when to express?

[kt6]

I had my 34 week check up today and midwife told me i can start expressing my milk with my hands already, i have a manual pump can i use this or does it have to be done with hands?

[prettybunnie88]

Right!  the natural course its for the baby to take care of well you take care of your baby don't get rid of the good stuff and good luck!!

[smcdsmcd]

I would think u shouldn't express. Baby needs that colostrum!!! Can u see another midwife or obgyn?

[kt6]

I really should of questioned her but i didnt want to sound dumb

[knufrio]

It's not recommended that you express breast milk regularly before delivering baby. If I were you I'd be questioning my midwife. Expressing breast milk can put you into preterm labor as it releases oxytocin which causes uterine contractions. Also it can make it so you don't develop a good supply after baby is born. Your milk doesn't come in until a few days after baby is born so right bow all you would produce is small amounts of colostrum, while colostrum is good for baby, pumping before delivery can send the message to your brain that this is all the milk you need to produce and even after your milk comes in your body will still have that message that you don't need that much and increasing your supply will be very difficult.