AIBU To Think my Milk Won't Come In? When did you get yours?

[QS90]

I'm interested in what day people's milk came in, especially after a planned c-section? Our boy was born 28th, so he is 4 days old. I'm still making only about a ml of milk at a time, so AIBU to think that's it now and I will under produce? As I have risk factors for low supply - trouble conceiving, 32 years old, no breast changes or growth in pregnancy, endometriosis, lost 1 litre blood in section... I did all of that over-pumping every 2 hours, skin to skin etc with my first - it was utterly miserable and ultimately unsuccessful, so if it's not going to come in properly with just regular BFing for a few days, need to get myself on Amazon for some new bottles...

YABU - MIL might still come in properly

YANBU - Buy yourself some bottles!

• Milk might still come in properly

Is the baby having wet nappies and maintaining weight?

Is baby latching at the breast and showing signs of good latch and sucking effectively? Plenty of wet and dirty nappies? Settled between feeds?
how much you can express isn’t always an indicator of how much you produce. Baby will always be more effective at draining the boob than you will. I always struggled to express, but BF successfully for 13 months. Don’t stress 💐 your baby will be weighed on day 5 and this is a great indicator of how feeding is going. Good luck x

Congratulations on your new baby!

11 days here.
35 years old
Colostrum is the most important thing currently. Syringe it and freeze it if needs be.

Although I did end up FF in the end, as my partner could do feeds, but yeah 11 days before the beasts filled up the watering holes.

My milk never came in. Had to start FF on day 5. Nothing ever happened in terms of breast changes the milk just wasn't there.

I hated the judgment of FF from people who assumed I just never tried but sometimes you don't have a choice.

YABU- (well not really as it's natural to worry!). My son was born 2 months premature via emergency section as I couldn't risk going in to natural labour and was bleeding. My milk came in slowly but surely. 5 months on we are still bf. I didn't follow the standard advice as I couldn't given our circumstances. I had to exclusively pump for the first 6 weeks as he was tube fed. My milk came in on day 5/6 but it was initially very little. I would get 10-15m per expressing session and then it slowly built up. I then had a huge oversupply and the NiCU nurses teased me by renaming me daisy (the cow) as I was producing up to 250ml per session. I don't express anymore but don't have any oversupply issues and only produce what he needs. I know this isn't the case for everyone and I am sure no expert as I couldn't bf with my first child but one thing that really helped me was to make sure I was hydrated and fed. Also expressing (or feeding in your case) as often as I could to build up my supply. Xx

Although I hate to diagnose over the internet ! The lack of change during pregnancy would make me worry about IGT. You need to contact an IBCLC asap for proper advice. You can still feed with IGT but would most likely need formula too. A good tip ay this early stage is to use a supplementary feeder which allows you to feed formula at the Brest so you are stumiksting supply. Best of luck and congrats on you baby

Mine came in properly day 6 , if the little milk you're making is still the thicker higher nutrition early milk and your baby is growing well and having wet nappies then your probably producing more at feed than at pumping . I was really worried I wasn't producing enough as I could hardly pump any but as midwife pointed out baby wasn't drinking air and she seemed to want to go back to boob all the time so she was obviously getting something even if my pump couldn't!

I didn't have any "signs" that my milk had come in. Comparing with friends later I realised it was unusual but I did have milk, just didn't realise it.

I BF for 26 months and never able to express 1 drop and didn’t use any breast pads either. It sounds like your previous experience is clouding your perception of what is going on but if you feel happier with formula then just do it, you don’t need a reason. I’m a huge advocate for BF but equally don’t think it’s a hill to die on.

One more tip-fenugreek supplements really help to increase your supply. Worth a try x

Definitely look for face to face breastfeeding support if it’s available due to your risk factors, but I had 2 sections and each time it was day 6-7 before my milk started coming in properly. I was told that is quite common after a c section due to certain hormones not being produced in the same way.

good luck!

My milk came in 5-6 days after cesarean and l breastfed until 22 months. I read somewhere, a long time ago, that your body isn't naturally ready to support your baby after a cesarean but it quickly catches up.

Congratulations 😀

Babies stomach is the size of a pea right now.
also how are you quantifying the 1ml? Is this through pumping?
pumping isn’t a reliable indicator of supply.
the best thing you can do is have plenty of skin to skin, keep baby at the boob as much as possible and keep hydrated.
mid you are concerned ask the midwife/health visitor for info regarding local lactation consultants. Or speak to the breastfeeding helpline.

I’ve been breastfeeding 14 months- I think my milk took about a week to fully come in

Colostrum is milk - as long as there are wet nappies keep going. It's about frequency of feeding, not duration (your baby is 'telling' your body how much milk to make). Xx

It was five days after DS1 was born by emcs that my Mille came in. All the books said three days, but I had a brilliant down-to-Earth midwife who gave me hope. Hope for the best, but be prepared for any eventuality

Mine came in after 6 days. DD1 had to go back to hospital as she was dehydrated. I avoided this with DD2 by giving her some formula to top her up before it came in.

Milk, obviously, not Mille 🙄

My milk came in on day 5. Keep feeding as much as possible - literally put on Netflix and feed. I remember thinking “surely she can’t need feeding again” but cluster feeding is designed to increase your supply. The closeness of your baby to your breast stimulates milk production, so do as much cuddling and skin to skin as possible - your body will respond.

I recommend Kellymom website

Mine didn’t come in properly until day 5/6, both with a vaginal birth and an emergency c section. I ended up with oversupply! It’s a nightmare when it isn’t working yet though, it’s absolutely fine if you want to give bottles, either as a supplement or instead of any breastfeeding.

Also make sure you are well hydrated. Keep drinking and eating yourself, sit down and relax with your baby

I had a planned section in Aug. Milk came in on day 5. Baby had lost 12.9% at first weigh in so was weighed daily and checked for jaundice. When milk came in I had a massive over supply. Baby is nearly 5 months and a little chunk.

Lots of skin to skin, make sure you’re eating and drinking lots, and best advice I got….topless tv Tuesday to establish supply. Good luck!

I’ve breastfed 3 babies for up to a year.
Csection each time.
No milk for 5-6 days with each.
i found expressing helped (especially if you need to keep things going with formula).

Mine came in Day 5 in similar circumstances to you for both my babies (large blood loss, c section, infections etc). My first was combi fed via pumping and topping up with formula, my second was exclusively breastfed. With my second I couldn't have told you how many ml I was providing each feed but his nappies were fine and he chunked up quickly so I used that as my guide.

I had no breast size changes in either pregnancy. My breasts did change size over the first few months of breastfeeding my second baby though. Even then they only grew by 2 cup sizes.