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Was breastfeeding difficult after a C-Section?

  1. #1
    louisouis is offline Registered User
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    Was breastfeeding difficult after a C-Section?

    I am planning to have an elective c-section in March and will like to breastfeed my baby. Will be greatful if you can share your experiences with me.

    Will the C-section affect the milk supply?
    Was it physically difficult to breastfeed after the c-section?
    Should I give the baby formulae in conjunction with breastmilk?
    Are there anything that I should be aware of when breastfeeding after a c-section?


  2. #2
    samali is offline Registered User
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    i have an emergency c sec and i wanted to BF my baby.i would say it physically very difficult to bf in first week.and if baby started to be fed by bottle its hard to do bf again but best of luck keep your spirits high...


  3. #3
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    carang is offline Registered User
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    first i had an emergency c-section...i ended up doing 50-50 bf and bottle. the nurses made me feel like i couldnt' do it myself.

    second i had an elective c-section... i bf EXCLUSIVELY for the first 6 months(except for 2 formula feeds at the hospital). my girl DOUBLED her birthweight by 2 months. she was only 2.47 kgs to start with, so that was very fast.

    if you just have the confidence you can do it. i didn't find it difficult at all.

    you do realise that your milk doesn't "come in" until around day 4 or so after birth. up until that point, you only produce colostrum. this is VERY beneficial for the baby, but you only produce VERY small amounts. this is NORMAL!

    i suggest that you contact La Leche League. they will be able to answer all of your questions. You can even ask them if it is possible for someone to come to visit you in the hospital after the birth to give you a hand if you are not feeling too confident yourself.

    good luck!


  4. #4
    peainpod is offline Registered User
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    Hi Louisouis,

    Where are you giving birth? I'm also due in March and it's my first so I'm nervous about bf as well (I hope to bf as long as I can). I'm delivering at Matilda and both my sister and my cousin (they also delivered there) tells me that the nurses there are very supportive of bf and are a great source of info and help. Also they have a lactation consultant there so if you have milk production problems, you also have access to expert advice right away.


  5. #5
    louisouis is offline Registered User
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    many thanks for your insights!

    Peainthepod, I will be delivering at Canossa.


  6. #6
    LLL_Sarah is offline Registered User
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    This seems a good post to advertise the LLL-HK Breastfeeding Class. Details of what the class covers are at http://www.lllhk.org/Class.html. The next organized group class is Monday January 7th 6:30pm to 9:30 pm at Annerley Midwives, Unit 1801, Car Po Commercial Building, 18-20 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, HK. Call 2548-7636 or [email protected]

    There is no reason that a mother with a caesarean can’t breastfeed. She may find it hard to move about and need help positioning the baby but really there isn’t that much moving involved in breastfeeding.

    The milk supply being established and maintained is all about the baby breastfeeding effectively and often. A newborn will feed between 8 and 14 times every 24 hours. The type of birth you have has no effect on your milk supply but it may have an effect on how easy the baby finds breastfeeding.

    The biggest problem in Hong Kong tends to be the hospital policies. There is at least one hospital that says all breastfeeding must be done in a special breastfeeding room. Obviously if you’ve had a caesarean you are unlikely to be able to feed your baby for the first 24 hours. In this case it isn’t the fact you’ve had a caesarean that will give you breastfeeding problems but rather the hospital policies. Please ask lots of questions about rooming-in (where the baby is kept with you), access to the baby and whether they will bring you the baby to feed when the baby is ready or on a timetable. Often the timetable is every four hours – this isn’t enough – it makes only 6 feeds every 24 hours not between 8 and 14.

    Best wishes,
    SARAH


  7. #7
    LLL_Sarah is offline Registered User
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    Sorry I didn’t answer your question

    Should I give the baby formula in conjunction with breast milk?

    The quickest way to get problems with breastfeeding is to try to do both breastfeeding and bottle feeding at the same time.

    The baby needs to have between 8 and 14 feeds in 24 hours and the mother’s body needs the baby to feed between 8 and 14 times in 24 hours.

    If the mother’s body doesn’t get the stimulation from the baby then there will be lots of problems with breastfeeding, the milk will “come-in” late and when the milk does increase it will increase to a full supply minus the amount of formula being given.

    The first four to six weeks of breastfeeding are very important. It is best not to give any bottles (of formula or breast milk) in this time but to feed the baby directly.

    If the baby is having difficulty feeding directly or you have sore nipples – GET HELP.

    Best wishes,
    SARAH


  8. #8
    kashismum is offline Registered User
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    Just want to add to what Sarah has said - my personal experience of bf after 2 c-sections.
    On both occasions, a delay of 40-60 minutes occured after birth before I could attempt breastfeeding. This is not advisable but not fatal. My first took 3 attempts and my second just one.
    I do remember feeling discomfort as the nurses tried to get me to position the baby correctly. You can ask that they show you how to bf lying down so that you won't be worrying about rupturing your scar, etc.
    Other than that, I presume all the 'normal' issues associated with bf come into play and are not necessarily connected with the mode of delivery.
    If you have a choice, try for a natural/normal birth - drugs and delay can sometimes present challenges. Why make it more difficult than it need be?


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