Pumping before delivery

I was able to hand express but always found I was always able to get more after a bath or shower when breasts were warm x

Don’t advise you pump before delivery I’m not sure where people are getting this idea from or doing it but it’s literally unsafe practice. Ask the nurses once you go for delivery and they’ll tell you the same thing.

@Alana it’s only unsafe as it can start labour. However, this lady is going to be induced soon and is happy if labour starts. She’s 37 weeks tomorrow so is fine. Pumping is absolutely fine however you may lose some of the colostrum in the parts depending on its thickness. I had watery colostrum so didn’t lose much and was able to get 5ml+ with every session. Have a warm bath/shower and give the breast a massage. It’ll get easier with practice ☺️

@Alana my ob recommend for me to start trying a week before delivery because I have family history of women not being able to breast feed because they can’t produce enough milk for the baby and studies show pumping and hand expressing helps stimulate the milk production so doing it close to delivery especially if you know when you’re going to deliver which I do because I’m having to be induced due to being diabetic and it being safer for the baby to be delivered before 39-40 weeks I’m being induced in the next week that it can help boost milk production and possibly help aid in milk supply for people who have family history and other concerns that could limit milk production

@Chelsea understandable then , curious why they told me not to pump during my pregnancy 😕 would’ve loved to stock up on the milk smh.

@Donna Woods I was able to get a little bit out mine is thicker so it was a little harder to get it to flow in but it’s a start

@Donna Woods Thank you for telling me this I am now going to ask my OB why it wasn’t recommended for me. and I actually end up having my baby 2 weeks early 🤔

@Alana I brought up my family’s history with feeding issues due to milk supply issues and asked if they could recommend anything that could help because I want to breastfeed because of the benefits for mom and baby as well as bonding too and it was one of the things they recommended as well as different foods and drinks that helped with supply

Please be careful, I tried my pump out for 3 mins once when I was 39w pregnant as I was struggling with hand expressing and my waters broke 8hrs later 😅

@Charlee I am I asked my ob what to do to help prevent that from happening but they also told me if it does since they’re wanting me to deliver by 37 weeks (tomorrow I’m 37) to 38 weeks if I do go into labor we already have the plan and everything I had contractions 2 weeks ago they had to stop with medicine and at my next appointment we made the plan in case I got contractions again or my water broke and the hospital knows the plan as well in case something happens before then

I was pumping and got cramps so I had to start as I know it can bring on labour but in your case that would be okay! I found the pump didn’t work for me but I got a Hakka and expressed that way and it worked wonders. Just place on the breast and suction and squeeze the Hakka it’s like a manual pump it was great had a nice stash from it! Wishing you the best of luck 🤞🏻

@Chelsea I still didn't manage to get any with the pump (although as I said, I didn't do it for long) but my midwife helped me at the hospital after birth and managed to get a couple of syringes worth within a few hours, so please don't worry if you're unable to get any! Good luck with everything 🥰x

I was told not to pump before milk had come in 4/5 days after birth and to stick with hand expressing as colostrum can get stuck in the tubes as it is apparently stickier or something and it would be a waste (no idea tbh lol but my HV and midwife both said it so??) I hand expressed into a shot glass of all things 🤣 after a bath or shower I got most x