Emergency-Lactation problems

togmama · May 2016

Baby Blues, other half going back to work, and low milk supply has me bawling like a baby. I pumped to check that I am giving my 5 day old adequate milk and I only could produce 1/2 an ounce in twenty minutes and there was a dead stop. He does poop and pee regularly; he isn't fussy but baby is already small (6 lbs 6 oz). I had a c-section so I'm praying the delay in engorgement is due to the major surgery. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY WORDS OF ADVICE FOR THIS DESPERATE MAMA? I need my milk to come in and let down

obryana6219 · May 2016

Pumping isn't a good way of knowing how much your producing. Baby extracts milk much better than a pump. Try to relax when you nurse/pump. Have a designated place that's calm, has water and snacks, and is quiet. Not everyone feels a letdown either. I exclusively pump and I'm still working on increasing my supply through power pumping and extending my pumping sessions. Give it time.

Jenly17 · May 2016

Breathe, mama. I've totally been in your shoes! In fact, I could've written this verbatim when DD was born. My milk didn't come in for 4-5 days post-partum and I had a vaginal delivery. Just because you don't feel full yet, doesn't mean that you won't soon! Have you consulted with any of the LC's at your hospital, or looked around for a La Leche League meeting that you can attend? If not, I think this is one of the best steps that you can take.

This is what I did when I was in your shoes:
-Ate oatmeal (rolled oats) for breakfast every damn day. It was boring, but for me it helped my supply.

-Attended a weekly post-partum support group/breastfeeding meeting. I cried through the whole thing bc I was tired, overwhelmed, baby blues AND that's ok! I still learned a lot, and all of the other new moms either felt the same way, or were super sympathetic and supportive.

-Hired an LC to come to my home to do a full check up on
myself: nipples, breast tissue, nursing positions, etc
baby: latch, tongue tie, lip tie, etc.
my pump! Making sure that I was using it properly, it was fitting correctly, etc.
This visit alone made a world of a difference for me and DD. Once my LC determined that I had a low supply, she helped me find some great supplements that really boosted my supply.

Some of the supplements that I used were:
Motherlove More Milk Special blend
Malunggay
Fenugreek

Sorry this is so long! It's overwhelming sometimes and you don't know where to turn but you have a lot of support here. Btw, I am no expert obviously, just someone who's been in your shoes, so take or leave any of this info, but I do hope it gives you a starting point. BIG HUGS! You can do this.

araecasey · May 2016

If baby's peeing and pooping and is content and not losing a dramatic amount of weight, rest easy. Your milk will come in, your baby is okay. His smallness in itself isn't an issue; both small are large babies are just variations on normal. We just wanna keep an eye out that he starts growing in height/weight/head circumference soonish. @obryana6219 is spot on that pumping doesn't tell you a darn thing about your supply. There are lots of variables to explain, but please trust us that a pump can't tell you how much milk your breasts hold. Not all women experience engorgement in the beginning! Maybe you're one of the lucky gals who avoids it. I also completely agree with @Jenly17, a support group or support person of some kind could do worlds of good to offer you tips, encouragement, hands-on help, and to be your emotional safety net. HUGS! From what you've described, I'm not alarmed about your supply. You're doing great!

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