Breastfeeding after C-Section?

[EleanoirRigby]

After my last Dr.'s appointment I was pretty disappointed to find out a VBAC isn't in the cards for me and that I'm going to be forced to have another C-Section. I REALLY want to breastfeed my child to give him/her all the nutrition he/she needs. Do any of you have any tips on breastfeeding after a C-Section? I know it will be tough but I really want/need to try.

 

[Lemonade]

We had no issues breastfeeding after my emergency c-section. I think the key is lots of skin to skin and let baby be at the boob as much as much as they want. It took about 45 minutes after birth until I could try breastfeeding my LO and everything was fine.

 

[lisa1980]

I've had an emergency section and a planned one and no problems breastfeeding after either. As PP said, lots of skin to skin and letting them stay on the boob as much as possible helped.

 

[northern_me]

No problems due to csection here either.

 

[noon_child]

The only thing you might need is help lifting LO in and out of a cot immediately post surgery. If safe co-sleeping you won't have as much of a issue of course. Just make it clear to the hospital staff that you want as much contact with LO as soon after birth as possible. As long as LO is health, weights and measurements can wait. Ideally at least an hour skin to skin post birth will set up breastfeeding nicely.

 

[hollyrose]

I bf after cs and it went well. I found my support pillow was great for protecting my wound.

 

[Zephram]

It's not going to be the most encouraging answer as I did have problems breastfeeding after my emcs. My milk didn't come until day 6 and my LO lost a lot of weight so I had to supplement him with formula until he was 4 weeks old. My supply was pretty low until 3 weeks PP, but from there it all went wonderfully - I breastfed him until he was 2 years and 2.5 months old. So even if you do have some initial problems, it can still turn out wonderfully.

I have to admit I cried every day until we got him off the formula supplement and fully onto breastmilk (my body failing him and all that) and I thought many times about it being easier to give up, but I persevered and we made it.

And as you see from the above posts, most women don't have any problems.

 

[EleanoirRigby]

Thank you all so much! I'm feeling more calm about it and will definitely talk to my dr. about a birth plan that will allow the skin to skin contact

 

[mod19]

It's not going to be the most encouraging answer as I did have problems breastfeeding after my emcs. My milk didn't come until day 6 and my LO lost a lot of weight so I had to supplement him with formula until he was 4 weeks old. My supply was pretty low until 3 weeks PP, but from there it all went wonderfully - I breastfed him until he was 2 years and 2.5 months old. So even if you do have some initial problems, it can still turn out wonderfully.

I have to admit I cried every day until we got him off the formula supplement and fully onto breastmilk (my body failing him and all that) and I thought many times about it being easier to give up, but I persevered and we made it.

And as you see from the above posts, most women don't have any problems.

I'm in the same boat right now, and am hardly producing any milk, but giving her all I can, and I'm crying every time I feed her formula as well, which is often. Do you mind telling me how low your supply was? I'm looking for positive outcomes for this as I really want to bf. She's just always hungry after she cleans me out and I feel like such a failure, especially since she then will still take a full bottle.

 

[pokatobug]

I bf after an emergency c section...no problems other than I produced so much milk my poor dd was almost choking on it!
We still part time bf and she is 16 months old today.

 

[JenX]

I had an emergency c-section after two failed epidurals and a failed spinal block. They had to put me under general anesthesia finally and I woke up screaming in pain and couldn't do skin to skin right away. My husband did skin to skin with her and gave her her first feed with the help of the lactation consultant. But even with that rocky of a start, I managed to breastfeed her with no real issues, and we just passed the 2 year mark. So even if things don't go as planned it can still work out great.