If your milk doesn't come in for days after birth...

Re: If your milk doesn't come in for days after birth...

• anna7602 member

  July 2009

  Do you mean for everyone in general or for woman who are late with their milk coming in?

  In general, colostrum is what your baby is drinking from you the first few days and it's quite nutritious. And yes, you're feeding a lot. This is what stimulates your body to produce milk for the baby.

  If you happen to have a problem with your milk coming in, there could be something else going on, like a retained placenta.

  

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• NYBrideInWI

  July 2009

  When a baby is born its stomach is the size of a small marble - so it doesn't take much to fill it up. And it empties fast, so yes, you are feeding for many hours of the day. Although it may take a few days for your milk to come in (mine took about 3-4 days) there is very nutritious liquid (colostrum) coming out which is all LO needs to live at that age.
  

  I think its by about 5 days old that the stomach is the size of a large marble and at 2 weeks its the size of a golf ball.
  

  Married June '03. DS born Jan '09. DD born Feb '12. No, we didn't choose to be childless for the first 6 years, only the first 3.

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• ValerianOddity

  July 2009

  My milk didn't come in until day 5, and I was forced to supplement a few feedings with formula, because my DS was dehydrated.  (By 2 days old, he still hadn't had a wet diaper.)  For most babies, the colostrum you produce before your milk comes in is sufficient.  You will nurse all the time for the first week or so, and that's okay; milk is made on a supply and demand basis, so the more your LO demands, the more your body will supply!  HTH!
  

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• maramarrie

  July 2009

  Hi! Try not to overthink it. It will all work out well.
  

  First, babies that young have very little feeling of hunger. Feeding very often that early is more about getting your milk to come in. There were many occasions when I would have to wake him to eat often, rather than him waking to eat. Since they don't take much, they will need to eat more often, but the more often you feed them the sooner your milk will come in (unless there are other issues at hand).
  

  Second, brand new babies have bellies the size of a marble, and it's only the size of a gumball by 3-4 days old, so they can't fit much in there anyhow. The colostrum your body is producing in late pregnancy is enough to fill them.
  

  And third, to get and keep your supply, babies need to eat every 2-3 hours for the first 4 weeks, even if it's only colostrum for the first 5-7 days. That's ok and it's the best thing to get them started.

  Hope this helps some! These are all things I picked up from a LC and in hindsight I feel that they are all true. Congrats! Take it easy and try not to stress!
  

  
  
  

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• Soon2BMrsN member

  July 2009

  My milk didn't come in until Friday night (baby was born late Monday night).  In the hospital, he latched on and got a little colostrum and I also pumped a lot at the rec of my LC to get my milk to come in.  But we did have to supplement with formula (used a cup instead of a bottle) while we were in the hospital.  By the time my milk came in, DS refused the formula (luckily) and we've been BFing ever since.

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