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May 2011 Moms
JNBrickey
member
breastfeeding right after delivery
JNBrickey
member
A question to second time moms, or anyone who is thinking about breastfeeding their first baby too. . .
I was told by a family friend that I should try to BF as immediately after birth as possible in order for the best results. She said she was able to do this with her son and had much better results than with her daughter, who she was not able to BF until several hours after delivery. She said the best thing to do would be try to BF before DH and I let anyone come in and see the baby after delivery, while it's still just us. Anyone planning to go this way? Anyone already go this way, or not?
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Re: breastfeeding right after delivery
I didnt do it "right" after birth, everyone came in and saw her first and then after everyone left (which wasnt too long after since it was late at night) I fed her. So maybe within an hour or two I was able to feed her and she had NO problems latching on, probably because itd been almost 24 hours since I ate and she was hungry too!!
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There are studies that show you get the best results when you breastfeed immediately after delivery. That being said, most hospitals take baby to the nursery within two hours after delivery to do all the necessary admission stuff (some hospitals do it all in the room), so it is important to get that first feeding in before all of that. I also think it is great when the parents spend the first half hour or so with just them and the baby, then the start letting other people in, but its your own preference. Do realize that the first feeding can take 60-90 minutes before your baby figures out what to do and start feeding well (some are much much quicker, but this is just a guidline on the long end), then the actual feeding should be at the very least 10 minutes but up to 40 minutes.
Married 6/6/09
DS 5/11/11
DD 9/13/13
i tried to BF before anyone came in to see him. didnt make it any easier down the road.
and BFing totally hurts
lol.
I plan to do it before guests and DH can go announce what we had. I'm figuring it as I may be tired & still in the 'gah' stage of just pushing a kid out. So I'm hoping I won't feel to pain of the first time
But this could also be niave wishing, and I'd prefer everyone let me continue to think that 
it is true in that the sooner you get them on the boob the better. However, it isn't always immediate and that's okay.
I had a c-section and DS had to be examined in the NICU so by the time he was put on the breast was probably about an hour after delivery (family saw him during this time too). He didn't really latch on and he was tired and fell asleep. We both took naps and then woke up and he latched on. I didn't have any problems with breastfeeding but that was also because I asked the nurses for help and used every resource available to me (they had a lactation consultant at the hospital).
aCg 3.1.07 | hCr 5.5.11
Both boys were c/s and breastfeed. With my first I delivered at a crummy hospital that took him after I delivered and bathed him and did all kinds of tests and stuff. I was not able to see him until I got back to my room. I still nursed but it did take him about 45 mins to figure outwhat to do and latch on.
With my 2nd I was at an amazing hospital and Ryan never left myside. I delivered him, they wrapped him in a blanket and handed him to DH. Dh held him while they closed me up and then placed Ryan on my chest and wheeled the two of us to our room and I started to nurse when we got there. It was only maybe 30 mins.
Speaking of nursing right away and seeing other ppl and what-not. You all should ask about the hospital policies on bathing the baby. Like I said with my first they bathed him right away with Ryan they didn?t and let me give him a sponge bath later in the day. I really don?t think a bath right away is necessary and its more time away from mom.
I don't remember when I did with DD, but it was soon after birth and before visitors. She did not go to a nursery. I also had her put right on my chest after she was born before they cleaned her up as I heard that helps them calm down as they know their mom's scent. I will do it again.
Let the nurses help you and ask to see a lactation consultant right away.
It was probably an hour or so before I fed DD. She laid on my chest so peacefully after she was born for about a half hour while the Dr. sewed my episiotome and delivered the placenta. Then she went and got washed and measured and all of that. They do all of it right in the room at our hospital. DH held her right after that and then I think I nursed her. We had no problems and I breast fed her for 16 months.
It may be preferable to feed right away, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. I honestly don't think that feeding within a certain amount of time will make or break a breastfeeding experience. It is hard work for you and your baby and sometimes it just doesn't work out. Try to take it easy on yourself and your baby, do what you can and let what will be, be. Being stressed out about the amount of time between birth and feeding probably won't help at all.
Thank you to everyone! That's a lot of valuable information. Our hospital does offer a lactation consultant, and even a breastfeeding class you can take before delivery. That might be worth checking into.
I know at our hospital they don't whisk the baby out immediately after delivery. We toured once already and they made a big huge deal about how mother/baby bonding was a big thing there, they don't even have a nursery, the baby should be with mom at all times, mom bathes baby herself. . . so getting to breastfeed almost immediately shouldn't be a problem at all.
Thanks again, everyone.
We tried right after birth, but I really don't remember how it went. I can't even remember if he latched on. I was so exhausted (36 hours of med-free labor) and they gave me something for pain after I delivered because they had to give me pitocin to stop my bleeding so I was kind of out of it too.
I definitely plan to try right away with #2 and hopefully it will be smoother sailing since I know what I'm doing this time.
I wasn't able to BF right away due to prematurity. I did pump within the hour though.
This time I hope to BF right away.
I had a c-section and I tried to BF right after he was born (in the recovery room!!!) and it seemed like he got the hang of it, but once I got home and my boobs got way bigger, he was not having it AT ALL!! I pumped for 3 months, and finally just stopped because it was exhausting (when I wasn't pumping, I was feeding.. and just a horrible circle of pumping and feeding..NO SLEEP!!)
This time around, I am going to pump right after birth so I can give him the bottle of colostrum, then hopefully the pumping will trigger my milk to come in faster so the baby can get used to the big boob in the face.. we shall see!
Good luck on BF-ing tho.. it hurts, and it is NOT easy
but totally worth the struggle if you can get the baby to latch on correctly and do it!
This is what I am planning to do. Hopefully it will all work out. We will have visitors at the hospital right away but BFing is more important so I plan to let them come in for a quick hello and then will kick them back out to the waiting room so I can try a feeding right away.
DD was just a few minutes old when we gave it our first attempt. The first few nights were really rough, and she needed some formula to get her through. She got so angry and hungry that it was impossible to nurse her, she just didn't get it!
I will do the same this time, and will probably take more time to myself and DH to give me more time to nurse the baby and get a good first round! Which will hopefully make our first night together much better!
Right after delivery, I was being sewn back up.... and I DIDN'T have a c/s
He was born at 12:21am, and we BF probably around 1 am. It wasn't immediate, but it was before the nursery. He latched like a pro, and was the only time he ever did.
While it's great for bonding, by no means would I consider it a guarantee to BFing success.