my wife has been pumping for about 3 weeks or more and she's still not due for about 3 more weeks?

Question

should she be saving the milk that she is producing now or should she dispose of it?

Answer 1

First off, shes not going to run out of colostrum. She will continue to produce it until after the baby is born.

Secondly, theres no real point in saving it. You don't want to give a newborn a bottle (ever!) and all the good stuff in it will be killed by the freezer... I can't imagine shes producing more than a couple drops anyway.

Lastly, she needs to stop. She is putting your unborn child at risk. Nipple stimulation can cause contractions... Its best to wait until the baby is ready to come.

Its great shes wanting to get a head-start! Her heart is in the right place! :)

Answer 2

Hello there. I have to tell you that I have been advising women about breastfeeding for almost 20 years and this is the first time I have ever heard of a woman pumping her milk out before she has had her baby. Does she have a reason for doing this? Does she actually get uncomfortable from the pressure of the milk? Is she just pumping enough to relieve the pressure? The thing is, there shouldn't BE any pressure! Is she able to pump more than a few drops? That would be very unusual and I would mention it to her doctor. Not that it is bad or anything but it is very unusual and should be brought to his attention.
Pregnant women toward the end of their pregnancy will start to produce something called colosturm. This magical, wonderful substance is very important for the baby to receive before he receives the actual milk. It is a wonderful thing that your wife has made the important decision to breastfeed but I do think that she might be pumping the milk out for the wrong reasons.
The colostrum that a woman makes before her milk comes in is so full of antibodies that it protects your baby from staphylococcus infections, polio virus, coxsakie virus, infant diarrhea and Escherichia coli infections...the very things to which newborns are most susceptible. Did you know that something as simple as the colostrum could do all that? Pretty amazing isn't it? Not only that but if you continue to nurse your baby for at least 6 months you will give him or her the immunities that the mother has developed over her lifetime and prevent the baby from getting most common childhood illnesses.
However there is no benefit to expressing or pumping the colosturm and your wife will not make actual milk until after she has given birth. There would be no benefit to trying to store the colostrum. I would be worried that if she is pumping out the colosturm there might not be any left in the breast for the baby but I assume that as soon as it is pumped out more is made. After all the human breast works under the perfect rules of supply and demand. The more demand that there is, the more supply there will be.
I would stop the pumping and there is no reason that I could think of for your wife to be saving what ever she is pumping out of her breasts.
I applaud her efforts and she certainly has made a fantastic decision in planning to breasfeed her baby. It shows that she is well on her way to successful breastfeeding and to being a wonderful mother!
The only think I would change is that I would stop the pumping and leave the colostrum there for the baby when it is born.
Good luck and I hope your wife has a wonderful time nursing her new little baby! She is giving her baby a real headstart on life!
Love and Blessings.
Lady Trinity~

Answer 3

While there is probably no reason to be pumping, contrary to popular belief there is no finite supply of colostrum. Many moms nurse an older child during their whole pregnancy and the milk changes to colostrum about halfway through the pregnancy and stays that way until 3-7 days after delivery, just like always.

Pumping can cause you to go into labour ONLY IF YOUR BABY IS READY. It has not been linked to preterm birth, except in high risk mothers. Like all safe methods of induction (like walking and sex) it only works if the baby is ready.(if it works at all)


There is no harm in any child receiving colostrum at any point in their lives. So she can store it if she feels the need. I would only caution against using it during the first 6 weeks as any supplemental feedings (formula or otherwise) can interefere with breastfeeding and mom's supply.

Actually colostrum is probably the food of choice for a sick baby or toddler.

Answer 4

She should not be pumping her milk now! What she is pumping is the colostrum that the baby will need right after birth until the real milk comes in a few days later! She should be saving the milk - in her breasts!

Answer 5

Why is she pumping at all? The colostrum that the baby should get is what the baby would get before her milk even comes in. She shouldn't be pumping until after the baby is born.

Answer 6

Yes she would be saving it she baby needs the mothers first milk called colostrum. It nutrients to boost the immune system. They have special made bags to store and freeze breast milk. I would highly recommend it.

Answer 7

i wouldn't worry to much....some women never stop breastfeeding their other children and when new baby is born they do fine....and as for her going into labor and "endangering her unborn" BAH! a study was don't with nipple stimulation (6 hours a day of it to be exact)and it did not show any risks of premature labor! and none of the women went so far past their due dates they needed induction! if shes making milk like more then a few drops.......like ounces I'd definitely save it....u never no when you might need! and it wonderful to have..when my babe was 4 mo i became very very sick and anemic and my milk production was like down to nothing for a while and it was great not having to give him formula!...i also use the frozen boob milk in a fruit and veggie teether as like a Popsicle when my boys teething up a storm very effective! good luck

Answer 8

she shouldn't be pumping at all until after the baby gets the first of her milk. babies need the first of the mother's milk because they need the colostrum. this is what gives the baby all the vitamins and nutrients in the beginning. it helps the baby's immune system develop.

Answer 9

i have never heard of this before woman do not pump before tell her to stop and save it for the baby

Answer 10

You don't pump untill after you have the baby. Talk to her doctor!