Breastfeeding after C-Section

[Dee83]

Hi,

I am having an elective C-section on 22nd Feb and am hoping to breastfeed my baby. I had an emergency c-section with my son 6years ago and was unable to breastfeed because I was on medication.

I am just after other mums experiences really. I have heard that you can breastfeed as soon as the baby is born whilst they are stitching you up, is this something that anyone here has done? Has anyone had any problems with the milk not coming through as quick because of having a c-section?

If anyone can think of any other useful information or tips on this I would really appreciate it as I'm desperate to make it work this time

Thank you, Dee xx

 

[Lander]

I was feeding within the hour in recovery. DS latch was fab but and he was only two days off his due date but I barely had colostrum which took a couple of days and then full milk almost a week later.

We topped up with formula overnight but despite his best efforts his weight stayed down for over three weeks.

My family all have lumpy breast tissue, some cancerous, some benign (I've had one benign lump myself already) and we've all struggled to breastfeed past eight weeks.

We combined fed from four weeks to eight weeks and then went over to full formula.

I hope to do as much if not ideally more, with no.2 due in April, hopefully after a VBAC but we'll see how things go.

 

[Dee83]

Sorry for the delay in my reply, had a hectic few days. Thanks for your reply Lander. Good to hear that you were feeding within the hour after delivery. Did you have any issues with him taking the bottle at night and breast during the day? I heard that they can become confused by the different “teats”.

 

[Belfa]

Hi I only know of one of my friends who had a c-section and she managed to breast feed successfully and is still going 10months later. Interestingly she's the only person I know who has had a c-section and one of teh few I know who have breastfed!! x

 

[JoeyClare]

I had an emergency section at 38+5 and fed my daughter within an hour of her birth. I fed her with no issues for 3 days with my colostrum, but then my breast milk didn’t come in. This wasn’t anything to do with having a section. It may have been one of those things, or the midwife suggested it was down to a combo of infection I got during labour, anaemia and pre eclampsia and that my body was having to focus on healing. My friend has had 2 sections and breast fed both of hers for a few weeks.

 

[Blueclass]

Hi i had emergency section and was able to feed her in recovery. It did tale a while for my milk to comw in so i was expressing, giving top ups and then breast. It was very tiring and extremely hard work. It took months to be able to feed her properly and a month to wean off formula. However i kept gping and took all sorts thats meant to help and wxpressed throughout the night but here i am 17months later and still breast feeding. Just keep trying amd preserving. X

 

[Lander]

Sorry for the delay in my reply, had a hectic few days. Thanks for your reply Lander. Good to hear that you were feeding within the hour after delivery. Did you have any issues with him taking the bottle at night and breast during the day? I heard that they can become confused by the different “teats”.

Some babies can. DS had no problem between breast, bottle or dummy though but that's just him.

 

[Beauandhamish]

I had a planned c-section at 39 weeks with my first. Was able to bf in recovery and all went well for 4 weeks, baby put on plenty of weight etc. Unfortunately I became really ill with severe sepsis so ended up in hdu and unable to have my daughter with me so I stopped. I have no doubt I would have carried on longer if I wasn't ill but the whole situation has put me off breastfeeding my second

 

[Dee83]

Thank you for all of the replies, great to hear about your experiences. So good to hear that breast feeding shouldn’t be affected by having a c-section.

 

[mylullaby]

Friend of mine lasted approx 8 weeks with her first after emergency c section but the birth itself was much more traumatic for her than with her planned section 3 years later. She felt calmer and more composed after planned section and feels like that helped with bonding in the early days. She breastfed for about 18 months and was sick and tired of it by the end, lol. Good luck xx