After a woman gives birth, when do they start lactating?

I have heard that it happens the moment they give birth, but haven't sourced it.

Any bodies with personal experiences to account?

After a woman gives birth, when do they start lactating?

I have heard that it happens the moment they give birth, but haven't sourced it.

Any bodies with personal experiences to account?

Even from when a woman gives birth, her body starts to make colostrum, the foremilk I guess you could call it. The colostrum is rich in immune factors, which helps the new baby's immune system and the baby feeds on that until the breastmilk 'comes down'. A few days after the birth, the breastmilk starts to come down. The body begins to produce the breastmilk basically when the baby is born, but may not be present in the breast until a few days after the birth.

Women (and even men) can actual lactate without giving birth. Women who adopt, for example, can often breast feed their children with the help of medications and occasionally can do so without medications. I believe there is at least one documented case of a man breastfeeding his child after the mother died... but for some reason I cannot find the link.

Women (and even men) can actual lactate without giving birth. Women who adopt, for example, can often breast feed their children with the help of medications and occasionally can do so without medications. I believe there is at least one documented case of a man breastfeeding his child after the mother died... but for some reason I cannot find the link.

I would be frightened to death if I started lactating...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Male_lactation

Thanks, this is the link

http://web.archive.org/web/20040612183349/http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_700634.html

I would freak if I started lactating spontaneously also, lol.