<1. I've heard of pg moms leaking some colustrum, but is it within normal
that she would be "soaking" pads? And if not, woah!, maybe it is something
bad, like a leaky implant or puss, etc...>

This is not unusual.  Bear in mind that primip's definitoin of 'soaking' and
mine (dinner plate sized patch of milk on clothing around full breast pad)
may not be one and the same.

<2. If it IS colostrum, should I encourage her to start collecting and
storing it? My thinking is, if it's there, why not? It will stimulate her
breasts, get her very familiar with pumping and she'll have "insurance" for
feeding the baby as soon as possible with her milk.>

I would encourage her to start collecting and storing but NOT with a pump.
Teach her to hand express her milk (using the marmet technique) Collect it
and freeze in five ml syringes.  (The added advantage of using such small
syringes is that the mother will feel she is making tonnes of milk because
she will have a large collection of syringes.)

<3. Could pumping starting so early (she's close to 7 months along, I
believe) hurt her/the baby/her production in some way? This might be a dumb
question, but can her body make mature milk before the baby is born if she
pumps regularly during the last months of her pregnancy>

Hand expressing will not induce labour before term unless there are other
indicators of theatened preterm labour.  She will not experience
lactogenisis II until after the placenta comes away from the uterine wall
but all of that colostrum will be a god(ess)send for her baby.

I would be setting this mother up to expect to express very frequently (even
hourly) for her baby whenever she is awake and at least twice overnight
after the baby is born. (I would not be introducing a pump until there is
evidence of LII - I know several Aussie exclusive breastmilk feeding mums
who never use a pump.) Like her doctor, I would be impressing on her the
importance of her milk for her baby - reminding her that providing it is the
most imoportant thing she (and only she) can do.  Have a look at the Rush
Mother's Milk Club diary. Paula swears that keeping a diary of expressing
times and volumes encourages mothers to keep at it, especially on the bad
days.  It also helps them to observe that milk supply might not be
increasing steadily early and to respond by expressing more frequently.  If
she is leaking that much colostrum, I would be expecting a really good
outcome - as far as breastfeeding is concerned.

You might also like to (very quietly) talk to the doc about getting access
to a milk bank if necessary.

Cheers
Nina Berry
Australia

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