Can I do anything to encourage my milk to come in sooner?

[Snow Cherries]

I'm having a scheduled c-section on Monday and am wondering if there's anything I can do or take to encourage my milk to come in sooner than last time.  After my last c-section birth my milk didn't come in for 3 whole days (which I don't think is that abnormal, but I felt like my little one was starving - he had the "brick dust" in his diaper and I was this close to giving him formula).  Knowing that it all turned out fine last time is helpful, but I thought if there IS something I can do (drinking Mother's Milk tea?) to help it come in a little sooner, I'd like to try. 

[TiffanyToo]

I suggest you talk to the anesthesiologist about your desire to breastfeed. Talk about changing up or lowered to allow for you to have more feeling in your upper body sooner. The sooner and for as long as possible baby should be skin to skin with you this will help establish your milk, give baby your imprint and assure baby that it is safe.

I would make sure that a lactation consultant will be available to you and baby as soon as possible following your surgery.

WIshing you and your baby well.

[Snow Cherries]

Thanks for the ideas!  Especially the idea of lots of skin to skin after the c-section.  I'm going to make a point of ensuring that happens!

[PatioGardener]

If baby is sleepy and not latching often to nurse (this can be normal after the first good feed), you can hand express your colostrum to encourage your body to produce more.  Hopefully your baby will latch on well and nurse like crazy, and your milk will follow soon after :)

Good luck!

[Parker'smommy]

My last baby was put right inside my gown, on my chest, as soon as I went into recovery after my last csection. She was NOT washed, or even wiped up that much either. When they put her in my gown on my chest, she still had lots of gunk and even blood on her. The nurse said it was important so that she wasn't "sterilized" and she still smelled like me, if that makes any sense. She was born, checked, weighed, wrapped up in a blanket, and dh held her next to my face while they stitched me up. WHen they were done, he went across the hall with baby to recovery, and I was there moments later. She was immediately taken out of her blanket, and put into my gown, skin to skin. WIthin minutes, baby started rooting, and the nurses helped me to breastfeed her for the first time. I would say she was an hour old. She latched on immediately and stayed on for a long time...sucking and sleeping. She stayed there for the entire time I was in recovery. She even was on my chest while they transported me to my room. When she was about 5 hours old, and I was done nursing for the time being, they finally washed her up and gave her the first bath in my room.

My milk was in really quickly.....I was leaking out of one side within 24 hours while I was breastfeeding so less than 24 hours. It was great. Make a birth plan ahead of time and let the hospital and nursing staff know about your wishes. Really, nursing early and often is the quickest way to get your milk in. Nurse at least every 2 hours, waking baby if neccessary, to have baby nurse if you want your milk to come in quickly. Good luck!

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by Parker'smommy 

My last baby was put right inside my gown, on my chest, as soon as I went into recovery after my last csection. She was NOT washed, or even wiped up that much either. When they put her in my gown on my chest, she still had lots of gunk and even blood on her. The nurse said it was important so that she wasn't "sterilized" and she still smelled like me, if that makes any sense. She was born, checked, weighed, wrapped up in a blanket, and dh held her next to my face while they stitched me up. WHen they were done, he went across the hall with baby to recovery, and I was there moments later. She was immediately taken out of her blanket, and put into my gown, skin to skin. WIthin minutes, baby started rooting, and the nurses helped me to breastfeed her for the first time. I would say she was an hour old. She latched on immediately and stayed on for a long time...sucking and sleeping. She stayed there for the entire time I was in recovery. She even was on my chest while they transported me to my room.

Just have to say

How I wish all Mamas who have C-sections could have this postpartum experience!

[RiverSky]

I had my five week old via c-section.  My husband advocated for me, while they were sewing me up, to bring the baby to me asap, and then he brought the baby to me in recovery and baby was ready to nurse.  I pretty much let her stay latched all of the time, as much as she wanted.  If she peeped, she went to the breast.  I was confident having her sleep in the hospital bed with me the entire three nights I was there and I let her "nurse" all the time.  My milk came in the third  night, but she wasn't acting hungry before then, just happy to latch and I'm sure she got plenty of colostrum to tide her over. 

The last birthing class I took had an amazing illustration of what size baby stomachs are when they are born, after a day, after 3 days, after a week, etc., and the first day, their stomach is only the size of a little marble.  You do not need to have your milk to be immediately pouring out to satisfy your baby's hunger in the beginning.  You just need to keep your baby latched and not expect baby to eat only every 3 or 4 hours.  The nurses would come in every once in a while and ask how long the baby ate last time, and they would write down 20 minutes each side, but in truth, the baby had been latched for hours, with only tiny breaks (my bathroom breaks, etc.).  

Congratulations and best wishes for the birth of your baby!

[Llyra]

I had c-sections, the last two times. My milk took five and a half days the second time, and six days the second. Three days is great! That said, with my natural birth, my milk ALSO took six days-- and my DS didn't survive birth, never nursed, and I never pumped. So I'm thinking it might be way more a matter of mama's individual biology, and less of something you can influence.

[VroomieMama]

Wow! That was fantastic!

To op, I have fenugreek and milkmaid tea with me and both of them advised that pregnant women not to use them.