There’s a lot of changes in your breasts in the first few days. Here's what to expect.
Most mums notice a sudden boost in milk somewhere between 2 and 5 days after birth.
As your milk volume grows, your breasts may become larger and you may notice your milk changing to a thin and bluish-white colour. People often call this your milk ‘coming in’.
What happens to your breasts?
After a few days, you might find your breasts feel fuller and heavier. Inside your breasts, milk, blood and other fluids fill the breast tissue to kick-start milk production. Mums can experience this very differently. For some, it’s sudden and dramatic and for others, it may be a gradual change that is hardly noticeable. This process is related to hormones changing in your body after birth.
Research shows that feeding often in the early days supports breastfeeding to get off to a good start.
My breasts are too full!
You may find that your breasts settle down gradually over a few days as you keep breastfeeding. You’ll also notice your baby starts to have more wet and dirty nappies now. But some mums experience hard, swollen, and very tender breasts at this time. Their babies may have trouble attaching, and their nipples can get sore. Milk might not flow well as the tissue in the breasts puts pressure on the milk ducts. This is sometimes called engorgement, and there are ways to help.
What can I do to help my milk supply?
Keep your baby close. Hold them skin-to-skin as much as possible to help them look for a breastfeed more often.
Let your baby feed often and for as long as they like.
Offer your baby a breastfeed whenever they seem quiet and alert.
- Keep watching your baby’s nappies to make sure they’re doing wees and poos.
- Ask for help to learn how to know if your baby is well attached and removing milk effectively.
- Get help early if you have concerns. Reach out to an ABA breastfeeding counsellor, midwife, or lactation consultant.
It’s good at this time to have someone who can give you support and reassurance as everything can happen quite quickly. You may be having care from a midwife in hospital or at home or you could consider calling the National Breastfeeding Helpline to speak with a breastfeeding counsellor.
What is my milk taking a while to come in?
Sometimes, milk takes longer to increase. It’s often related to factors you can’t control, such as being a first-time mum or having an exhausting or traumatic birth. It can also be harder for babies to feed often if they've been separated from you after birth, or if you're recovering from pain or complications.
It can also be something medical. Having retained placenta following the birth can affect milk production. For some mums, health conditions such as PMOS, diabetes or thyroid diseases can affect the hormones involved in making milk.
What can I do?
Follow the suggestions above as much as you can:
- spend time skin-to-skin with your baby
- offer breastfeeds whenever your baby is ready to feed
- get support with attaching your baby
- seek help early if you have concerns about feeding or milk supply.
You may also like to discuss with your healthcare team whether any health conditions or birth-related factors could be affecting milk production.
Jaundice and breastfeeding
Jaundice is common in newborn babies and causes a yellow colour in the skin and eyes. Many babies develop some jaundice in the first days after birth. Taking in enough milk helps babies stay hydrated and remove bilirubin (the substance that causes jaundice) from their body.
If your baby has jaundice, your healthcare team will monitor it and advise you if any treatment is needed. Breastfeeding can usually continue while jaundice is being monitored or treated.
© Australian Breastfeeding Association July 2026
Your guide for making milk in the first 72 hours with your newborn. Free for Virtual Village members.
The first 72 hours - eModule
