Help with my milk coming in?
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It could take a few days for your milk to come in and don’t be alarmed if baby loses weight. It’s inevitable as your milk supply hasn’t came yet. It’s just a matter of waiting until your milk comes through.
It takes 3 or 4 days for your milk to come in. Prior to that you should produce a small amount of pre-milk liquid called colostrum, which is rich in nutrients, antibodies, and growth factors. Babies only need a tiny amount (you can use a syringe) as their tummies are only the size of a marble when newborn. This is about 5-7ml. On day 3, their tummy is about the size of a ping pong ball, so around 22-27ml.
I work in a neonatal unit. You body was not ready to have a baby this early so it can take a little longer to arrive. It usually take between 3-5 days for your milk supply to come in when you've had a term baby. You need rest so set your alarm 3-4 hours. You need your body to rest. Drink lots and eat too. But most importantly, rest and sleeep. Your body won't produce if you stress, hope this helps x
Your doing everything you need to do...you could probably even do it every 3 hours instead of 2. Your milk will come in. Here's a tip: when you are pumping, make sure your breast are downward (so you need to sit upright and lean forward a bit) to help milk to come down. Do not stress about it and find something to distract yourself...watch tv/movie, eat a snack, talk to hubby... when you are distracted, you won't focus and stress over it. BTW my baby was born 37+4 and spent a week in the nicu...its not easy going back and forth to the hospital so please take care of yourself. One last tip... let your baby sleep with a rag or some cloth so his smell will be on it then take it and put it in your bra. You do the same and give him the rag that smells like you..it will help two of you to stay connected to you. Good luck love ❤ and congratulations!
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I have two kids and my milk has never came in on it’s own. Fenugreek is what has gotten it to come in and I breastfed both my kids pretty much exclusively for at least a year. You got this
It came immediately for me HOWEVER I think it normally takes a few days at the very least (I had a c section at 28 weeks). Just keep trying! You could also ask to speak with a lactation specialist when you’re at the NICU (If you are). Congratulations!
Mine came in on day 3. The nurse did let me borrow a pump to pump out some colostrum and we used a syringe to feed it to the baby. I think because I pumped on day 1 and 2, when my milk finally did come in on day 3...it came in with a vengeance. Too much, my breast hurt.
It's OK if it takes a few days for your milk to come in. Drink lots of fluid. If your concerned about your baby eating and you don't see your producing colostrum, you can ask the nurse for some donor milk or formula and have your baby get a little of that. My first c section i was giving my daughter donor milk on day 3 and until I was producing enough milk. They don't drink or need a lot yet, but I felt better knowing she was getting some milk in her.
My milk took 3 days to come in and I had a vaginal birth so give yourself some time and try not to worry about it (I realise this is incredibly hard, I was so worried and stressed in those first few days) it will come in and its such a good feeling when you see those bottles filling up on your pump! keep up the pumping to simulate your glands every 3 hours should be ok, make sure you are getting some sleep and eating and drinking. Congratulations on your wee man, hope you get him home soon xx
Give us an update...Did you milk come in and how is little one doing?
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Okay glad to hear baby is doing well! Please take care of yourself love so you can heal up. ❤
Update! Wee Harris is doing as well as he can be - still getting some support for his lungs but no more drips! I’ve been successfully expressing quite a bit of colostrum the past couple days so hopefully my milk isn’t too far behind! Thank you so so so so much to everyone for their advice and kind words! 💕💕
I also had c-section and i forgot to say my milk cane in day 3 but fully enough to feed my daughter by day 5. I also used a hospital grade pump the Medela.