Nervous about BF the first few days after birth

[wish4baby]

This is my 5th, all have been BF, so I feel confident we'll get it down eventually...
But, I have to have c-sections. Every time the stay in the hospital has been awful - regarding breast feeding. The nurses always insist on giving baby formula or glucose water, (because?) my milk takes a few days to come in - they say LO has "low blood sugar" which I think is nonsense, it seems like they just want to give the baby food. (I definitely am producing colostrum during this time, only it's a small amount)
My kids are typically big at birth - 8-9.5 lb, so it's not like they are in danger if they lose a bit... And it seems like baby cries the whole time because of hunger. I am so nervous about it, I dread going though those couple of days!
Is there anyway to make my milk come in sooner, like the same day? Should I pump and save whatever I get beforehand, so when they say baby needs formula, I can use what I pumped instead?

 

[missk1989]

I would hand express some colostrum now and freeze it. Dont pump as they are a few studies that say you can induce labour. Dont let the nurses make you feel bad you have probably got more experience than they have!

 

[Nicolalove353]

Can you tell the nurses that you don't want your baby to have formula? I don't know why people are so quick to formula when the mom is bf. A dr stuck a bottle in my baby's mouth when he was 4 days old because she said he wasn't getting enough milk and told me I needed to supplement. He is 3 1/2 months now and I am still struggling to get him off the bottle. I wish I stuck it out a bit longer before he got formula. He is my fist so I didn't know any better. This being your 5th, you know what to expect. Good luck!

 

[sue_88]

I would tell the nurses to back the hell off & let you feed your baby.

Feed feed feed will bring your milk in, formula & other stuff will only fill your baby up so they won't nurse, thus delaying the milk coming.

Be strong.

 

[wish4baby]

I have adamantly told them no formula or glucose water every time...They just force it by saying its medically necessary because of low blood sugar I find it hard to believe that all 4 of my kids, born healthy and with no issues ever, have all had low blood sugar a few hours after birth (I have never had GD or anything). More likely, nurse just didn't like hearing baby fuss because I don't have milk right away.
I think I will express as much as possible and freeze it to bring, in case they try to say that again, or if baby is not getting satisfied by what i am producing those first few days.
How long can frozen colostrum be stored in a regular freezer?

 

[summer rain]

Educate yourself on normal blood sugar levels for newborns and when they want to give the sugar water or formula insist a blood reading is done first, they will soon change their tune when they realise you know what you're talking about. I doubt they will even want to do the blood test and that will be that . Colostrum can keep for about three months in a regular freezer I believe xx

 

[calliebaby]

It takes between 2-4 days for most women to get milk in. Nurse frequently in the hospital....it's the only way to encourage it to come in quicker.

 

[RaspberryK]

Put it in writing that they do not have permission to do so.
Xx