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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Breast Milk not come in yet - baby is 5 days old - flat nipples

14 replies

user1465146157 · 06/02/2017 20:46

Hi - I really want to try and breastfeed but have had to use formula as my newborn baby was unable to latch on. My baby is 5 days old.

I have flat inverted nipples so I'm using a breast pump to draw them out and also encourage milk production, but i was only told to do this around day 3, so missed the boat on the first 2 days.

My boobs are definitely bigger and felt hard on day three but are softer now. was getting colostrum but even that has stopped now.

Has anyone got any tips? Will the milk ever come if she catch latch?

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Original poster

user1465146157 · 06/02/2017 20:54

*can't latch

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Aliveinwanderland · 06/02/2017 20:58

What happens when you try to latch baby?

Are you getting anything when you express?

lynseyc83 · 06/02/2017 21:05

I had to get nipple shields with
My first- soon correct the problem and she could feed better without them after a few days

InsaneMummyOfThree · 06/02/2017 21:15

Hi, I'm no expert and dont have much knowledge on inverted nappies but I have fed my three babies and have read lots about breastfeeding. I'm sure I have read that having inverted nappies shouldn't affect being able to breastfeed as the baby should be latching onto the areola rather than the actual nippele that normally sticks out. Have u had any special help from a breastfeeding specialist?? Are there any groups in your area that you could attend?? When you feed baby, make sure that mouth is wide open and if it helps u could press your nipple between your thumb a finger to make sure baby is getting a good mouthful of nipple/areola. Try lots of skin to skin, maybe lie on your bed with baby on your chest and let them try and latch on naturally. I know its easier said than done but try not to stress too much, try and relax. Offer breast as much as possible and enjoy being with your baby. It may take afew weeks but once you and baby have learned how to breastfeed it gets easier. If you want to build your milk supply you will have to try pumping regularly, every few hours to mimic babies feeding. I'm sure this would be possible at this stage as your only 5 days in. X

HopeAndJoy16 · 06/02/2017 21:21

I think getting some face to face support would be best, could you phone your community midwife or postnatal ward and ask for some support? There should be an infant feeding coordinator who can help if you're struggling too. Also are there any local breastfeeding peer support groups? Sometimes they have peer supporters who do home visits too.

Keep expressing regularly to stimulate your supply. Do you see anything if you hand express? Keep putting baby to the breast too, and have lots of skin to skin in between. The more stimulation you have the better for your supply :) Also make sure you're eating and drinking plenty yourself, it's easy to forget when you're focusing on baby xxx

thisismee · 07/02/2017 13:17

My DS was in NICU and was tube fed my breastmilk for first couple of days. When we tried to get him to BF my breasts were so huge and nipples were so flat he couldn't latch . So the nurse got a nipple shield to try. They were the medala brand. Absolutely fantastic as they are so thin .

When I got home from hospital the HV wasn't impressed I was using them, said I should stop .

I carried on but gradually used them less and less. After 3/4 weeks didn't use them at all, and he fed fine up until 16 months.

Like others have said lots of skin to skin cuddles helps too.

oatybiscuits · 07/02/2017 13:28

Yep I'd agree that it sounds like you could use some face to face help, can you ask to see your hospital's infant feeding team? In principle it's perfectly possible to breastfeed with flat or inverted nipples but it might take baby a bit longer to figure out what to do. In the mean time, keep trying, pumping and doing skin to skin

Original poster

user1465146157 · 07/02/2017 22:06

thanks everyone - have asked the infant feeding team to advise.
i'd be happy if I could just express and at least feed her the breast milk from a bottle, but its just the fact that such small amounts are coming out - as in - half a thimble full.

I get nothing when i express, and she can't latch because of the inverted nipple and she gets frustrated.

I have some nipple shields so going to work with those, and will keep pumping.

there has been a tiny tiny bit of milk today, which i know isn't great but its progress. I believe you get what you produce the day before? If I can make more of this amount tonight I'll be happy - i just want a few spoonfuls at least, I don't know why it won't come out! :-(

OP posts:

MollyCule · 07/02/2017 22:20

Nipple shields should definitely help. My baby couldn't latch without them on one side. I also read confusing advice that babies 'breast'feed not nipple feed so inverted nipples shouldn't be a problem, but in my experience it was and I wouldn't have been able to breastfeed without them. I didn't need to use them after about 2 months. They can be a bit fiddly and I thought they were way to big for my baby's mouth to begin with (they weren't) so I would definitely ask for help from a breastfeeding consultant/ midwife. Some people say that they shouldn't be used because they slow down the supply but that certainly didn't happen with me and I'm still BF at 6 months.

Also, in those very early days you won't produce much milk anyway I think as their stomachs are so tiny they don't need much. And the pumps aren't as efficiently as a baby sucking so just because you're not getting much doesn't mean it's not there. Good luck!

KateBeckett · 07/02/2017 22:35

Don't worry about not being able to express much, it's not at all an indication of how much milk you can produce- babies are much more effective at draining the breast than a pump. Some women can't express anything but they still produce milk for their babies.

Nipple shields will probably help, and I agree with getting some face to face support as soon as possible. There is also a great helpline from la leche league www.laleche.org.uk/telephone-helpline/

mistletoe1 · 07/02/2017 22:42

I've just been through this - a baby who wouldn't latch. I pumped every 2/3 hours to keep supply stimulated and kept offering the breast. We finally got there at nearly 4 weeks when I was about to give up! I saw a lactation consultant which helped massively.

sleeplessinsurrey247 · 08/02/2017 14:46

Pump every 3 hours on each side and use nipple shields. I was in hospital for 4 days trying to crack breastfeeding which was a struggle due to flat nipples. The nipple shields helped him latch easily (and prevented cracked nipples etc) and by pumping my milk came in despite his struggle. He is now one and we are still successfully breastfeeding. Good luck!

terrylene · 08/02/2017 15:02

I can only give you my experience, which is that milk does seem to take a bit longer to come in with a pump than a baby. Babies are so much better at it. My second was in SCBU and despite having plenty of experience of breast feeding before, I was surprised that it took longer.

Get plenty of baby time. Those nipple shields sound a good idea.

And yes to drinking and eating well.

Original poster

user1465146157 · 10/02/2017 00:12

thanks everyone for posting x

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