# Colostrum = Limited Production ???



## Past_VNE (Dec 13, 2003)

I am reading a breastfreeding book (can't recall the title, I'm at work). All in all, it's good but very mainstream, albeit mentioning homebirth as an option. In discussing pre-natal colostrum, it says to be sure not to massage breasts or express colostrum, as we don't yet know if the breasts only make just a certain amount or if they will continue to produce it.

DH and I love to play with my nipples and now that I'm in month six, I've been getting colostrum in small drips. Whenever we have sex, DH has been able to taste it.

Are we wasting colostrum that our baby should be getting? Or is this some crap in a book that I should ignore???

Thanks!


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## kimberlylibby (Dec 28, 2003)

I'd ignore it personally.

I would soak my shirts when I was pregnant with my dd1. And I still had colostrum. There was a distinct difference between the colostrum and the milk when it came in, so I know I had both









Kimberly


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## Marsupialmom (Sep 28, 2003)

I would say you have an outdated book.

I nursed through my third pregnacy. I had plenty of colostrum for my last baby.

You keep on making colostrum just like milk. If you "empty" "leak it" et you will make more.


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## Changed (Mar 14, 2004)

You'd be amazed at that supply and demand thing moms have. It's total BS if you ask me.

I pumped 6 ounces of colostrum AFTER birth before my milk even started to come in with my last baby who was in the NICU. That's after leaking for a few months during pregnancy.


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## AmyG (Jan 30, 2002)

There's absolutely no way that there's a limited amount of colostrum. Like others, I've nursed through this pregnancy, and I haven't run out yet. Plus, you start making it really early. It would be really gross if the same colostrum stayed in your body for months and months.


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

That is totally not true! I knew I was going to exclusively pump for my dd and I wanted her to have breastmilk as her first meal right after birth. I managed to pump a couple oz of colostrum and it was thawed and given to her as her first feeding. I continued to pump after the birth and it took at least a week for my milk to turn from mustard yellow to the creamy white of mature milk.

Darshani


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## Queen of Cups (Aug 29, 2003)

I think the opposite is true, actually - at least based on my experience. I was dialated for a month before I went into labor, and the last week of that I was at 6cm. I was trying to get labor started by using the breastpump every night. I was getting 1-3 oz of colostrum a night, and when Killy was born I seemed to have TONS of colostrum. The nurses at the hospital commented on it - he was swallowing more than most babies when they're getting colostrum and he only lost half an once before we left the hospital. They guessed that I'd built up my supply of colostrum through the constant pumping.


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## Past_VNE (Dec 13, 2003)

What you ladies write is what I felt was much more reasonable and more likely to be true. Thank you for your input.

THE BOOK I AM SOURCING
*The Complete Book of Breastfeeding*
by Marvin S. Eiger, Sally Wendkos Olds


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