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!

Took about 10 days or so to feel like my milk came in properly after a c-section where I also lost about a litre of blood. Also have thyroid issues which think caused a delay. Really struggled at first as DD lost nearly 10% of birth weight but have BF for 15 months now. Her nappies were always wet and dirty so that showed she was getting something.

I had the same (endo plus c section, no milk) and went on to formula, didn’t ever take in that you could continue trying to BF while you topped up with formula as it was such a polarised thing at the time. I BF for 5 days but no obvious milk was happening, latch checked and was good, the bleeding nipples were excruciating. So I FF but wish I could have tried again after a few days of healing, it didn’t seem like an option at the time for some reason.

Just to add there's no issue topping up with formula as a temporary measure of you wanted. My second was jaundiced so I'd offer both breasts first and then once he was done I'd offer up to 30ml of formula. I did that until milk came in properly.

He's still going strong with breastfeeding (morning and evening) at 16 months.

First mine never came in ( induced) , second was 5 days post c section . ( and confirmed to me that hadn’t come in after first !)

Congratulations, mine never arrived, not a drop. I'd had an emcs & massive PPH, I think it was the shock as I was very poorly.

My milk came in on day 6-7, I had emcs. I also topped up/combi fed with formula and bf until my son was 9 months old.

I didn't have a section so don't know how that effects it but my breasts didn't change at all in either of my pregnancies but I fed DS until he was 18mo and I'm still feeding DD now - so I don't think that's necessarily a problem.

For me, I found an electric pump on the hour every hour boosted my supply. All the skin to skin etc didn't do anything for me. I ended up with a massive oversupply and I pumped exclusively which worked really, really well for me.

Your DC's stomach is currently so, so, so small - not much bigger than 1ml to be honest so don't worry. It seems like such a tiny amount to us but it's really all they need. I think a lot of people think they aren't producing enough but 1ml or there abouts sounds fine.

I think you're overthinking and panicking yourself - this seems fine. Congratulations.

Same.

Emcs and PPH. I lost a lot of blood and was very ill afterwards. My milk didn't come in.

Oh, and also not sure if this is supposed to impact it but with DD I also have PPH and it didn't impact my milk supply.

Mine was day 8. In hospital 4 days as LO was fed from a cup rather than a bottle (after that was bottle fed). Was a fucking nightmare, frankly and the level of shame and sense of abject failure was the worst part.

Tge best we managed was “pretending” to bf whilst feeding expressed milk via a supplemental nursing system (tube attached to nipple with tape), until about 3 months in where I just couldn’t do it anymore. Expressing took about 50 minutes to an hour every 3 hours - so express for an hour, have 2 hours “off” (typically DC would want fed in those 2 hours) then time to express again. If I had my time again, I’d not bother.

Do not express for the first six weeks. Baby will get what they need; plenty of wet nappies and dirty are a good indicator

Day 5 and day 6 here. 1ml of milk is a lot for a newborn, their tummies are tiny! You willl build your supply so so much over the coming 6 weeks or so if u just stick at it. You can do this! I felt like giving up so much in the first few weeks but I'm so glad I stuck at it. Writing this while feeding my 2 year old!

Some people can breastfeed but pumping doesn't work.

Agree with PPs, if baby has plenty of wet (doesn’t have to be soaking) and some dirty nappies each day, they are mostly likely getting enough milk. I couldn’t pump much milk but I breastfed until almost three years. It was hard for the first 3 months but sort of ‘clicked’ after this.

6 days we ended up readmitted on a feeding plan but knowing what I know now that was more due to reflux than my milk. I remember just crying on those early days because I could tell he was hungry. The most important thing is weight gain and wet nappies. Those were the 2 points that had us needing help. I ended up FF but again mostly because of the reflux. Although I didn't know that at the time.

Mine came in on day 5 after a c section. I'd lost all hope and had been giving him formula in hospital as he was distressed.

I bf for over a year but could never manage to express. Its best to judge by wet nappies and weight gain. Good luck and congratulations!

It will come on within a day or two. In the meantime, the colostrum you are producing is what is needed.

I had an emergency C-section after a failed induction. I had been expressing colostrum antenatally so I knew there was something there. It was a struggle to begin with and I think my milk just started to come in by day 4. No issues from then onwards. It's still early days and I wouldn't worry unless your baby is losing too much weight.

Mine never did. Had no choice but to give up and use formula. I never had judgement from others for it but I did feel disappointed and guilty myself.

I only pumped after my c-section, got colostrum on the first 2 pumps and then was dry for 5 days. I used fenugreek and ate oat biscuits and the milk came in, I also pumped every 2 hours. I breastfed before so I knew I could produce milk IYSWIM so I persevered.

It absolutely could still come in. Contact an IBCLC if you're concerned and still want to BF - before you leap to formula.

@Roundabout78 fenugreek is linked to milk reduction in more women than it helps to increase supply, so is a pretty risky one to try. There’s very little evidence of anything you eat/take helping milk supply, it’s mainly down to baby suckling enough, effectively.

You should be hand expressing not pumping if your milk hasn't come in yet. Has someone shown you what to do?

Best thing is to have the baby at the breast as much as possible

Thanks all for the responses. It's interesting that so many people have had the milk come in later. I'd read up to 14 days, but was a bit sceptical about whether it actually happened irl. Also, when it takes this long, does it properly "gush" in, like I hear happening for some people? Or does it need more work?

In answer to the queries, tbf I say 1ml, I really have no idea though. He BFs for 5 / 10 mins (latch looks good, and he swallows), then stops, and I try to hand express to check I'm empty, and only express say 0.2ml. I hand expressed a few times when he's been asleep, and it's come out about 1ml.

Yes, have been topping up with formula a couple of days as he was getting less wet nappies, and was getting harder to feed as a bit listless with no energy to suckle bless him. Since I've been topping up, he now just cries inconsolably until he has formula, which I think is better than just being weak. Had all this with my first poor boy, but was less willing to top up then and regretted it in the end. This baby was born 9.7lb! So of course needs more to maintain his weight.

Thanks also for the tips - I tried a lot of these with my first, but it's always helpful to have a refresher. It was lockdown when I had him, so had all the time I the world for trying, but realistically this time I will have a 2yo to consider too, so really need it to come in or not iyswim. Will have a go at a few whilst my OH is on pat leave though, thanks.

There is actually a BF clinic here on Tuesday, so will go and see about IGT too.