December 2010 Moms
Anyone else's milk taking forever to come in?
Hello ladies! I haven't posted in a while because I haven't been on the internet hardly at all. However, I thought I'd ask you ladies for some feedback because I'm a little frustrated.
I had Tessa Claire last Friday (8 days ago) and my milk still hasn't really come in. It's not colostrum anymore, but I don't leak and have never been engorged, and I don't produce enough to satisfy her and am having to supplement with formula per her pedi.
I did end up having a C-section, so maybe that's part of the problem, but I'm wondering if anyone else had/has this problem. I have an appt with my doctor on Wednesday and I'll definitely ask then, but in the meantime, any encouragement that my milk actually will come would be great. Thanks ladies!
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Re: Anyone else's milk taking forever to come in?
I also had a C-section and talked to my doctor and LC about it.. they both said that having a C-section in no way affects milk supply because what triggers it is the removal of the placenta... so you're good there!
could it be something simple, like you're not taking in enough fluids? maybe just try drinking more water or tea or whatever and see if that helps? are you pumping? I'd pump after feedings even if nothing comes out because it will help teach your body to make more milk! good luck!
Thanks for the advice. I am pumping after 2-3 feedings per day to try and get my body to make more milk and drinking a lot, but I maybe need to drink more. I feel like I drink all the time, but I can certainly do more.
Hmm, that's a good question. I'll definitely ask our pedi about it at our appt Monday or my doctor on Wednesday. I was just assuming that my milk coming in = a lot of milk, but maybe I was wrong.
My milk came in late on day 5 after a c-section... but I never really felt engorged like all the books said I would! The main way I could tell was because I started being able to hear LO gulping when she was feeding - you may not feel a sudden surge of milk! Even after my milk came in, it was a good week later before pumping actually got more than a few dribbles out because my body was getting used to the pump.
If your LO has enough wet / dirty diapers then that is a good indicator too!
I think some pediatricians are too quick to recommend formula supplementation. I'm in no way against formula, but I think supplementing with formula can end up messing your supply up even more in some cases because your body never learns how much LO actually needs.
the pedi that did the rounds in the hospital told me to feed ezra 8 minutes on each side and then supplement with formula because he'd lost 10% of his birth weight by day 3 (my milk came in on day 3). I was fine with that, because I just want him to gain and be healthy.. but I mentioned it to the LC and she said that's totally nuts and not to worry about it. instead I pumped after each feeding and supplemented ezra with whatever extra I'd pumped.. he handled it much better than the formula anyway.. and by pumping more I think I helped my supply. I only gave him the formula for 2 days and realized that just with the breast milk I was producing he still had 4 poopy diapers and lots of wet diapers a day, so I knew he was getting enough.
I'm not saying to stop the formula without consulting your pedi first, but definitely pump as much as you can and let LO linger on the breast as long as they want (within reason) my LC recommended this and I think it helped, too.
anyway, sorry just throwing more of my .02 in! good luck again!
This. Except for it was the nurses in the hospital that were trying to force formula on us. The first time legitimately, she was having trouble maintaining her temp for a few hours after birth so they kept her under the warmer--they wouldnt let me take her from the warmer and were concerned that her blood sugar would drop since she hadnt eaten in 3.5 hours. I allowed them to give her "10cc" of formula--but she actually HATED the nipple on the bottle and only ate 3cc with it being squirted into her mouth (she was a GREAT nurser). They rechecked her temp shortly thereafter and allowed me to take her back to my room and nurse her. The second time around was that night--she hadnt eaten in almost 4 hours and we tried EVERYTHING to get her to eat---she just didnt want to. She would cluster feed and then not eat for 4 hours or so (she did this for a few days). I asked for a half hour extra to try to get her to eat and she ate for about 20 min in that time--nurse insisted on checking her blood sugar--it was fine. Needless to say---Im completely off the main subject, BUT I was told my by Labor nurse that a baby's stomach is the size of a marble when born---when you give formula the babys stomach is stretched out more than with breast milk. So we havent supplemented with anything even when she only wants to eat for 10 minutes at a time because she DEFINITELY poops and pees PLENTY!!
Consider yourself lucky! I was absolutely miserable when my milk came in because I was SO engorged. I actually pumped 2oz in the car on the way home from walmart after I bought my pump!
Anyways, I agree with PPs, just pump pump pump!!
I am on day 8 pp and my milk supply is a joke. We're having to supplement with formula, which I hate. When pumping both breasts, I get less than 1 oz. This doesn't satisfy LO because she is eating 4-6 oz. per session. If I don't see some improvement by tomorrow, I'm calling my doctor for suggestions. Until then I'm just going to keep pumping, offering the boob and making sure she gets the food she needs as a growing little girl.
It's been one of the hardest things emotionally on me. I will just sob about it (of course, the crazy hormones help encourage that!)
I'm right there with you. From other people's comments I'm starting to wonder if maybe I just don't make enough milk. I hope your doctor gives you some helpful tips. Also, I totally feel you on the being difficult emotionally. I cry about it all the time. Not being able to feed your child is so sad, and I feel like a failure for having to supplement. However, I will say that since we have started to supplement we are all much happier because we aren't dealing with a hungry baby!
We are all much happier too with having a fed baby. I know that's what is the most important and have gotten information from numerious LCs to try not to beat myself up. She checked my breasts and didn't say for sure if she thought I would end up producing...she did not that they weren't warm. I'll let you know if my doctor has any good information.
Well, off I go to pump and drink a gallon of water