3rd Trimester
Breastfeeding
I am wondering, when and if the breasts will be ready to "leak" milk? Do the breasts only release milk once the baby is born? Thanks! I'm a FTM and I'm determined to EBF.
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Re: Breastfeeding
Your body naturally releases the milk a few days after baby is born, prior to that baby will drink colostrum (the clear sticky stuff you see now) to help him/her gain weight as it is extremely fatty and filled with nutrients. The colostrum is very important and good for newborns.
I EBF my son for one year. My milk came in when he was 2 or 3 days, I can't remember exactly.
First comes the colostrum (nutrient and antibody rich booster for the baby in those first few days)...then the milk (mine came in on day 3). Your placenta releasing is what triggers your body to start making milk.
You might want to read up a little on BFing beforehand. It often doesn't come naturally to mama and baby, and can be a bit of a learned skill.
Torpedo boobs! It's like one minute you look down and WHOA...looks like they're full. Make sure you have pads on hand because when your milk comes in you will leak like crazy, and if you have a supply like I did you'll be a running faucet on the other side while you nurse.
With all that I had no leaking before the baby was born. This time I know I'm producing something because I'm regularly cleaning out little crusty bits (tmi) but nothing to soak my bra!
The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.