Quesions about engorgement

[PsuLion98]

I'm wondering if a lack of engorgement is the sign of a problem. I never experienced any type of engorgement when my milk first came in after my son was born.

Is it common for a new mom to not have engorgement when her milk first comes it?

When I was in the hospital I was told to pump for 15 min because my son had lost weight. I pumped for 15 minutes & got 1 drop of colostrum. I had a long induction that resulted in a c-section. Could this have affected production of colostrum as well as milk?

Thanks

[stgertrude]

My understanding is that it can be the sign of a problem, but not in all cases. Some women who go on to have full milk supplies, never experience notable engorgement, while others who do not experience engorgement do have on-going supply issues. C-sections can definitely affect the timing of milk coming in, though I'm not sure if the volume of milk when it does come in is affected as well.

I've also read that lactogenesis II (when your milk comes in) does not depend upon milk (or colostrum) removal in order to happen, however, the timing and volume of milk that does eventually come in is thought to be affected by the successful removal of colostrum and milk in the early days (before your milk officially comes in). I'm thinking if you were unable to remove much colostrum before your milk came in, it could have impacted the amount of engorgement you experienced.


Was your baby able to effectively nurse shortly after birth? Those first few hours and days, even before your milk comes in, are critical for establishing a supply.