Is lack of colostrum in pregnancy predictive of low supply later?

[NoraFlood]

So I am almost 36 weeks pregnant and I'm starting to get worried by the fact that I don't seem to have any colostrum yet. Not only have I never leaked at all, but I can't express so much as a drop. Does this mean I won't have colostrum when the baby is born?

[Mama2mc]

Nope. I didn't have ANY during pregnancy, but had an excellent supply after baby was born.

[PatioGardener]

Well, I am older than you, I couldn't express a drop in pregnancy either, and I had so much milk I could have easily fed triplets.  MASSIVE over supply!  So don't worry - it is not an indication of supply at all.

Have you talked to an LC or gone to a La Leche League meeting yet?  So helpful when preparing to breastfeed - even just to increase your confidence! 

This is also a great webpage: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/index.html

and... be prepared to have sore nipples in the start (I used lanolin to soothe), be prepared for baby to feed 18-32 times in 24 hours at first, invest in a great water bottle - I was so surprised at how thirsty I was! - and know that it is normal for baby to lose some weight in the beginning.

Best wishes for birth and happy baby mooning! 

[CherryBomb]

Nope, whether you have colostrum leakage during pregnancy or not has absolutely nothing to do with how much milk you'll produce afterward!

[NoraFlood]

Thanks everybody! That really eases my mind!

[Amy0417]

Milk production occurs after the delivery of the placenta (colostrum is milk)  Not all women have colostrum during pregnancy.  I never did.  No worries mama. :)

[AllyRae]

I had plenty of colostrum during all of my pregnancies, but I have never been able to nurse without an SNS, so in my case, it was the opposite.

[P.J.]

I had one drop of colostrum during my pregnancy (boy was that an exciting moment!), although I never really tried to express any, and now I have a kind of low supply. It's enough for the baby, but when I pump I get about half of the average (1-2 oz in a 20 min session). But I have never thought the lack of colostrum in pregnancy had any relationship to that whatsoever.

[Llyra]

I couldn't express colostrum even after my births-- it's really hard to get that stuff out, if you're not a baby. But apparently I had plenty, since DD1 started spitting up the excess starting with her first feed. And I always made plenty of milk, too, for all my kids. FWIW-- I never leaked, ever. Not ever. Even when my milk first came in, I never leaked. So if you turn out to be a non-leaker, don't let that worry you, either.

[aphel]

I also had no colostrum during pregnancy, but bordered on oversupply for baby's first few months. My MW said the best indication of whether or not you will have enough milk for baby is whether or not your breasts grow during pregnancy.

[buckeyedoc]

I never had much (or any, really) colostrum in pregnancy but never had supply issues later.

[AFWife]

I never leaked with my last pregnancy (or this one either) and had an oversupply...my milk actually was "in" within 24 hours of birth. (Even though everyone assured me it was normal for it to take several days...I was spraying out the other side when nursing)

[RaeDyCo]

Originally Posted by aphel 

My MW said the best indication of whether or not you will have enough milk for baby is whether or not your breasts grow during pregnancy.

My breasts never grew in pregnancy or when my milk came in so I would disagree with this.  I also didn't leak colostrum during either of my pgs.  I have a huge oversupply and OALD and I had to block feed for almost 6 months.  My oversupply can still be triggered if DS2 nurses more than his normal amount.

[myk]

i never leaked with my first pg, i could express a drop of colostrum at a time but that's it. i had a GREAT supply!

this time around, i'm 33w5d so far and can express one drop every few hours if i try hard enough. i'm not worried.

[cyclamen]

I didn't have any leaking colostrum, but I could express a few drops while pg.  I had a massive oversupply and OALD for months after DD was born.

[Baby~Braatens~Mama]

I haven't had a problem with nursing, colostrum was there when baby latched on and my milk came in 2.5 days post partum.

P.J This line was entirely me! I was so excited to find that my works were working. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by P.J. 

I had one drop of colostrum during my pregnancy (boy was that an exciting moment!),