Expressing before birth?

[{sarah}]

Is it a good idea to have a bit of a supply stored JIC? If it is a good idea, when should I start & how often should it be done?

[Jas]

hmmm, interesting question Sarah, I'm not sure if it's even possible before that milk comes in? but I suppose there are wet nurses who do it!

now that I think though, expressing prior to you milk coming in isn't recommended due to the pain and also it might not be a good idea because if you got your milk to come in earlier then bub would miss out on the colostrum.

Sorry not the best post but hey it's a reply!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Jas AFAIK the body is still creating colostrum when the baby is born. That's why it is ok to tandem feed

Sarah it is pretty painful to do unless your milk has come in - expressing when you can't get let down is bad enough...

You might be better off doing it as your milk comes in. I got more than six hundred mls just hand expressed when my milk was coming in becuase i had to get it off to relieve the pain.

Sorry I couldn't have been more help!

[Jas]

Ahh thanks for the info Ashlea!

[Ambah]

Ooh I am not sure Sarah. It was something I thought about doing before Eva was born, but I actually could not get anywhere near enough out to store - ie, less than 2ml at a time!

I personally would have found it helpful to have had some stored though, as Eva did have a few small top up formula bottles (from day 2 - 6 I think) whilst my milk was still coming in and we were working on my nipple issues...

[beckles]

Sarah i know 2 mums with gestational diabetes that did exactly this, i think they got about 10mls a day starting at about 37 weeks so that if the baby required milk to increase their blood sugar levels they had it, 1 mum used her milk the other didn't need to. i don't see why you couldn't especially if you are concerned about supply and how you are going to go, even if it is just for reassurance. personally i don't think you will need it AT ALL you will breastfeed your little one with no problems and we will support you through it!
HTH's beckles

[paradise lost]

My only knowledge is with horses and cows but with them if you express the colostrum off the milk comes in sooner (i.e. the day of birth instead of a few days later) which is fairly disastrous for young foals and calves but probably wouldn't be for a human since they get some immunities in the womb.

Do you have GD Sarah? I must have missed it. I think for women with GD when they KNOW there's a possibility of problems after birth then it's worthwhile.

For everyone else, the BFing relationship is as balanced and perfect as the birth process - if you intervene "in case" of problems you might very well end up getting those problems when you otherwise wouldn't have. Just my $0.02.

[babygiggles]

Its interesting you have brought this up...

i never leaked with my first preg. and today, 5 days before due date iv sprung some major leaks! i was changing soaked breastpads earlier thinking i should express some - im sure i would have had a fair bit by now! lol