BF after c-section?

Frequent Flier · May 2012

I'm probably going to have a scheduled c-section due to baby's breech position. I was worried at first, but now feeling ok with the whole thing. My only concern is breastfeeding. I heard that after a traumatic birth or a c-section milk might be slow to come in. Did any of you c-section moms have this problem? Did you supplement with formula? I bought Phillips Avent bottles and nipples, but only one level 1 (newborn) since I plan on not doing much pumping/bottle feeding the first month and then moving onto the level 2 nipples. Should I stock up on newborn nipples and bottles? How many do you have in your stash?

imimahoney · May 2012

Don't buy any new nipples/bottles yet. It's not recommended that you start pumping until week 3 or 4 of the baby's life and even after that my LC said that the baby could still use the newborn nipple because it is closest to the breast flow.

I would say that my milk officially came in 3 - 4 full days after my c-section but I nursed immediately following the section (like 20 minutes when I went to recovery) and nursed producing colostrum until my milk came in. My lo latched great and we never had any problems breast feeding.

Unless it is medically necessary do not supplement with formula- that will screw with your supply.

GL!

pepomntpat · May 2012

First of all, I had an unplanned c/s after 72 hours of labor. My milk came in on day 4 or 5. I am still BFing 18 months later. No problems.

Second, a BF baby should never use anything other than NB or stage 1 nipples. When BFing they need to work hard and should have to work just as hard with a bottle. They also should never need to take more than 4 ounces at a time where FF babies need to increase their milk intake over time. Using a faster nipple can lead to overfeeding. HTH!

harmonicbabe26 · May 2012

i would say it all depends on a person when milk comes in not on how you deliver. my friend and i both ended up with cs's/ she had a massive OVERsupply from the begining. i have a chronic low supply after trying all kinds of things. you will not know till after. but it doesnt hurt to get ready.

MichelleL1118 · May 2012

My milk came in about 4 days after my c/s with DS. I agree with pp who said to continue using level 1 nipples whenever you introduce the bottle - you want to keep the bottle "difficult" so baby doesn't start looking for the easy way out & refusing to nurse.

angiekay84 · May 2012

My milk came in 4 to 5 days after my c-section, but I had a chronic low supply from the beginning and had to suppliment in the hospital after DD lost 11% of her body weight in 30 hours. However, with pumping after feedings (this was recommended by my LC only because of my seriously low supply, normally you don't need to do this) and taking fenugreek, everything has now evened out and I make more than enough to exclusively feed DD BM. I pump exclusively, but that is because I have inverted nipples and nursing never got easier.

I would treat BF no different than if you had a vaginal delivery. BF as soon as you go into recovery and just keep at it. The best thing you can do is just like every new mom, just keep putting baby to the breast.

skio · May 2012

Don't psych yourself out. My milk came in on day four/five and I breastfeed DD for 14 months. She never had a drop of formula.

My advice, if you're interested in it, is to avoid supplementing and bottles at all cost. It's normal for babies to lose weight in the first couple days; DD lost 8 ounces and her pedi was okay with it. He said it wasn't a problem until she lost over 15% of her body weight. Nurse often in the hospital and hand-express your colostrum, too. Lots of stimulation is what will get your milk to come in. Introducing that baby to a bottle will make him/her want the breast less, which means less stimulation, which means your milk will take longer. It's a vicious cycle, so try not to start it. Just nurse, nurse, nurse! And remember that c/s or not, your body is meant to supply your baby with proper nutrition. Trust your body.

GL!

cltk12 · May 2012

I had a c-section and my milk came in before we left the hospital. Due to LO coming 3 weeks early and a tramatic delivery he had latch issues and we are using a nipple shield and I am pumping. For the first 2 days, I pumped and fed baby with a syringe so some people do start pumping right away. We had bought bottles and eneded up having to buy a pump on the way home from the hosptial and it came with bottles so we returned the bottles we had.

eav2c · May 2012

Basically what all the pp said. My milk came in early on the 3rd day after an unplanned csection. We never supplemented. I would wait to buy a whole lot if bottles/nipples til after you see what LO likes. Keep a positive outlook on BFing and you will do well.

jb2rn · June 2012

No issues with BF. I had a good LC as well, so she was in the hospital to make sure we had a good latch and he was nursing frequently. I had a sign on his crib that said "BF baby, no paci's or bottles" and they respected that.

We are still BF six months later, my goal is a year.

Will you be a SAHM? If so, I would wait to buy much in the bottle/nipple dept. I bought Dr.Brown's newborn feeding set, and then a friend gave me some bottles and I have wayyy too many. Ds has had three bottles in his whole life!

llizzyb · June 2012

I had a scheduled c/s, but then went into labor early-->so I guess I don't fall into the planned c/s category I had my section on a Monday and milk came in on Wednesday.

I ended up pumping and bottlefeeding BM on day four due to pain with latching, and it was fine. I know that doesn't work for every baby, but DS went back and forth between bottle and breast easily from day one. We're EBF and he gets a couple of bottles of BM a week from DH or grandmas.

I use the Avent bottles and level 1 nipples, although we recently went up to level 2 b/c DS was getting very frustrated with the newborn flow. I have a fast flow and letdown, so he's used to that.

pinkmoonlight · June 2012

With my two c/s I did not have any problems with my milk coming in. However I will say both times each of the kids go some amount of formula. DD got an entire bottle of formula because I had some complications due to the GA that I was under for the surgery and was not able to see her for 4-5 hours after birth. With DS he had some blood sugar issues and my milk had not come in yet (it took 3 days) so we had to give him 8mL of formula through a tube while nursing.

rubycitrine · June 2012

My C-section was on a Tuesday and my milk came in late Thursday night/Friday morning. I think what really helped is putting DS to the breast every 2-3 hours as soon as I began BFing in recovery. Think of it like your LO is putting in his/her milk order by consistent nursing the first few days postpartum.

I never needed to supplement with formula. At 6 months we're still going strong and I haven't had to supplement so far. I got close a few times because my pumping output at work couldn't keep up with DS's appetite and I had to nearly deplete my freezer stash.

I recommend only a couple of bottle to start; you don't want to introduce a bottle until BFing well-established anyway. For us, that was about 3-4 weeks. I still only have about 4 Dr. Browns that DS uses with the nanny a few days per week.

Aloe0l · June 2012

My milk came in on Day 3. But I also went into labor before my c-section. I think the labor hormones helped stimulate milk production vs. going "cold turkey" for a scheduled c-section. But, many women with scheduled c-sections have no issues BFing.

ETA to add that you shouldn't need bottles really at all in the beginning. And, when you are ready to leave your LO, you should always use the slowest flow nipple they will tolerate. DD used slow flow until about 6-7mo, when we switched to medium flow. And that was only because I have overactive letdown/over supply, so the medium nipple matched my breast flow better than the slow flow nipples did.

JenJH923 · June 2012

I wouldn't stock up on bottles just yet. Have a few handy just in case, but I would say only 1 or 2. I had a 3 day long induction with IV fluid that whole time. I had terrible fluid retention after my c-section because of that and my milk didn't come in until about 7 days later. I had to supplement Charlie because he was jaundiced and I was only pumping 2-3 mL's per feeding. My situation is not typical and with a scheduled c-section you won't require all the fluid I got.

stemms8810 · June 2012

My milk was not slow to come in. Nurse your baby often and you probably won't have problems with your milk coming in on time. There is no reason to supplement with formula unless the pedi or LC believes there may be an issue to do so.

I agree with others, you will only need level 1 nipples. Also, when you buy bottles, BF babies typically don't drink as much as FF babies so you won't need the bigger bottles for your pumped milk. Right now I have about close to 10 bottles but that is too many. I will use them more when my LO goes to daycare at 8 weeks.

HotChocolate79 · June 2012

My milk didn't come in until day 7/8 and even now my supply leaves a lot to be desired. I haven't given up yet, but unfortunately I am not optimistic about BF working out for us and I do have to supplement because he lost too much weight, and he was small to begin with.

JG362009 · June 2012

Never had this problem. I just had my 2nd baby via c-section and got to nurse her immediately in the recovery room -- she was in my recovery room before I was. It's only been 4 days but she's been an awesome breastfeeder. My milk came in yesterday (day 3) but even before that I was able to pump about 10 ml of colostrum and she never seemed to need anything else and hasn't had a drop of formula. My first was also a c-section and he never had any formula.

bridein08 · June 2012

I heard this too, and it was really my only main concern with my schedule cs. Ds nursed like a champ in recovery and my milk came in on day 2- he is now 6 months and we have had no trouble whatsoever with breastfeeding. Make sure you ask for help in the hospital or early on if you need it!

elizb137 · June 2012

As the opposite end of the replies here, I've had 2 c sections and nothing but trouble w/ BF. I tried but they'd lose weight, and we'd supplement more, which isnt' a big deal to me. What the big deal was I was only producing like a quarter ounce every two pumping sessions. I just never made enough, and I didn't want to be tied to a pump all day to try and increase my supply, so we quickly ended up going to formula exclusively.
That does not mean I wont' be trying again w/ #3 though! I think the csection hasn't much to do with it necessarily, it's obvious from the replies here that everyone's milk comes in at such a varying rate! At the hospital, request the lactation consultant come in at least once a day to check latch, etc. and consider renting a hospital grade pump.

As far as bottles, just keep what you have and dont' worry yet. Also, every bottle nipple is different...Dr. Brown's were a lot faster than Playtex, for example (I had both and tested lol) so just stick w/ one if you can.