Help! Baby won't latch so exclusively pumping. I am 5 days post partum and super engorged but no milk?!

Question

Hi everyone! I became really engorged the last couple days with hard lumps in breasts. My nipples are on the flat side and baby can't latch and hates the shield I tried. I am pumping to relieve engorgement but only getting 15ml-30 per pumping session. I am getting NO relief. HELP! Are my Spectra settings wrong? Is milk just not in yet? Feeling stressed and wanting to just throw in the towel on BFing 😔

Answer

Try warm compresses and massage in the shower- i used one of these silicone shower scrubbing things.

Answer

Look up reverse pressure softening.  Essentially pushing straight back on areola to clear the way for milk to move.

Answer

That sounds like what you would expect to get for being so early on and baby not latching yet. You’ll get more as you continue to pump and even more when your baby learns to latch and helps signal more production. When my milk first came in, the pump did nothing. I was engorged and nothing came out. Wasn’t till the next day that things started flowing. Hot shower or warm compress and make sure you’re using breast compressions while you pump to help relieve the pressure and to get more out. Might even be worth pumping one breast at a time and using both hands to help massage the milk out. It really does help get more out.

Help! Baby won't latch so exclusively pumping. I am 5 days post partum and super engorged but no milk?!

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey