Leaky boobs: will baby miss out?

[Liz]

Ok, this question will show how little I know. hehehe. 8-[

I've been waking up in the night, quite wet from my leaky boobs, else I've been waking up with white stuff all dried on my arm or something. My question is, is it possible to leak so much that milk actually starts and baby would miss out on collostrum?

[Lucy]

I don't think so!

I leaked like a tap from about 30 weeks when I was pg with Olivia, but I still had loads of colostrum to give her when she was born.

I think that the hormones that kick in post-birth are the thing that produce colostrum, so what you are leaking now is simply replenished and when your baby is born, there will be plenty of the good stuff.

Colostrum tends to be thick and sticky, whereas it sounds lke you may be leaking thinnner milk? Hopefully it is a sign that you will have a great supply when the time comes!

[Liz]

I hope so! I was always a bit worried as I've always been quite small, but as this pg progresses they're filling out quite nicely, and now with all this leaking, I'm feeling more confident that I'll be able to feed

[Adnil]

I would take this as a good sign!! your body will definately replenish any that leaks. I was worried when pg because I wasnt leaking!!

and small BBs can definately produce plenty of milk!!

[~Raven~]

Ivana as someone who has small BB's I can reassure you that size is no indication on how much milk you can produce.
I had leaks at various times of the day of a thin and slightly opaque fluid around 20 weeks, but closer to my due date the consistency changed to thicker and yellow. My OB assured me that it was the colostrum and it's quite normal. Within 2 days of the birth it was white.

[Liz]

Wow Theresa, that IS interesting. Aren't our bodies clever

Thanks for the reassurance girls. I hope the leaking doesn't progress to leaking through the day tho.. .how messy! I think it's just the pressure/squeezing when I'm lying on my side, especially if my arm is underneath that makes it leak out. Poor DH had it all over him one night. LOL. Maybe I should start wearing a top to bed 8-[

[Lucy]

LOL Ivana, if it is any consolation to you when I was leaking all the time when I was pg with Olivia we were living in Darwin: very very hot and so the milk that leaked would turn rancid smelling in minutes: it was FOUL,a dn I ended up chaging the bedsheets every day practically!

[Alan]

Ivana
The ize of your BB's has no relationship on your ability to breastfeed.
Although if you are very big then the baby could have a bit of difficulty latching on in the early stage.
Leaking BB's is normal. Your baby will not miss out, in fact it is a good sign that you can produce lots of milk.

Also Lucy
you poor thing.


Alan (Midwife)

[Adnil]

if you are worried about leaking while you are out, just pop a couple of breast pads in!

[Candice]

I leaked like a 100 year old tap when I was pregnant, and I have had a faultless supply since Bryn was born.

[Liz]

Excellent I'm not really leaking like a tap just yet! Only in bed at night.. and then not every night. I'm glad it's a good sign that I'll have a good supply