When the milk is slow to come in
It happens to about a third of women after a cesarean.
Delayed onset of full milk production, meaning no copious milk by 72 hours, occurred in 33.3% of 468 women after cesarean in a prospective cohort. Factors associated with it included being a first-time mother, low blood protein levels, symptoms of depression, and fewer feeding sessions in the first 48 hours.
That last one is actionable. Frequent feeding or pumping in the first two days is the single most controllable factor.
Where this comes from:
350. Lian W, Ding J, Xiong T, Liuding J, Nie L. Determinants of delayed onset of lactogenesis II among women who delivered via cesarean section at a tertiary hospital in China: a prospective cohort study. Int Breastfeed J. 2022;17(1):81.
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