!

Re: Breasts leaking and breastfeeding

My breasts never got bigger, leaked, etc. during pregnancy, and even though DD couldn't latch properly with her tongue-tie, I pumped and my milk supply came in pretty quickly. GL!

Re: Breasts leaking and breastfeeding

I did "spring a leak" @ 38 weeks during the middle of the night. It can happen, but doesn't always happen. Didn't w/ my first child.

After you start BFing, the soarness is nothing I can describe. It lasts for a few weeks and then, goes away once you're use to it.

they'll also leak once you start. One side will even leak if you're feeding on the other.. well.. a possibility I should say. I think it has to go w/ them being stimulated, but not 100% sure about that.

Again, this is just my experience, it doesn't necessarily happen to everyone. I bought the nipple pads to put over my nipples in the bras to prevent the leaks going on all my shirts.

Re: Breasts leaking and breastfeeding

I went up a cup size during pregnancy, but that was during the 1st or 2nd trimester. I never leaked. I EBF DS for 15 months.