Breastfeeding after a section

[starsunshine]

I just had an emergency section on Monday evening. After I was really shaky due to the spinal and couldn't really hold my baby much at all throughout the night. I did manage to breast feed him when he needed it and then my lovely midwife held him for me until I stopped shaking (about 8 hours later). The lactation lady in hospital said it might take another day or two for my milk to come in due to the section. I've spent pretty much every minute since holding him in my arms and letting him suckle for ages even after he's finished feeding to help with milk supply. Is there any thing else I can be doing to encourage my milk to come in? I've successfully breastfed two other babies but they were delivered naturally.

 

[noon_child]

I wouldn't expect milk till 3-5 days after birth whether natural birth or C-section. If you lost a fair bit of blood this may delay milk (but not guaranteed). Sounds like you are doing great - skin to skin etc is all really beneficial to milk production.

One problem that can occur with c-sections is a slight increase in retained placental tissue. If your milk is very delayed coming in and/or baby doesn't gain weight well once it is in keep en eye on your lochia (post birth bleeding) - is is similar to what you had with previous births? - and talk to your midwife about what retained placenta symptoms might be.

 

[lenorajoy]

I have nothing to add, but wanted to second what noon wrote. You're doing great! Skin to skin and frequent nursing will help the most! I didn't have a section, but I did the same with my daughter and my milk came in on day 3. DD ended up eating so much colostrum that she had a TON of wet and dirty diapers and lost very little weight before we left the hospital. Colostrum is good stuff, so if your milk takes a little more time to come in your baby will be perfectly happy with it.

 

[starsunshine]

My milk has come in already! My bleeding is tiny. I mentioned it twice to two different midwives and they said it's because they suck out the womb before sewing you back together.

 

[lenorajoy]

That's great!! So much for milk coming in later because of a c-section. Take that, statistics!

 

[jtink28]

great job mama! c-sections are NOT easy.

i had 2 c-sections - my milk came in on day 4 the first time, and day 2 the second time. still nursing at almost 15 months, too. tons of on-demand nursing and skin to skin will help too.

 

[noon_child]

It's the removal of the placenta that causes milk to come in (doesn't matter if there is no vaginal birth) but sometimes C-sections increase the length of time mums and babies are separated, or because they happen due to medical reasons baby may be in NICU rather than be with mum. It's these things that lead to breastfeeding difficulties rather than the surgery itself/lack of vaginal birth.

 

[minties]

You're doing amazing! Congratulations on your new baby. I see your milk has already come in - just my 2 cents for anyone else who reads this:

I've had 3 c-sections, the first was an emergency after I didn't dilate in labour and baby went into distress. Milk came at day 5 ( if my memory serves me right). I was about to go buy formula, I had no idea it was normal.

With Sophie, my milk came I'm at the 48 hour mark - well it started to transition. She was a scheduled section due to previous section, and GD.

With Emma, she unexpectedly had to be taken to special care immediately after birth. She was a scheduled section at 38+6 (another GD baby) She was not breathing on her own, had an APGAR of 4 at 1 and 5 minutes. She was on CPAP and had low blood sugars, so there was no breastfeeding in recovery and no rooming in. Her oxygen saturation stabilised during the night and we got to nurse. I hand expressed tiny drips and drabs here and there. It was hard to breastfeed because I was confined to the bed (had to have the catheter in for an extended time, 3 days!!! And I was on strict bedrest because surgery was a surprise complicated one). So they had to wheel me there or wheel her to me. Anyway...
...long story short, my milk came in so quickly! Like 24 hours after birth. She is my most enthusiastic breastfeed er, even now.