Breast Milk Before Baby Arrives??

[Liza55]

This may sound crazy, but...I recently read about women 'leaking' breast milk at 20 weeks pregnant or so. I am currently almost 19 weeks pregnant w/ my second child. I was wondering if it is possible to somehow stimulate milk production prior to baby's birth. Not only could I pump to build up a freezer full of milk for new baby, but I could give it to my 12 month old again as well (she breastfed til 6 mos). If such a thing is possible, is it safe/ recommended and how do you do it? Thanks in advance....

[gooberwatts]

Hi, I am currently 38 weeks pregnant and have been leaking colostrum since I was about 5 months!!! You may leak colostrum soon but that is all... you will not get the breast milk in for like 2 days after the baby is born. For the first 2 days the baby eats the colostrum which is filled with antibodies and all types of other great stuff that they need!!! Just a warning... if you do get your colostrum in soon do not try to pump it!!!!! Nipple stimulation can cause you to go into labor.... so if you were to start pumping it to store you may put yourself into preterm labor!! Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!!!

[spl_aroraacc]

A related discussion, milk coming from breast before child birth was started.

[Teya]

I have four children. My oldest is 8, the 5 and 3 yr. old twins. I breastfed all of my children.  I now have an IUD, have been getting a period every month since I stopped breatfeeding my twins.  I do not believe I am currently pregnant (since the IUD has been working properly for YEARS NOW) but I am leaking colostrum.
So I don't know if that answers your question. When you have breast fed previously depending on your hormones and other factors, it is very much possible to leak colostrum even if you are only a few weeks pregnant :-)

[CanMommyToBe]

I am 17 weeks today and have started to leak some Colostrum.  My problem is if I do not express it out, my nipple becomes very sore.  Should I just leave it alone and see if it settles down and continue to help it drain?  I was pregnant once about 10 yrs ago and had a miscarriage, so maybe that is why it has started so early, but it is very uncomfortable.

[jnl069]

i have been lactating since i was in 9th grade it is normal sweet tasting and very thick in a good way. i am also 3 months pregnant now and have been getting more and more milk to come out with just a little squeezing around and towards the nipple i dont lactate as much as to stock up in advance although it would be cool if you could.

[Liza55]

Thanks all!

[chellybeans]

i am leaking colostrum at 25 weeks, i am not sure that there is a way to make milk come in. usually it comes in within a day or so of the babies birth. that's triggered by the hormonal change that childbirth causes.