"Can you pump before the baby is born". The short answer is yes. But, it is not recommend to do so before you deliver. Before birth, youonly have colostrum until your milk comes in. Breast stimulation is said to potentially send you into labor, which is not a good thing.
Not a good idea, like PP said, you only produce colostrum for the first few days which is great for a newborn but isn't going to be useful to bottle feed for more than a few days and then your real milk comes in. I get trying to prep a frozen milk supply in advance but unfortunately it doesn't really work well in reality.
Under advisement of my OB I used a pump after I hit 40 weeks. I was scheduled for an induction at 41 and was hoping to avoid one if possible. I delivered at 40+2, and the pump did cause contractions so I wouldn't use it before 40 weeks.
It was a question and I already read up on it. But I do know some people HAVE pumped a few weeks before birth.
So you posted a question that you apparently already have the answer to. Okay.
But pretty much, the rest of us want to know WHY you would do this? Building a stash doesn't work that way and it's generally not recommended to do.
I'm also confused why you posted this thread then if you have already "read up" on it.
The baby needs colostrum right after birth but then needs breastmilk thereafter; you won't produce actual breastmilk until the placenta is born. Right now, you'd be pumping and storing up colostrum which will not be what benefits the baby most in the first several weeks of life. Your milk will change to meet the needs of your baby. It just doesn't make much sense to try to build a stash right now.
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me: 27 | husband: 35 IR PCOS dx Sept. 2014
married May 2015 --> started NTNP BFP 6.28.15 - EDD 3.6.16 baby #1born 2.19.16
I am getting the vibe that the person is asking not because of building a stash or because of colostrum, but more of a way to try and induce a few weeks before going full term. Why else would someone ask the question, if they weren't instructed to do so by their doctor, and they have already read up on the whole colostrum thing? What other reason is there? I cannot be the only one getting this vibe......
I have a ton of friends/family and all of them are baby making machines. Absolutely none of them were instructed to pump before the birth of their baby, unless they were already in labor and the midwife/doctor was trying to use it as an alternative to using medication to move things along. I have never heard of someone being asked to start pumping a few weeks before, by their doctor.
ahack7114
member
Re: Pumping....
But, it is not recommend to do so before you deliver. Before birth, you only have colostrum until your milk comes in.
Breast stimulation is said to potentially send you into labor, which is not a good thing.
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
me: 27 | husband: 35
IR PCOS dx Sept. 2014
married May 2015 --> started NTNP
BFP 6.28.15 - EDD 3.6.16
baby #1 born 2.19.16
TTC #2 in April 2017
BFP 12.30.17 - EDD 9.6.18
Fertility Friend Chart
So you posted a question that you apparently already have the answer to. Okay.
But pretty much, the rest of us want to know WHY you would do this? Building a stash doesn't work that way and it's generally not recommended to do.
The baby needs colostrum right after birth but then needs breastmilk thereafter; you won't produce actual breastmilk until the placenta is born. Right now, you'd be pumping and storing up colostrum which will not be what benefits the baby most in the first several weeks of life. Your milk will change to meet the needs of your baby. It just doesn't make much sense to try to build a stash right now.
me: 27 | husband: 35
IR PCOS dx Sept. 2014
married May 2015 --> started NTNP
BFP 6.28.15 - EDD 3.6.16
baby #1 born 2.19.16
TTC #2 in April 2017
BFP 12.30.17 - EDD 9.6.18
Fertility Friend Chart
I have a ton of friends/family and all of them are baby making machines. Absolutely none of them were instructed to pump before the birth of their baby, unless they were already in labor and the midwife/doctor was trying to use it as an alternative to using medication to move things along. I have never heard of someone being asked to start pumping a few weeks before, by their doctor.