What is it?
Leaking or spraying breasts are a natural, though sometimes embarrassing, part of breastfeeding. (Many moms-to-be start leaking during pregnancy.) Some women never leak milk, while others leak a little at almost every feeding. Mornings — when your milk supply is at its peak — tend to be leaky for many women throughout nursing.
What causes it?
Your breasts leak when they become so full of milk that they overflow or when your letdown reflex kicks in unexpectedly.
What can I do about it?
There's no surefire way to avoid leaking or spraying, although nursing before your breasts become too full does help. If you're really producing far too much milk in the early days of nursing, be sure to nurse often and to experiment with different positions. While you won't actually produce less milk, you'll soon establish a breastfeeding rhythm that's best for you and your baby.
You can't control your milk overflow, but you can plan for it. If one breast always leaks when your baby is nursing on the other, put a cloth or breast pad inside your nursing bra ahead of time. When you're out and about, either with or without baby, carry an extra top and breast pads (stick them in your diaper bag or purse) or wear prints that are likely to camouflage a milk stain. If you feel letdown happening at an inopportune moment, cross your arms and hug yourself, pressing gently against your breasts. This may stop the unexpected flow.
Finally, do wear nursing pads inside your bra, but make sure you change them when they get damp so bacteria won't breed on your nipples.
How long will this go on?
You'll probably leak the most during your first few weeks of nursing, while you're establishing the right milk supply for your baby. Many women find that the problem goes away almost completely over the first six to ten weeks of breastfeeding.
In the meantime, as you and your baby figure out a mutually satisfying system of supply and demand, remember that your leaking breasts are a sign of your body's enthusiasm for making milk for your baby.
Can I still nurse?
Yes. In fact, the more often you breastfeed, the less likely your breasts are to overflow.
Will it affect my baby?
No — except that he'll benefit from your increased desire to nurse!
source from http://www.babycenter.com
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