Please help - urgent question about colostrum

[Jelly Bean]

Hi girlies,

I really hope someone can put my mind at ease.

My son is three days old and my breast milk hasn't come in yet normal (that's normal right?).

My question is: Luciano latches on and suckles perfectly, sometimes for up to an hour or more, several times during the day. The nurses at the hospital saw him nursing and said he was feeding off my colostrum, which is supposed to be yellowish, thick and sticky. I've squeezed and squeezed my breasts and I can't see any sort of discharge that matches that description.

When you were BFing at first, was colostrum very visible?

Since he's sometimes still hungry after suckling for an hour, I give him about an ounce of formula (which was pediatrician's recommendation).

What's worrying me is that I don't really have any colostrum, that he's just suckling for comfort, in which case he might not be getting the right nourishment...seems pretty plump and healthy though.

Please help!!

 

[Bec L]

I was expressing after Poppy was born and produced small amounts of colostrum. I don't think I was able to see it if I tried to squeeze it out though. I'm sure your LO is getting everything he needs xx

 

[Whisper]

I was in a similar situation. I couldn't for the life of me squeeze any colustrum out, Amelia wasn't feeding for ages like 6hour gaps between feeds. I was very concerned but the doctor came round and she managed to squeeze some and she showed me how to do it properly, turns out there was plenty there.

I think you are doing just fine keep putting him on the breast it will help your milk come in quicker, i would give it another day or 2? see how you feel but i would think your milk will definitely be in by then.

x

 

[freckleonear]

Congratulations on your son!

I could never see any of my colostrum either, and even with an electric hospital pump I only managed to express a teeny weeny bit of it.

Remember, babies are born with nutrient stores to last them the first few days until your milk has come in. Colostrum is also an amazing food and a little bit goes a long way! You're doing great, keep putting him to your breast often to help your milk come in.

 

[shampain]

My midwife showed me how to squeeze some out, she said a lot of women tend to just squeeze the skin and not all the fatty tissue underneath...which is exactly what i was doing! I also had issues with Patrick going 6+hours during feeds....he soon got the hang of it and then fed like a trooper and piled weight on!

 

[captain-ally]

Mine was clear when it came out, and it took about 4 days for my milk to come in. It didn't happen all at once either, just in small amounts over 2 days.

 

[Jelly Bean]

Thank you girls for your help, my breasts feel as hard and heavy as rocks right now, hoping and praying milk will come in!!

 

[elm]

Congratulations x

What are her nappies like? They are a good way of judging if he's getting enough. I'm not sure exactly what they should be like as Elliot was getting dehydrated at 3 days (he was producing lots of wet nappies but they were light and not as heavy as they should be). My colostrum was colourless from what I saw and remember?!

Might be worth getting your mw to check the weight of your nappies?

xxx


IS BABY GETTING ENOUGH? -- QUICK REFERENCE CARD
~~~ BIRTH to 6 WEEKS ~~~
WEIGHT GAIN:
If baby is gaining well on mom’s milk alone, then baby is getting enough. A 5-7% weight loss during the first 3-4 days after birth is normal. Baby should regain birth weight by 2 weeks. Once mom’s milk comes in, average weight gain is 6 oz/week. If these goals are not met, call your lactation consultant. More on weight gain.
WET DIAPERS: 5 - 6+ sopping wet diapers per day (after 1st week).
Expect one wet diaper on day one, increasing to 5-6 by one week. To feel what a sufficiently wet diaper is like, pour 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of water into a clean diaper (if baby wets more often, then the amount of urine per diaper may be less). Urine should be pale and mild smelling.
DIRTY DIAPERS: 3 – 4+ dirty diapers per day (after day 4).
Stools should be yellow (no meconium) by day 5 and the size of a US quarter (2.5 cm) or larger. The normal stool of a breastfed baby is usually yellow and is loose (soft to watery, may be seedy or curdy). More on infant stooling.
OTHER POSITIVE SIGNS: After a feeding, mom’s breast feels softer and baby seems reasonably content. Baby is alert, active and meeting developmental milestones.

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/enough-milk.html

 

[caggimedicine]

Harry was the same. For the first few days, he went ages between feeds and just slept a lot. I think that's perfectly normal - they say that babies are really exhausted after the birth (like we're not hey?!) Harry started feeding more often over the first week. My milk came in after about 5/6 days. I thought I had mastitis at first because I woke up feeling really quite unwell (flu-like body aches) and my boobs were huge and really hard, but the midwife said it was quite normal for that to happen when milk comes in.

I'm sure you'll be fine. Not sure why they've told you to give baby a bottle though?

 

[beancounter]

Sounds like your milk is coming in. Expressing colostrum is hard, I did for Finn when he was in neonatal, but you have to massage your boobs first and then squeeze correctly and only a tiny amount will come out (unless you are me then 4ml comes out and you think thats a tiny amount until midwives come in to congratulate you on your milk goodness). It can take a couple of days longer to come in if you have a c section (don't know if you did)

 

[Shifter]

It took me a few goes to get the hang of hand-expressing colostrum. The MWs in hospital told me I had loads though! It would come out in small droplets of creamy/yellow-coloured liquid which I dripped into an oral syringe and I could easily fill a 2.5ml syringe in a few minutes one drop at a time.

I'm no expert, but I would be surprised if your LO is feeding for all that time. From what I understand the early feeds of colostrum are usually quite short, but very nourishing for baby.

Hard boobs definitely sounds like your milk is ready to go!

 

[Jelly Bean]

Yes girls - it came in - owwwwwwwwwww