Bleeding nipples and milk hasn’t even come in yet...

[theresaplaceforus]

My baby is 3 days old, my milk hasn’t come in yet? I don’t know when this will happen? She must be getting something because she’s having wet nappies but my nipples are so painful they are bleeding already not sure how to deal with it?

Milk usually comes in about now so 🤞🏾 For you.

I would air nipples as much as possible, spend a day at home with curtains closed and nothing on.

Is baby’s latch good? As that’s the main cause of bleeding nipples . Has baby been checked for tongue tie?

After each feed, express a tiny bit of milk/colostrum out and rub over your sore nipple and air dry.

I really feel for you, bleeding nipples is horrendous. You can take paracetamol
And ibuprofen too!!

Oh you poor soul. Check the latch as if not right it will hurt. Buy some lansinoh nipple cream. Can use it while breastfeeding and it is a mirae working. Is midwife still seeing you? Ask her to spend time looking at the latch or I am sure there is a really good lactation charity that can help. Sending hugs.

Speak with your midwife or GP and let them know.
Have you tried a breast pump to see if you are actually producing milk?

I’m sure there will be someone else with more experience along but I just wanted to say you’re doing an amazing job and well done for making it this far. Bleeding nipples would suggest an issue with baby’s latch, could you get a breastfeeding support worker to check it? I know how painful it is to feed when they are damaged, lots of air to let them heal and Lansinoh cream (or something similar) and your milk will come in soon, wet and dirty nappies are great! Shows she’s getting what she needs.

Lansinoh after every single feed, no exceptions. It’s the only thing that saved my nipples.
Milk should come in now.
Check latch and also tongue tie.
Good luck! X

Day 3 was the hardest day for me. It hurt a lot and she was feeding all the time. My milk came in on day 4 and things massively improved from there. You're doing a brilliant job. It does get easier.

Would be worth getting your latch checked out - midwife will check, don't they come on day 3?

@theresaplaceforus even when the latch is perfect this can just still happen, mine was and I had blisters on mine by day 4. Agree on the airing, and the lanolin continuously. I'd air them all the time and for the next week to be honest, I did and it really helped. Don't wear a bra, just let it all hang out. I had exactly the same as you with both my last two babies, and my milk just doesn't come in properly until around day five so that is normal too and just keep feeding and keep gritting those teeth because this is the hardest part. My partner was also soaking cotton wool large pads in a solution of water and witch hazel mixed together and then putting them on the fridge. After every feed her get two and I'd lay them on each breast, absolute bliss! Nearly worth the pain of feeding for so it kind of kept me going, especially the second time round.

Obviously get the health visitor or midwife to check the latch, if they are even doing home visits, mine certainly are not but I know your probably expected to take baby into hospital for a weigh. They also freaked out with my last two because my milk comes late they loose over ten percent of their birth weight, but luckily second time round I knew this so could notify them it happened last time and my 6 pound 20 centile baby became a 98 percent entitle baby by 2 months ☺️

It will work out I promise

*98 percent centile baby

I’ve had this with both babies who both went on to feed for a good year. I found breast milk collecting shells worked great, not to collect milk but to wear inside your bra to keep the fabric off the nipple and give it air. He’s it looks silly but who cares?! You can amazon prime them. Helps them heal faster. Also the multi mam compresses are amazing. Expensive but you can cut them in half and leave them inside your bra to help soothe the nipple. They toughen up very quickly. Just persevere and you’ll get there 😊 Great job xx

Oh also nipple shields!

Is it possible to have produced colostrum but milk doesn’t come? She hasn’t got tongue tie they checked in they hospital, and did say she had a strong latch, I’m just really worried I won’t have any milk

It is really normal for milk to come in on day 4 or even day 5. I gave birth late on Monday night. A very experienced midwife told me that my milk would come in on Friday night and she was bang on. Good luck OP.

It's totally normal for the milk to not come on day 3. My baby fed almost constantly but my milk didn't come till day 4. I think this was because it was my first baby and I had a traumatic birth. I would get the latch checked again just in case and air your nipples and apply nipple cream after every feed. Enough wet and dirty nappies are a great sign. I wouldn't try to express as another poster suggested as breast pumps can be uncomfortable and it isn't good proof you have milk or not. Once my milk came in I had an oversupply but could hardly express anything (despite sometimes leaking huge puddles of milk in my sleep).

If you've not come across it yet, Google the flipple technique. It's a good way of getting a deeper latch and less pain.

I've not tried them but you can get silver nipple shields, put them on when you're not feeding with s little milk inside. They get great reviews, I want to use them this time round.

Try not to worry if you will have milk.. you will, trust in mother nature.

@theresaplaceforus if it makes you feel any better my boobs didn't produce a drop! I'm formula feeding my DS but wanted him to have my colostrum. I tried in hospital but no good. My milk came in 3 days later and couldn't touch them they were so painful so I bought a breast pump to take the pressure off my boobs and I was planning on feeding it to my DS and I couldn't get a drop out! I tried a few times and nothing! Sometimes our boobies just don't work! 😫