What causes breasts to leak?
Leaking breasts are a common inconvenience while breastfeeding is establishing. In the early weeks of breastfeeding nursing mothers often have and abundance of breastmilk. Breasts often leak when they become so full of milk that they overflow. Breasts also leak whena “let-down”(milk ejection reflex) is stimulated by a baby’s suckle. This will cause theopposite breast to leak during feeding. Occasionally a let-down may kick in atunexpected times and you may find your breastsleak when you hear a baby cry or when youthink aboutfeeding. Leaking breasts is your body’s way of preventing engorgement and relieving thatfeeling of fullness. You will find your breasts leak less often by the time your baby is 6 – 10 weeks old. This doesn’t mean that you are losing your milk, but rather that your body is regulatingyour supply to equalthedemand of your baby. Don’t worry when leaking eventually stops, you’ll still be making plenty of milkto meet your baby’s needs.
