Colostrum Powder

How early does colostrum come in?

I don't even know for sure if I am pregnant, hubby and I did the baby dance a couple of times around ovulation time. That was 10 days ago. My period isn't due til January 2nd though so still too early for a pregnancy test. Today is the 24th and this morning I noticed my breasts were leaking clearish cloudy thick fluid- colostrum? IF I am pregnant I am only a week and a half along, is that possible to have it come in so fast?? I have been pregnant before, about 5 years ago, but around the 18th week of the pregnancy I had to have a D n C (is that what it's called?) due to severe medical problems....I have been able to produce milk since then, if I squeezed my breasts too much or anything..but now the liquid is clear..not milky....please help! I really hope we are pregnant! I asked this question before, but only one person answered it..

Public Comments

1. Colostrum (also known as beestings or first milk) is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands in late pregnancy and the few days after giving birth. If you are TTC, the clear liquid you are experiencing is definitely not colostrum. It probably is coming from your breast glands expanding, as they do when you are pregnant, so the nipples will not dry out. This is especially important for breastfeeding; I'm sure you've heard the horrow stories of sore and cracked breasts from all the breastfeeding. The glands leak a little fluid that helps keep the nipples moist. I started to notice a clear liquid (but only if I squeezed a nipple), it came out like little sweat glands.
2. It is possible for a woman to start producing 'colostrum' any time after about 14 to 16 weeks of the pregnancy. So this is not what is happening to you. You really should see a doctor about your breasts leaking fluid. If your pregancy was to end in the second trimester or later, your milk could come in. However, it would dry up on its own- realitively soon after the end of the pregnancy. You should not be able to squeeze your breasts years later have "milk" come out of them. It is said that it is normal that if you squeeze your breasts that they can discharge. The only time when fluid should be leaking from a breast is during pregnancy and breast-feeding. When it happens any other time, it is best to get the breast or breasts examined by a doctor just to be sure that there isn't some underlying health problem that needs to be addressed. If fluid is leaking from both breasts, chances are good that a hidden condition is affecting the whole body in a systemic way. This may be an endocrine problem. Another possibility is that some sort of medication is causing it. Many different kinds of prescription drugs, including Prozac and birth control pills, are known to mess with the breasts. Another cause leaking from both breasts is called "galactorrhea". A harmless, tiny tumor in the brain that triggers a response for more milk producing hormones called prolactin. When the fluid comes from just one breast, it is much more likely that the cause is localized to just that breast. Discharge from the nipple may be a sign of any one of numerous problems ranging from breast trauma to cancer.
3. It is possible for a woman to start producing 'colostrum' any time after about 14 to 16 weeks of the pregnancy. Colostrum is the first fluid a woman's breasts produce and is a clear or creamy-yellow substance that is syrupy in consistency. It is possible for some women to hand express colostrum from their nipples during pregnancy, or to slightly leak colostrum occasionally, especially if this is not your first baby. (Be aware that leaking colostrum during pregnancy does not happen for every woman and your milk may not become obviously noticeable until after your baby is born.)