Have milk, but it won't drain

Anyone encountered this problem: the breasts are filling up, I can feel
the ants crawling along the side, the baby has been latching on
perfectly (per lactation consultant), yet not a drop of anything is
coming out, and I've had to start feeding her formula. She's four days
old.

I've just rented a breast pump for the week and the first 15 minute
session yielded nothing whatsoever. I worry about overstimulating the
production if the milk has nowhere to go. My breasts are already
getting very full and painful.

Warm compresses haven't made a difference.

I hear immersing the breasts in a big bowl of very warm water for ten
minutes might get the milk draining. Again, I worry that this might
overstimulate the production.

This is a Catch 22 situation: if I stimulate, it might come out, but if
it doesn't come out, I am in deep trouble with mastitis around the
corner.

Any advice?

Also, are there any support groups for mothers who desperately want to
breastfeed but can't due to physiological reasons beyond their control?

Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward wrote:
Anyone encountered this problem: the breasts are filling up, I can feel
the ants crawling along the side, the baby has been latching on
perfectly (per lactation consultant), yet not a drop of anything is
coming out, and I've had to start feeding her formula. She's four days
old.

How do you know nothing's coming out? I'm asking because: When I tried
to hand express at first: nothing came out. Ok, maybe a drop or two, but
that was it. Pumping didn't work for me for a long time either.
When you latch your baby on, does it _drink_ i.e. suck and swallow? If
the baby swallows your milk is coming out just fine ;-)

I've just rented a breast pump for the week and the first 15 minute
session yielded nothing whatsoever. I worry about overstimulating the
production if the milk has nowhere to go. My breasts are already
getting very full and painful.

Nurse your baby. Don't give bottles, latch on and feed. If your breasts
didn't get full like this when you nursed you didn't have a problem.

Warm compresses haven't made a difference.

A difference to what?

Do you have LLL in your area? If so: give them a call and ask if someone
can come over and help you, or arrange for you and your baby to go
there. If your lactation consultant tells you to formuly feed she's
probably not a very good consultant.

take care
nicole

Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward wrote:
Anyone encountered this problem: the breasts are filling up, I can feel
the ants crawling along the side, the baby has been latching on
perfectly (per lactation consultant), yet not a drop of anything is
coming out, and I've had to start feeding her formula. She's four days
old.

Firstly, congratulations! Didn't realise you'd already had your baby,
and I look forward to reading the birth story.

Secondly - what makes you think nothing is coming out? I ask because
it can be difficult to tell, and so mothers often reach that conclusion
wrongly.

Really, the best way to tell for sure is a test weigh - weigh the baby,
fully clothed, just before and then just after a feed, on the same set
of scales, without changing the nappy or taking any clothes off. If
there's an increase in weight, you know something is going in. (This
is not a very good method for judging how much the baby is taking, and
tends to be frowned upon for this reason - it's led to many mothers
falsely believing their baby wasn't getting enough when, in fact, they
just happened to do the test weighing for a smaller-than-average feed.
Or vice versa, for that matter. However, it will at least let you know
whether _something_ is going in.)

If there really is nothing coming out and the baby is latched on
perfectly, then I'd question whether there might be some problem with
the baby's mouth that's causing sucking problems. However, I would
definitely do the test weigh before reaching any conclusions there.


All the best,

Sarah
--
http://www.goodenoughmummy.blogspot.com

But how do we _know_ that no-one ever said on their deathbed that they
wished they'd spent more time at the office?

wrote:

If there really is nothing coming out and the baby is latched on
perfectly, then I'd question whether there might be some problem with
the baby's mouth that's causing sucking problems. However, I would
definitely do the test weigh before reaching any conclusions there.

Sorry - just wanted to add that unless you have strong reason to fear
that milk isn't coming out, then don't even bother with the test weigh.
The idea of the test weigh is purely to check if you're really worried
that nothing is coming out. For heavens' sake don't wait to breastfeed
your baby until you get a chance to get access to scales! Keep
latching the baby on and trying to feed as often as possible. Keep an
eye on the baby's diapers to make sure they're wet. Post as soon as
possible to let us know what made you think the milk wasn't coming out,
so that someone can give you better advice. But hopefully this'll help
in the meantime.


All the best,

Sarah

--
http://www.goodenoughmummy.blogspot.com

But how do we _know_ that no-one ever said on their deathbed that they
wished they'd spent more time at the office?

First - congratulations on your baby!

For the rest, see below.

"Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward" wrote in message
oups.com...
Anyone encountered this problem: the breasts are filling up, I can feel
the ants crawling along the side, the baby has been latching on
perfectly (per lactation consultant), yet not a drop of anything is
coming out, and I've had to start feeding her formula. She's four days
old.


How do you know that nothing is coming out? Has the lactation consultant
said so? It can be very difficult to tell how much your baby is having.
When your breasts are going through the 'engorgement' phase it may be that
they are full before the feed, and still full afterwards because there is
such a lot of milk there and she is not drinking it all. This will settle
down in a few days time, but it can be uncomfortable until your body has
decided how much milk it needs to make.

If you supplement with formula, this will affect your supply, especialy at
this early stage. As I said above, your body is currently trying to figure
out how much milk it needs to make. If you are giving formula, then your
body will not produce that milk, and this can make it difficult to get off
the formula.

I've just rented a breast pump for the week and the first 15 minute
session yielded nothing whatsoever. I worry about overstimulating the
production if the milk has nowhere to go. My breasts are already
getting very full and painful.


Breast pumps are not a good indication of how much milk you have. They are
not nearly as effective as a baby at getting the milk out, and it is very
common to be unable to pump. Don't use this as a guide to your milk
production.

As your baby is 4 days old, your milk has just come in. This does lead to
engorged breasts, full and tender. It does pass in a day or so. Try
cabbage leafs that have been in the fridge - sounds weird but they do help!

Warm compresses haven't made a difference.

I hear immersing the breasts in a big bowl of very warm water for ten
minutes might get the milk draining. Again, I worry that this might
overstimulate the production.

This is a Catch 22 situation: if I stimulate, it might come out, but if
it doesn't come out, I am in deep trouble with mastitis around the
corner.

Any advice?


Feed her off the breast, and make sure that you are getting 6-8 wet
nappies/diapers a day. If you are getting your wet nappy count, then she is
getting the milk. The nappies don't have to be sodden, they just need to
have some wee in them. The number of poo nappies doesn't matter.

The engorgment will pass soon, and your body will settle down into being
able to produce the right amount of milk for your baby. Make sure that she
stays on the breast for as long as she wants.

Do try not to supplement with formula - trust your body. It is very
unlikely that your body can't produce the milk or that she can't get it out,
but it is common to feel that your baby isn't getting enough.

Get further advice off your lactation consultant. It is possible that there
is a problem, so there are a few things that can be checked. Others will
have ideas, but tongue-tied or poor suck come to mind.

Also, are there any support groups for mothers who desperately want to
breastfeed but can't due to physiological reasons beyond their control?

Sorry, can't help there.

I hope things work out for you,

Suzanne

The milk should be coming in soon. You have colostrum now and that is all
the baby needs for now. Don't start giving bottles or formula if you are
committed to breastfeeding, as you will sabotage your breasts making the
milk you need. Remember, pumping and expressing are in no way an indicator
of how much the baby is getting. They are not as efficient as the baby. Keep
the baby at the breast and your milk will come in soon. Also, if the breasts
are hard as rocks, then a warm compress to soften the nipple up so baby can
latch. Also, wet and poopy diapers are more of an indicator that the baby is
getting enough rather than what you can pump out.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

"Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward" wrote in message
oups.com...
Anyone encountered this problem: the breasts are filling up, I can feel
the ants crawling along the side, the baby has been latching on
perfectly (per lactation consultant), yet not a drop of anything is
coming out, and I've had to start feeding her formula. She's four days
old.

I've just rented a breast pump for the week and the first 15 minute
session yielded nothing whatsoever. I worry about overstimulating the
production if the milk has nowhere to go. My breasts are already
getting very full and painful.

Warm compresses haven't made a difference.

I hear immersing the breasts in a big bowl of very warm water for ten
minutes might get the milk draining. Again, I worry that this might
overstimulate the production.

This is a Catch 22 situation: if I stimulate, it might come out, but if
it doesn't come out, I am in deep trouble with mastitis around the
corner.

Any advice?

Also, are there any support groups for mothers who desperately want to
breastfeed but can't due to physiological reasons beyond their control?

Has anyone checked your daughter's suck? This sounds like the way it felt
for me the first few days-my daughter was latched "perfectly", everything
looked good, and nothing came out. My first 15 minute pumping session had me
in tears, because while I did get some output, I got almost nothing. It took
several days before I really started having a letdown for the pump. Pumping
has generally worked well for me over the long haul, but those first two
weeks were pretty awful.

Another question-did you have a lot of fluid retention? Apparently that can
affect early milk output as well.

--
Donna DeVore Metler
Orff Music Specialist/Kindermusik
Mother to Angel Brian Anthony 1/1/2002, 22 weeks, severe PE/HELLP
And Allison Joy, 11/25/04 (35 weeks, PIH, Pre-term labor)

I had nipple reduction surgery three years ago and have strong reason
to believe the pores on the tips of my nipples are 100% blocked by scar
tissue. However, before I am fully certain that this is the case I
wanted to check if others have had a situation where drainage was not
happening at all (with their natural nipples, ie), and how they dealt
with it. I stress 'at all' because I would be ecstatic if I had two
drops of colostrum like some of you have had.

I have spoken with a lactation consultant from LLL, two lactation
consultants from Lactation Care in Newton, the nurse practitioner at
Brigham & Women's Hospital, my OB/GYN at Brigham & Women's Hospital,
the nurse practitioner at the Breast Center at Brigham & Women's
Hospital, three cosmetic surgeons, my midwife who is a lactation
consultant, as well as my pediatician, and everyone who is honest is
stumped, while the others insist I do have something coming out only I
don't know it.

How can these people tell me I have drainage when I KNOW I don't?

Please anyone if you have an answer to my original question that's
really all I would like to know right now. I am frustrated enough as
it is, I don't want to be told that I don't know what I'm talking about
right now. Please understand, it's very difficult for me right now.

"Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward" wrote in message
I had nipple reduction surgery three years ago and have strong reason
to believe the pores on the tips of my nipples are 100% blocked by scar
tissue.

How can these people tell me I have drainage when I KNOW I don't?

Please anyone if you have an answer to my original question that's
really all I would like to know right now. I am frustrated enough as
it is, I don't want to be told that I don't know what I'm talking about
right now. Please understand, it's very difficult for me right now.

I don't think any of us knew you had nipple reduction surgery. That is
something I think you neglected to mention or I missed that part as did many
others. That is beyond my scope of knowledge and I think your best bet is to
go back to the surgeon who did the work and ask his/her opinion. Sorry if
many of us sound condescending, but your saying that nothing is coming out
and early introduction of formula is extremely common in new moms and we
were trying to reassure you that many women without any problems can
breastfeed. I hope you can find some answers.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward wrote:
I had nipple reduction surgery three years ago and have strong reason
to believe the pores on the tips of my nipples are 100% blocked by
scar tissue. However, before I am fully certain that this is the
case I wanted to check if others have had a situation where drainage
was not happening at all (with their natural nipples, ie), and how
they dealt with it.

I've never heard of it happening with natural nipples. I think that is why
people were questioning it. Of course it is certainly possible that it
could be happening to you, since you've had surgery.

My breasts were quite swollen and tingly before my milk came in on the fifth
day. I'm hoping that is the situation for you (milk just not in yet).

Good luck and I hope things work out. If nothing can come out I'd be
talking to someone as you are going to get awfully miserable :-(.

Congratulations on the baby :-)

--
Nikki
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Thing One and Thing Two :-) EDD 4/06