Colostrum (slightly TMI)

What is the earliest that someone would start producing colostrum??? I started about a month ago and it seems like it looks like milk now!!??? which has made me really worried because i think this is when i started with Bay and i had huge breastfeeding probs with him which i REALLY!!! do not want to struggle with for Astin so was wondering if this is maybe the prob??? is it too early? would it be milk already? will i still have colostrum when hes born or will it dry up from sitting unused for a few months??

By the way - im a bit too embarrassed to ask my midwife this

Definitely normal - I never stopped lactating between weaning Maya at 10 mths and getting pregnant with the gremlins over 2 years later. And weaned the gremlins at Xmas and am still lactating lucky me

But I agree with Annie - you'll start off on a better foot if you get some good advice before bubs arrives. I wish I had done that with the gremlins.

me as well, thats why I advise it!!

i have been leaking colostrum since i was prob about 25wks, more out of my left side (the same one i had issues with when feeding).
I have to also see a lactation consultant as I have a few issues with feeding and had great difficulty feedign Haleigh.

I felt embarrassed to talk to my mw i had with haleigh about my flat nipples thinking i was a freak of nature, but ws thankful when she said it was common. i guess they are there to be asked all these questions.
i even asked my mw now if iw as allowed honey as for some reason i was thinking i wastn lol

Edited by haleighsmum

yeah i have flat nipples, and along with haleigh having a super strong suck i was in agony everytime then i got mastitis and expressed then the anitbiotics slowed my supply down adn we werent getitng as much out could have also been the fact that haeligh was so hungry all teh time and was sucking me dry lol, i was expressing all day long and had enough, spent all day and night attatched to a breast pump.

nope i fed for 6dyas then expressed for 6wks and went to formula.
I was to scared to latch her on again as my nipple was bleeding the day i got mastitis, so it will be interesting to see how i go this time round, i will be alot more persistant this time though thats for sure

Baysmum it sure is common, anywhere from about 24 weeks I think. Lucky you!...not!

I don't think early leaking is any connection with trouble bf-ing, not that I've heard anyway. I'd advise you to stay in the hospital until you feel you have the feeding sussed. That way you have help on-call, day or night, whenever you want to ask a question etc. I didn't stay after #2 and it was really hard to get the first night's sleep and a bit of time-out to recuperate.

i was actually doing quite well with bfeeding until i got home and haleigh wouldnt latch one day (about day 5) then we both got owrked up cause she was getitng hungry and the milk wasnt coming through quick enough for her, then when i saw my nipple shield fill up with blood I was too scared to feed her after that. but i moved her to the other side and called my midwife.
my midwife i have now knows about my concerns so she is organising a lactation consultant on my request.

it ia good to know there are others out there who struggled as much as me cause i was getting looks like i shouldve been able to do it without trouble mil was the worse at me when i made the decision to switch to formula.

nzpiper - I had sensitive nippys with my first son and iv heard it mentioned many times before so i think its normal?? we are just the lucky ones!
I dont have sensitive ones this time though just leaky ones! LOL

Im definately going to stay in for longer this time and have even warned my MW that im a very stubborn cow! so not to listen to me when i say i know what im doing! lol and to only let me go home when she thinks iv got it sussed!! that should sort me out! lol Plus she is going to book me into a lactation consultant just before Astins born to check my boob ( oh how fun!) and make sure we are all ready and working for the big day!

Thankyou to all the ladies who have posted here I feel so much better now and even better that there are other mummies who have gone through the same thing and have the same worried

i had very sensitive/ sore nipples first time round and again this time round so i think its normal, i leaked both pregnancies to more so with haleigh than this time round with haleigh i hd little patches on my top in the morning.
mine feel like im actually feeding baby (well in first trimester and every now and then now)

some people dont like bfeeding for the first initial days/ weeks but it does feel better once you get the latching right, i didnt mind it somedays and other days i was in agony and i onyl did it for 6days. it will feel funny to begin with though, i mean having something attatched to your boob is a very weird feeling when you've never experienced it before.
ask your mw for some information on breastfeeding or talk to La Leche/ or a lactation consultant they will be able to give you heaps of info on how to do it and what to expect.
most hospitls have excellant nurses who cna help you out.

im keen to give it a real go this time round and will try as hard as i can to keep going, but i dont think i will stress as much if i cnat do it like i did the first time.