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Original poster

Feeling so low - NICU, no colustrum

31 replies

User88181992 · 04/01/2025 23:53

Hi all
My beautiful baby was delivered via c section at 36 weeks late yesterday night and has been put in NICU due to low oxygen levels. Skin to skin was limited due to c section and then my son was whisked away to NICU. Due to a long labour, exhaustion and lateness, I had to go to bed without a chance to express colostrum.
Today I have been unable to produce colostrum, either alone or visiting my baby. He’s all tubed up and initially I was asked not to touch him. I am getting so wound up that this has meant oxytocin hasn’t been released and I’ve now missed the boat. I’ve tried and find myself getting upset - which is unhelpful I know.
the maternity unit have offered me use of a pump tomorrow but I read this isn’t suitable for colostrum.
Without getting to be close to my boy, can I still trigger a milk supply?
will milk still come in if there is no colostrum?

please be kind - it’s been a tough few days

OP posts:
NotMyDayJob · 05/01/2025 01:34

My milk didn’t come in proper until day 5 with both my c sections. I didn’t get any colostrum the first time as I had no help and didn’t know what I was doing the second time my community midwife literally milked me to show me how to do it and I’d been doing it all wrong. Second baby was in NICU and it was pretty awful, I got baby to breast on day 5 and we are still feeding now at nearly three. It’s early days and you’re in a very traumatic situation. Look after yourself and speak to them about skin to skin, they should really be facilitating that unless there is a very good reason not to (and if there is they should explain why) all the best xxx

Allswellthatendswelll · 05/01/2025 05:19

Poor you. NICU is horribly stressful.

I had an EMCS and hypoglycaemic baby whizzed up to NICU. I couldn't get much colostrum and DS was on a strict feeding regime in the NICU so had loads of formula with small top ups of breast milk which I had to pump for ages to get. After about 5 days I got him on the breast and we had a very easy feeding journey in the end with him being ebf until he was 14 months. So you can 100% move to ebf after this. But also it's really not the be all and end all if it doesn't work out for you. Keep having a go and pumping but also get lots of rest.

Flutterbees · 05/01/2025 05:55

My twins were born at 32 weeks via emergency c-section and immediately whisked away to NICU. Initially, I hand expressed the tiniest drops of colostrum while looking at photos DH had taken. Not ideal, but the best I could do. When I could get a pump, I pumped colostrum, again, tiny amounts but they gradually increased each time I pumped (I still have photo collages I sent to my sister and SIL showing them the minuscule increases after each pumping session...I'm sure they thought I was crazy at the time!). I went on to EBF my twins until they self weaned at 18 months, no issues with supply even though I used nipple shields, gave them a bottle of expressed milk each night (to get medication into them) and they had dummies. Hang in there, it will get better.

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CrispAppleStrudels · 05/01/2025 06:26

Fellow NICU mum here. One thing to add is that there is usually a bf specialist attached to NICU units. In our hospital, she worked Mon-Fri so you might need to wait until Mon to talk to her, but she was able to work with the nurses to facilitate all the things that pp have mentioned, including skin to skin, muslins for sharing smell etc. Our NICU had a photo service where you could log in and get updated pics of baby when you were away from them etc to also help with expressing.

Agree with all the comments re PND / PTSD after a NICU experience. Please take care of yourself.

anicecuppateaa · 05/01/2025 07:21

Nicu is tough, give yourself a break! My dd was in nicu for 4 months and I remember many hours in the expressing room…

My middle ds spent a couple of days in nicu after c section. Firstly, your milk doesn’t come in straight away. I would ignore forcing yourself to get colostrum and focus on:

  • eating and drinking lots and often
  • sleep and your recovery
  • as much skin to skin and baby care (nappies, feeding etc) as you can
Your milk will come in and feeding is easier to establish when you are in a home environment.
justasking111 · 05/01/2025 07:38

Flutterbees · 05/01/2025 05:55

My twins were born at 32 weeks via emergency c-section and immediately whisked away to NICU. Initially, I hand expressed the tiniest drops of colostrum while looking at photos DH had taken. Not ideal, but the best I could do. When I could get a pump, I pumped colostrum, again, tiny amounts but they gradually increased each time I pumped (I still have photo collages I sent to my sister and SIL showing them the minuscule increases after each pumping session...I'm sure they thought I was crazy at the time!). I went on to EBF my twins until they self weaned at 18 months, no issues with supply even though I used nipple shields, gave them a bottle of expressed milk each night (to get medication into them) and they had dummies. Hang in there, it will get better.

Twins born at 31 weeks, 9 weeks in NICU both breastfed eventually.

Don't give up and do ask about donated milk.

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