Last Thursday morning I woke up drenched, my nightgown was soaked, my sheets were soaked. I had water trickling down my thighs, which is what actually woke me up.
I took pictures of the sheets and my nightgown.
I went into the bathroom to make sure I hadn't peed in my sleep or been leaking amniotic fluid. I was concerned that it was HEAVY discharge can come before getting ready to give birth. I was nervous, but I had woke up wet many other nights as well, it just wasn't this much before.
Upon inspection in the bathroom, I saw that none of the wetness was in the crotch of my underwear.
I sent pictures to a few friends and posted them on my social media saying pregnancy is wild and I can't believe how much I was sweating, especially for not being hot. I had bad dreams which could have been what was causing all the sweat, but I was definitely not warm.
After posting the picture, a friend messaged me and said, "are you sure you're not leaking from your breasts?"
I quickly responded, no. I am 23 weeks. Leaking makes little sense, and it doesn't smell like anything. I can feel this many mornings, but I was sure I was just sweating extra.
Then I remembered all the nightgowns that I have pulled out of my drawer to wear to bed the second night in a row to find that they had this weird crusty spot. Every time I noticed this, I would smell it, touch it and then blame it on something in the laundry and just throw it in the dirty clothes and get a clean nightgown.
So, I went and grabbed that nightgown from the dirty clothes that I had thrown in that morning. Sure enough, same spot, crusty. Under my left breast. In that armpit.
So I wrote her back and said "actually yeah I think I am leaking breast milk,"
I then remembered this has been going on for 2 months at this point already.
I asked her questions, and she was still concerned I was leaking amniotic fluid. This was of course the day after our BIG ultrasound appointment so I was not concerned that I was leaking because I had had less fluid many nights before and if it was a concern, they would tell me I had low amniotic fluid.
But I called my OB Friday morning, just in case. I sat on hold for 20 minutes and figured, I know better. I did every test I can on myself and this is sweat coming from my back, my butt and the back of my thighs. It has nothing to do with my vagina or crotch area at all and I was going to see my OB on Monday so I would just keep track on my own with the Doppler and feeling Baby T move.
On Monday I told my OB about both things and she had said leaking breastmilk was nothing to think about.
She was upset that I had not called in on Thursday when I woke up soaked, but I explained to her I was positive it had nothing to do with the baby. But I let her do an exam of my cervix and test to make sure no amniotic fluid has leaked or that I had any heavy discharge because of infection or otherwise.
Everything came back negative.
I have read 2 books on pregnancy and read weekly updates on my app and 2 websites to see what is going on with Baby T and I each week. None of them mentioned you can start leaking this early. The only thing I had actually read about leaking breastmilk in pregnancy was in month 9 of What to Expect When You're Expecting.
They had mentioned that some women leak a few weeks before they give birth.
But a google search of leaking breastmilk at 23 weeks returned some women leak even in the first trimester, but it is most common to start after 16 weeks, which is when I am assuming I started finding the crusty spots on my nightgown.
My Doctors had mentioned this to me. I just did not think it was a possibility at this point in pregnancy.
I have felt like a fool for not putting it all together before, but I also blame the pregnancy education, I did not know it was a possibility so I was only thinking of thing that I knew happened when hormones change, like frequent sweating especially at night.
Now that I am aware of this I am constantly watching for more leaking but I think my cut back on water intake has affected my lactation.
Now I am working on trying to increase my water intake again because it actually comforts me I am already leaking.
I have noticed no leaking throughout the day when walking, doing housework, doing yoga or practicing barre. It has only ever been overnight.
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