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Expression pre-natally?

So today I had my 25 week check up and after a short discussion with my MW, I think I would like to start expressing colostrum and freezing it until baby is born which I will then BF until my milk appears and then give baby the frozen stuff.

Have any of you done this and if so, is it too early to start?

Replies

  • I didn't realise that you could express before you have your baby. Can I ask why you think you need to express before then as once your baby is born and you put them on your breast & they will get the right amount of colostrum that they need. Also the only way your milk will come in fully is for your baby to suck which gets the flow going as it's all about supply & demand. I leaked a tiny amount from around 20 weeks with my 1st but it's nothing in comparison with the milk you leak once you start properly producing. I also found it hard to express without my daughter being their to stimulate my let down to get my milk following. Did your mw recommend this?

  • The MW said I could start to try expressing and freezing colostrum and freeze it for when baby arrives as I am not sure whether I would like to BF exclusively. 

  • Whether you want to bf exclusively or not I personally wouldn't bother expressing this early. If, for some reason, your baby comes early then you may need to express then but I don't think it's a necessity. I don't think you'd get very much & I imagine is might be quite painful to express. But good luck with whatever you decide to do.

  • I'm a bit surprised that your midwife has suggested expressing like this. I think it will be difficult to express this early - I would leave it till closer to the due date if you do want to express in advance as nipple stimulation can help start labour as the body thinks the baby is suckling.

    Also, after a couple of days your milk stops being colostrum and the real milk comes in - if you have frozen colostrum after that that you use to feed the baby I don't think it will fill baby up.

  • I have read that nipple stimulation could lead to premature labour?! I personally wouldn't do it, if you want to then I would read up as much as possible about it! I'm sure there is a chance of premature labour though? I could be wrong and don't want to scare you, but I would definitely get a second opinion on it x
  • I've decided not to bother pre-natal expression and to just feed the baby direct from the breast until my milk comes through. How long does that usually take?

  • Mine come in about three days later x
  • Yeahmine was also about three days xx
  • About 3 days I think usually, although it took 5 for mine. Xx.

  • Between 3-5 days but your colostrum will be fine until this time.

  • Ah brill, thanks ladiesimage

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