Why my milk hasn't come out yet?

Question

It is been six days after I delivered my baby boy and my milk hasn't come out yet - I am expressing colostrum, about 1oz from every breast at the time {I am using electrical breast pump and am pumping every two or three hours}. Wasn't my milk supposed to come out by this time? And how am I going to know, it is going to be white like a real milk? I am afraid that I won't have enough soon, as the baby is starting to eat more and more.

I am not nursing because we have been having really hard time and this way i know how much he is getting... He was born after 49 hours in labor, pale, not breathing, apgar score 0. He is doing fine now, but since I didn't get to see him untill couple hours after he was born, and we didn't try to breastfeed untill his third day, we really had a hard time.

Answer 1

If you're getting one ounce from each breast at six days after birth, you're doing great! That is milk coming from your breasts. It can vary in color from yellow to bluish to almost clear/whitish. You don't need to pump unless you're engorged. Let the baby nurse as often as he wants. It sounds like you're doing fine! Keep it up, and good luck.

Answer 2

Are you exclusively pumping or is your baby nursing as well? If you are exclusively pumping then you should be doing so ever 2 hours around the clock. If you are nursing, baby needs to be on the breast about every 2 hours around the clock. Breastmilk digests in about 90 minutes.

Keep in mind that baby's tummy is only the size of his fist. He doesn't need a lot of milk at one time right now. Is he seeming satisfied right now? Wetting and stooling OK?

The average for milk to come in is between 3-5 days, so you're just beyond that. If your milk doesn't change over and you don't start to experience a sense of fullness in your breasts (engorgement) in the next 24 hours then I would get in to see a Lactation Consultant at your hospital or contact a La Leche League Leader. (The LLL Leader will help for FREE and may be able to visit you at home!)

ETA:
You don't need to pump to know how much he's getting. Just watching behavior, pee and poop output and growth will let you know if he's getting enough. If he isn't latching well, a LLL Leader or IBCLC can also help you with that. A baby is more efficient at getting the milk out that even the best pump....BTW what kind of pump are you using? Double or single?

ALSO....
If you're getting an ounce from each side in a pumping session, that's pretty good. Your milk is probably starting to transition already if you're getting that much. (Colostrum typically comes in spoonfuls at a time.) Like I said before, they don't take a lot at a feeding this young as their tummy is SO tiny!

Answer 3

Just keep at it, it takes alot of patients and effort to get breastfeeding going. I would really try and let the baby nurse and feed on demand. Other than that, milk is really thin and bluish color.
You won't be able to pump a whole lot of colostrum, it is alot richer so a baby wouldn't drink as much, because he'll feel more full. If you pump out to much milk, your breast will make more milk and if you make more milk than you need, your breast can become engorged and that can be painful. I would try and get the baby to nurse, about 15-20 minutes on each side. Good Luck

Answer 4

Putting your baby to your breast will allow your body to both a) produce more milk and b) your milk will come in faster. While pumping is ok, you will not get as much milk for the baby as you would if the baby nursed from the breast, babies are much more effective at sucking and emptying your breast than a pump is and the skin to skin contact with the baby urges your body to produce milk. Just keep trying to nurse your baby, AND pump if you feel is nessasary (but it's not) breast feeding isn't always easy, but if you keep trying it WILL get easier and it will be more benificial for you and most of all your baby. The bonding is very important. If you need help see a LLL advisor or a brest feeding specialist at your local hospital, they are great help.

Answer 5

Start breast feeding him hon. It won't get any easier just because you wait. I had a similar problem with my baby because they insisted on giving her a bottle at the hospital after she lost a pound after birth. They said she wasn't getting enough food, so they gave her milk. I wasn't worried about the pound since she weighed over 10 to beging with. When I got home I had the same trouble you are having! You just need to give him a little bit to eat so he is hungry, but not starving, then take away the bottle and offer him the breast. practice different positions until you find one that is comfortable for you both. The colostrum will change more quickly to regular milk the more you feed. I had my milk in by day 7-8. It will start getting whiter, and if you refrigerate it, then you will notice a layer of fat that will sit at the top, it will appear slightly yellow, and the bottom will look about like skim milk. Trust me, don't put it off, feed him from the breast, or use the supplemental nursing system so he gets used to feeding at your nipple before he starts to get used to the easier bottle nipples, and refuses yours! ask at the hospital you delivered at they can help, they usually have a breastfeeding help line for new mothers to call, if not try your local wic office or la leche league, they love to get new mothers breastfeeding! Congrats!!!

Answer 6

If you're getting that much already, you are actually doing fantastic!!
It took me about ten days to get that much!!

I was feeding him colustrom (which I only got about a tablespoon at a time) with a syringe.

Pump or feed every two hours (the baby can get more out of you than the pump can by the way). The more you pump and or feed the quicker and stronger your milk will come in.

And yes it will look like regular milk.

And you will have enough (that's every nursing mother's fear) just keep at it.

But really it sounds like your doing excellent already...keep it up mama and congratulations!

Answer 7

it sounds like you're doing just fine. You have to trust that your body will know what to do. I had a baby on Jan 10 and I was so worried that I wouldn't make enough milk either. Now, I can pump almost 3 oz per breast every time I pump. And that's definitely milk you're making. It will take on a whiter color as time goes on. Mine was yellowish for quite a long time.

congrats and stick with the breastfeeding!

Answer 8

Give it a little while longer. Do you put your baby to your breast? Your baby's suckling may bring the milk down quicker. The colour of the milk is a very watery white, and tastes awful I might add. I have had two children and from memory, the milk came on the 4th or 5th day. Good luck.

Answer 9

My daughter who had her baby in October tried breast feeding but never was able to produce enough milk to satisfy her baby so she supplemented with formula. Now she is feeding formula exclusively because she went back to work & it's too difficult to pump at her job.
My daughter who just had her baby 4 weeks ago wasn't producing much milk but found if she increased the amount of water she drank by A LOT she produces much more & she's doing great with breastfeeding now. Maybe try drinking more water. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 10

Even if you don't feed him breast milk only, you should put the baby to your breast. It will stimulate more milk production. Plus all that colostrum is so good for him!! Be paitent, drink alot of water, and put him to the breast.
Good luck!!