How many days did it take for your milk to come in and do they wait for it before discharging you?

[LillianFullStop]

How many days before your milk came in? Did the hospital have to wait until comes on before discharging you? Or were they happy just to see a good latch even if it's just colostrum? Bearing in mind you can't actually see how much colostrum you're producing or baby is having.

I think mine were engorged after 2/3 days but didn't really come on properly until day 4 or so. We were in for 5 days (for other reasons) so I want to know if it affects how long they keep you in for.

I would really like to be discharged ASAP with this Covid-19 outbreak id feel more relaxed/safer at home. Tempted to bring formula in my hospital bag just in case.

I think it was about day 3 with both mine. They where both middle of the night births, ago stayed that night discharged latter in the day after. Could have stayed longer with both due to different complications, but I hated hospital and just wanted to be home. As long as baby had fed, then they where happy to discharge.

Why would you take formula?

I got discharged asap. You don't need to see how much they're getting. You and baby just need to feed feed feed with a good latch but a good latch has to be learned by both of you. I think my milk came. in day 4/5. About the same time as the nippple pain from being sucked on so much.

It's other ways you learn that they're taking enough. Fontenelle and eyes with dehydration type of stuff. Nappies a week or so later. You don't need to see how many ounces they're taking.

We were discharged after 2 days, but that was due to DTs being slightly prem and needing their blood sugars observed after elcs. My milk never came in, but I had bf them a bit and supplemented with formula at the mw recommendation.

With the corona virus, I absolutely don’t blame you for wanting to get home as soon as you can!

Mine came about day 3/4 with both children.

Hospital discharged me after 24 hours both times and were happy that he was feeding regularly with a good latch.

You can have back up formula if you want it for comfort. I did with both but didn’t take it to hospital. If you want it, I’d suggest getting newborn starter bottles. They’re a lot smaller in volume so you don’t waste as much and come with presterilised teats so no faffing about in the early days. Boots sell them and some formula brands sell them directly (eg Hipp)

I think they will discharge ASAP if you’re both fit and healthy in the current situation.

I had an EMCS on the Monday, discharged Thursday night, milk came in Saturday lunchtime. DD was very sleepy for the first couple of days but taking colostrum frequently and doing fine. I only realised it had come in as I noticed what was coming out was thinner and white instead of think and yellow, no engorgement or any of the other stuff you hear about.

The hospital were happy with her latch, how often she was feeding and we were mostly kept in because of how I was as I’d had a GA and was struggling with oxygen levels. They had no concerns about her at all and the lovely midwife who came out to see us on the Friday watched her feed and gave me a few pointers. After the shit show of antenatal midwives, the community ones were fab.

Nobody ever asked me how I was going to feed my baby, or asked if they had fed, or said anything about amounts, nor latch, or colostrum. Milk came in around day four ish with my first baby, I hadn’t seen a health care professional for four days by that point and I wasn’t due to see one for another five days after that.

So I wouldn’t worry, in my experience feeding the baby is entirely down to you.

About day 5. First baby and I had EMCS which apparently can delay things. Hospital checked I had colostrum and were monitoring feeding when I was there on day 1. On day 3 I did offer one bottle of formula because he was screaming and I was really worried he wasn't getting enough.

Thank you for the replies!

I am hoping to be able to go home all going well - it's a big risk for me and my newborn being in a hospital environment.

My hospital does not discharge unless feeding is established. I am taking formula just in case as want to get home ASAP. With my first we spent 5 days until they were happy for us to go and I don't want it to happen this time round with a toddler at home and Corona on the loose. Can always ditch the formula the mooment we come home.

@MonaLisaDoesntSmile that's my plan too. Look he's feeding! please discharge me now!

My milk came in on day 4. I was in for 36 hours, I was only in because I had a spinal block and lost a lot of blood. They’re really not interested in how feeding is going.

Yep they just check the latch (and not very well in my local hospital). The threshold for 'feeding being established' is pretty low. My milk came in on day 7 but that's very unusual.

Mine took 5 days . They discharged me before my milk came in . My son was nursing off my colostrum and that's all they cared about .

I had a midwife visit me on day 5 at home and at that point my milk still hadn’t come in . She didn’t seem concerned.

That evening though my boobs started to feel warm and when I got out of the shower they were leaking ( more like flowing out ) milk 😝

My milk took about a week to come in, maybe a bit longer. I had a very long labour and it took a while to recover, which is why I think it took so long. I was sure I'd missed the boat but three weeks later we've just cracked it and I'm not adding any formula or expressed milk any more.