Thread: Silly Bfing Question

Just for future reference: So, if you are using nipple stimulation, or a breast pump as a natural induction technique, does it interfere with your colostrum? Like, will it make you start producing milk, and basically waste the colostrum?

I am leaking a lot right now, especially if I love on DD, or if I brush my nipples at all, and I am worried that if (in the future) I used nipple stimulation that it could somehow mess with my colostrum... Does that make sense?

baby's saliva glands on the areola will determine what kind of milk/colostrum you produce. so no it won't interfere other than being leaky.

Nope, it won't interfere.

I didn't know that about the baby's saliva glands. I figured the body wont be triggered to produce full milk while it's still pregnant. Learn new things every day...

Interesting...

I have been doing nipple stimulation as well. I haven't noticed a change in the milk I have been producing. What I have isnt really colostrum, but isnt really milk either. It's more like a running clearish liquid.

That sounds like colostrum, Deidre.

Baby's saliva puts in a personalized order for milk...which antibodies are needed, which have already been recieved, ect.

The thing that triggers the production of MILK instead of colostrum is actually the placenta. It's when the placenta is removed in it's entirety from the uterus that the body is triggered to start producing milk instead of colostrum. This transfer can take a few days, but it's the hormonal changes of no more placenta that does it. This is also why women who retain placenta after birth don't have their milk come in.

Aaahhhhh ok, thanks!!

Now it's got me wonderin'... how does it work if you are tandem feeding? Does your body still produce colostrum for the baby?

Colostrum is what's called a 'prebiotic'. It's not intended to feed the baby at all...it's intention is to feed the bacteria in the gut of the baby so that it will grow and multiply. This bacteria is acquired through birth and is the 'birthplace' of the baby's immune system. It's GOOD bacteria. You only need a small, small amount of colostrum to feed the flora in a baby's gut. So, when tandem nursing, there is lots of colostrum to go around, even though it's only a small amount produced for a few days.

Thanks Emily! Breast milk is actually very fascinating I never knew... and I even BFed DD lol.

so, it is a myth that if you tandem nurse, your milk will be right for the toddler and not the newborn? someone on my DD's BB was told that by her doctor when she concieved while nursing...didn't sound right to me

incidentaly, nak-ing