Milk hasn't come in - day 5

[mrshadders]

Hi all. Looking for some advice. My daughter was born Thursday 29th and we are attempted breastfeeding. It is now day 5 and my milk still hasn't come in. Yesterday she was so hungry and hysterical that we went to hospital and she was weighed where we found she has lost 10.9% of her birth weight. We've been put on a feeding plan in which we must attempt breast first then top her up with formula.

This morning has been good - she has fed for 20 mins on each side before having her formula top up. However, this afternoon she has done the same hysteria. I tried to pump and nothing came out at all. It seems in the afternoon I have no milk left? Does anyone have any advice for getting my milk to come in? I lost almost 1L of blood during her birth which is a factor. Are there any miracle cures? I'm heartbroken and feel like I'm letting her down.

Thanks in advance.

I’m sure people will have more comprehensive advise but I’d say:
Go to bed with her and do skin on skin
Make sure you are as well rested, fed and hydrated as you can be
Keep trying to feed

Tough times, hang on in there.

What did the hospital say, you can still call them and ask.

Otherwise, I’d say that your baby will be able to get more milk than pumping will, so it’s not accurate. But loads of skin to skin should help.

Not getting anything when pumping doesn't mean your baby isn't getting anything. Are there local breastfeeding groups where you can go for support?

Yes to the skin to skin - but the mechanism for activating your milk production is baby suckling. If you are giving formula then this may inhibit that. Hang in there and keep going. Humans are generally very well designed, but the master plan for the few days post birth is crap.

Retained placenta can have an impact on your milk production e.g. www.verywellfamily.com/breastfeeding-and-a-retained-placenta-431613.

For both my children my milk didn’t come in until day 6 (both were sections which can also delay milk coming in) You are likely still producing colostrum?
I was exactly the same, nothing came out really when I pumped, just a very small amount. Both boys had excess weight loss and were put on formula top ups (which they didn’t take at all really! We just had to middle through until my milk finally came in!) As others have said, skin to skin as much as you can, keep her close, offer breast at every opportunity. Try some hand expressing as well maybe, just to keep encouraging your supply.
From that disheartening beginning, as soon as my milk actually arrived it was all fine and I fed both of them until they were 2+ so hopefully it will be the same for you and this is just a tiny blip at the start xx

Not getting anything when pumping doesn't mean your baby isn't getting anything.

^^ THIS

But also a screaming baby would suggest that they're not getting what they need.

Don't underestimate how much you need breast stimulation for your milk to come in and to feed successfully. I never managed to exclusively feed mine for the problems you are experiencing. I tried everything suggested to me and then some with each of my babies. Still mix feeding now with my 3rd at 8mo.

My advice is to feed more than you think you need to. Google power pumping - you may have more success with that. Some people don't get a drop from expressing though. What happens when you give your nipples a squeeze?

Whatever you feel, you are not letting your baby down.

Yes, I have advice. I went through similar, long long ago.

Stop worrying. The milk will come.
We are blessed that we have good formula and hygiene, running water etc, so it isn’t a tragedy if we have to give formula.

For now, schedule your formula feeds. At all other times, keep the baby at the breast. Eat regularly but apart from that, stay in bed with your baby at your breast. Give free access, as much as your baby likes. No pacifiers.

Throw your pump away. Practise stroking your ‘spare’ breast, while the baby is at the other. This will be enough to express. You probably know this but start by making a circle with your finger and thumb. Put the place where finger an thumb join at the tip of the nipple. Gently slide your finger and thumb up you breast, about half way. Your circle will have opened but that’s ok. From halfway, with thumb on the top of the breast and finger underneath, slide finger and thumb back to the nipple, pressing very gently. The first time I did this I got one miserable drop, but within a few days I could do 2oz at the drop of a hat.

A lot of nonsense is talked about mixed feeding. It’s not the end of breastfeeding. I was able to slowly reduce formula as my milk supply increased, and within a few weeks dd was fully breastfed. She continued to feed until she was 4.3.

Please don’t worry. You can do it.

I had this happen to me earlier in the year. I lost a lot of blood and I think everything just froze (not the technical explanation!)

My baby lost 12% in 3 days and the hospital immediately put me on formula. As much as I could I pumped... all the time he was asleep I did this. When he was awake I constantly had him on me, even though he wasn't trying to latch very much I did los of skin to skin.

If I did get any milk even 5/10ml from expressing I gave him that, and kept reducing the amount of formula - it was day 6/7 I think I stopped it.

I ended up having to use nipple shields which I would try to avoid with a future baby but they've meant I can breastfeed completely and DS is 5 months now.

Keep drinking LOTS of water
Keep trying the baby on your boob
Keep expressing when they are asleep
Eat lots
Stay positive - it will come.

Call the breastfeeding support line or La Leche league if you're feeling down

Good luck !!! You're doing amazing

How are you getting on @mrshadders? Hope your supply has picked up.

Delayed onset lactogenesis is very common, especially in FTMs. Human populations have always supplemented small babies in various ways - with honey, animal milk etc. - because there have always been women who didn’t produce enough at first. Obviously we have formula, which is a brilliant, safe invention that will do your baby no harm at all.

Don’t beat yourself up - you’re not failing her. You have no control over your body, it does what it does, but a good mum will make sure her baby is fed regardless and that’s what you’re doing.

If it makes you feel better there is some compelling evidence associating early supplementation with a more prolonged breastfeeding relationship overall.

Do the feeding plan but also keep BF as much as you can. That should being your milk in. Pumps aren't as good as babies at extracting milk - I'm feeding my 21 month old and have never got more than a few drops. Also barely leaked. Ask for a specialist tongue tie check as well.
Good luck!

Don't beat yourself up if trying to feed isn't working, I had a traumatic birth & my milk never turned up. I was being put under pressure to do skin to skin & keep trying, I was in tears because ds was screaming, I was still in hospital, if i did manage to fall asleep, I was waking up to midwives trying to clamp ds on my breast. In the end I said enough was enough & demanded a bottle, he was starving & couldn't get it down quick enough. I've never regretted it, just wish I had done it sooner.