A lot of first time mums worry about the amount of colostrum their bodies produce in the first few days. Don’t worry, your baby is getting exactly the volume their tiny tummy is designed for, little drops of highly nutritious colostrum will keep them going until the full milk arrives. If you can, it’s fine to start expressing your milk from 38 weeks if you have some leakage and you can freeze this supply as backup when your baby arrives. The risk of starting labour due to expressing is minimal but at this stage the baby is ready to be born.  

Even if you wish to formula feed your baby, breastfeeding colostrum for the first few days is a great start for your baby! Try to reduce the breastfeeding by just one or two feeds for a few days rather than cold turkey. If you swap to formula after the first week your breasts will likely be full and uncomfortable for a few days. A good supportive bra and some cold cabbage leaves from the fridge in your bra will help as well as regular painkillers too.