Tips for BF after C-section

[emilie]

Hello all! I posted once here before about pumps and your responses were all very awesome and helpful, so thank you again! I hope to be joining you guys on the regular soon as i am scheduled to have a C-section at 39+1 on 12/19 due to a persistently breech baby.

Having dealt with IF and now going into a planned-C birth, I've learned to expect the unexpected and to approach things with an open mind. But - the one thing I really want to do is breastfeed. I have read mixed things about how a C-section can affect breastfeeding.

Any c-section moms out there have any tips on breastfeeding in those first few days and during recovery at home?

[73jewels]

I had 2 c sections and breastfed successfully after both. Make sure you tell the nurses your intention to breastfeed and ask them to bring your baby to you in recovery. Take advantage of the lactation consultants in the hospital (if yours has them) and just keep trying if it's difficult at first. Unless there is some medical reason, don't let them give your baby formula. It's perfectly normal to take a few days for your milk to come in and your baby is fine with what you are producing (again - this is in the case of a healthy baby, obviously follow doctor's orders if there are extenuating circumstances

[cheshie6]

I just had a c-section last Friday and I'm not having any problems breastfeeding! My milk came in before I left the hospital. At the hospital, we tried to get him to latch on as soon after as possible. I have flat nipples (which they attributed to the meds from surgery) so I got a nipple shield to help DS latch on. They had an idea on day 2 and put me on a pump to try to help my nipples stay perky but by then I explained I have always had flat nipples. Still using nipple shield but otherwise, I haven't had milk issues. Good luck. 🍀

[koritto]

Congrats on your impending birth. I had an emergency csection that I wasn't prepared for so I just took bfing like I planned. It did take 5 days for my milk to come in and I started feeling very desperate (normal post csection timeframe). I highly recommend getting baby on the breast as often as possible and as long as they want to stay. Comfort nursing is great during this time frame combined with lots of skin to skin. 2nd night in the hospital DD ate every hour but when my supply finally came in it was great (attribute this to her demand).

Will you have help? DH was home the first week and took care of us both. Not sure I even changed a diaper. I solely focused on healing and bfing. He would do the diapering, changing, wash while I nursed. We are going strong 4.5 months later and I know the beginning like this helped. Good luck!

[emmyg65]

Ask your doctor if you can do skin to skin with the baby immediately after birth--babies are typically active and alert for about one hour after birth and then very sleepy, so that time is important if you can get it. And ask to remain together instead of baby going to the nursery. If your doc is resistant, here's a good article: goodbyecb.proboards.com/board/74/breastfeeding

If you end up not getting that time, it's not a big deal. Your BFing relationship will hopefully be long and these initial hiccups can be overcome.

[jewel441]

I had a C section at 38 weeks when my water broke. My baby was breech too and would have had it scheduled the following week. I was warned that things might not go smoothly, since it was a C, a 38 weeker, and my c section ended up being a bit complicated but LO didn't get the memo. She latched like a champ, my milk came in a day (none of the nurses believed me and then they kept poking my boobs and being like oh my god), so it's good to be prepared but also don't borrow trouble!

You need to ask in advance if you want to do skin to skin in the OR because it requires an extra nurse be present. I did it but I only got a minutes but it was worth it! I had a spinal not an epidural and after that I declined anything stronger than ib profin. That's a personal choice obviously you don't want to be in unbearable pain but not everyone needs all the drugs after. I think we know our pain tolerances pretty well and don't let nurses push things on you just because some timer went off. I do think it helped me recover faster! The best thing is to move after. They had me stand that night and walk the next day. I ended up leaving the hospital a day early which was great!

I kept the baby with me the whole time in the hospital and did so much skin to skin. Every time I held her I made it skin to skin, I think that helped a lot. Even after we got home, all the skin to skin. The recovery was a lot easier than I expected but I definitely still needed help. It took a few days before I felt comfortable carrying the baby up the stairs myself. Everyday it got a little better and little easier! After about 2 weeks I could go on my side again and then things got amazing. We started side lying nursing at night. We kept LO in an Arms Reach, it was great because even right when I got back from the hospital I could bring the baby in bed without getting up.

Also, my breast friend pillow is a lot better than the boppy. That was literally the only thing I didn't bring to the hospital and I wish I had!

[seamonster]

I did skin to skin in recovery after they stitched me up, but not the OR. I got narcotics and DS was ok. He had monitoring for blood sugar due to his size, but they helped me express colostrum instead of doing sugar water.

I used a regular pillow instead of the boppy as it was easier for me. But I used the boppy starting a few weeks later.

[tikoberry99]

I had a scheduled c section and it took 7 days for my milk to come in. I pumped even though I wasn't getting much to stimulate production and supplemented on day 2. Due to tongue tie and painful nips we didn't ebf until 10 weeks, but we made it and I have an ebf 5 month old!

I suggest pumping after your c section even if barely is coming out, having formula on hand if needed and finding a local lactation consultant...those first few weeks are tough!

[Ray]

I had a Csection and no problems breast feeding. F is 5 months now and still eating breast milk exclusively.

It took 4 days for my milk to come in. That was very stressful to me, I felt like he was starving (he wasn't). Just offer boob regularly and NOD those first few days. I ate lactation cookies and drank half a Guiness. Idk if that had any effect or was just coincidental to my milk coming in.

If I could go back I'd tell myself to chill out lol as long as your LO is peeing he's getting what he needs (or she)

[Ray]

+1 to recovery being way easier than I thought. I could do stairs right away (but don't) I just couldn't sit up from laying down until a few weeks. Idk if I'm just speyshul but I also barely bled. Like panty liners needed only type of barely, and even then just for 2-3 weeks.