Does your milk take longer to come in after a bleed?

[Arimeh]

I lost 800ml of blood after birth.

Bubs is 2 days old now and is really trying my determination to keep bfeeding.

She's been up since 1am last night and is feeding all the time - I can tell when she's not getting anything because she starts chomping down on me - and that's when I take her off because it's so painful. Then 10 minutes later she will want another feed. So I'm pretty exhausted (not to mention teary) at the moment.

How long until my milk comes in? Her attachment is pretty good, it just changes when the colostrum has gone. Is there anything I can do to help it come in quicker? I'm on liquid iron supplements and also my friend made a batch of lactation biscuits for me.

Any advice? The thought of giving her a bottle to make her stop crying for food has already crossed my mind this morning, and I wanted to succeed just once at this breastfeeding gig.

[Little Chicken]

Mine took about 5 days to come in after I had a PPH of around 1100 with my first and a little bit less with ly second. A LC that saw me for a home visit with my first said that a bleed can delay your milk coming in as your body needs to replace it's volume first then make milk. I found the first week for both exhausting as both of mine did the same thing as your little one is doing. Give it time, it will come.

[feeb]

Hugs Hun yes mill can take longer to come in after a bleed, drinking lots of water and putting her to breast will help, milk generally in days 3-5 . Hang in there Hun keep munching the cookies. You could also try fenugreek or blessed thistle or alfalfa tabs from health food shop.

[Beach Mama]

You are doing ACE babe, she is 2 days old remember and you are both still learning about each other. I found feeding 3 hourly on the dot helped alot to bring in mine faster. With Izzy it took 5 days - with J I was determined not to have to wait that long, so I was religious with feeding 3 hourly ( or 2 during the day) and then 3 hourly at night. I also expressed in between feeds - at around the halfway point. It wasn't a lot but we hand pumped and syringed it to him when he was hungry, I remember being so excited to get 1 mL. It was bloody hard work but my milk came in on the afternoon of day 3. Keep up your fluids hun and keep offering and you will be fine.

I may be unpopular saying this but can I also say that if you have to give a tiny top up once or twice of formula to get you through, it does not make you a breastfeeding failure. It means you are doing what you need to do to get through and breastfeed successfully for both of you. You may decide you don't need to or want to, or your milk may come in faster than you are expecting which is great. xoxoxox

[krystals]

Mine took a few days to come in after a loss of over a litre. I think it was day 4. Keep at it Mumma, drink lots of water, and remember the tears are hormonal as well!!! You're both still learning, it'll come xx

[Melbournemumma]

I may be unpopular saying this but can I also say that if you have to give a tiny top up once or twice of formula to get you through, it does not make you a breastfeeding failure. It means you are doing what you need to do to get through and breastfeed successfully for both of you. You may decide you don't need to or want to, or your milk may come in faster than you are expecting which is great. xoxoxox

I second this. I gave Noah formula top ups twice I think. He was just so hungry and just needed a little extra. you will get through this

[Barb Glare]

Hi,
the night of day 2 is the tough one. Your milk wouldn't be expected to be in yet - but your baby knows just what to do: feed all the time. It won't always be like this. Your milk will most likely come in in the next day or so.

[Olive]

darl.
i lost 1.5lt, DD2 was born wed night and my milk came in on the sat/sun, the midwives were really surprised it came in so quickly having had a PPH.

[sloane]

i didn't have blood loss & my milk didn't come until day 3 so you're still well within 'normal'

you're doing an awesome job & the constant feeds are so draining (literally & figuratively!). we used a few formula top ups after my milk came but i was too engorged for DS to feed properly. it doesn't necessarily help BFing & for some people makes it diff to ever establish properly but i BF until 20 months so it is possible to use a few in the early days.

[Heaven]

Mel, I know it's really tiring when they feed so often but it's totally normal. DD2 is still feeding 2hrly or more during the day. But with all that feeding your milk should be in soon Hang in there! You sound like you really want to do this and you can! I have no doubt.

[~clover~]

It took mine 3 days this time & i worried coz my engorgement only lasted a few days, not weeks like with all the others
it will happen x

[Sterla]

Hang in there .

[Arimeh]

Thanks everyone.

She also hasn't done a wee yet - has done poos but no wees. Is that normal?

[Little Chicken]

She may have done a wee that is tiny and hard to detect. As long as they have done a wee around 24 hours post birth, no issues. She sounds nice and alert and active though. Like Tanstar said, one or two bottles of formula wont ruin your breastfeeding chances and may make you feel better until your milk comes in. Remember that 10% weight loss they are 'allowed' to have is just about all fluid loss not actually fat, bub's are designed to run on low fluid levels for the first few days.

[Trillian]

It can take a while - I had a PPH with my 3rd and my milk never really came in at all - not that huge 'OMG my milk has come in' feeling like I had with the first two. Your body really struggles after a PPH - making more blood for you as well as milk for bubs and it can be so tiring as well. But only being day 2 your milk wont be in yet anyway so don't worry about it too much - if it's not really 'in' by Thursday-ish, then I'd start to worry. All you need to do now is put her to the breast as often as you can.

[MrsFabuloso]

Mel, it sounds like you're doing a great job. It's so totally tiring and horrible in those first days when bub is feeding so much. For me due to PPH each time, my milk never came in less than 4 days. With DD it was about 7 because I lost so much blood, as well as a traumatic long birth. Mind you my kids have been frequent feeders anyway and are on the boob every 2-3hrs up until they're about 4ish months anyway! Maybe if you do give DD a little formula, give her a booby feed and then give her a few ml's of formula in a syringe. That way she's still sucking and promoting your milk, but will be a little more satisified with the formula too. But as the other girls have said most women won't get milk until about day 3. You can do this hun. It's tough, but if you do really want it, it will happen.

[Jahzara]

I haven't had a loss of blood like you have but my milk always came in anywhere from day 3-5

Supporting you all the way Mel

Need anything - just let me know and I'll be there
xoxo

[onthefly]

If she's pooing then it's probably ok (they count as wees). DS was like this on day 2 - very unsettled, feeding all the time. Milk came in day3/4. With DD, I lost 2.6l and my milk seemed to take longer to fully come in (day 5/6), but was starting by day 2/3 (just noticed gradual change in feeding patterns and wees).
Make sure you're getting plently of rest and fluids Do you have lots of help with the other kids?