C section and breastfeeding

Barker2+1 · October 2015

I just scheduled my c section today due to baby girl wing breech. I was talking to my Sil who then informed me that I needed to buy formula because my milk won't come in since I am not having her vaginally. I breastfed both my boys and really want to nurse this time too. This sounds wrong to me but is she right? She also said that it is harder to nurse and that I should just bottle feed. Anybody have any advice about nursing and any differences I will see because of having a c section?

blended10 · October 2015

No no no no no - sorry no! Sil is way off!!
I had a c-section with my son, my milk came in just fine & we exclusively breast fed no problem until I decided to stop - well past 6 months.
If you bf before you can most certainly do it again. Do plan on a pillow or something for support (boppy, whatever) but other than that - enjoy

tracij12 · October 2015

Oh wow....Tell your SIL that she is WRONG!! I hate when people spread things that are so wrong particularly when it positions c-sections as something that negatively affects things. I have had 2 c-sections and both times was immediately producing a ton of colostrum and my milk came in with no issues. Like pp, I exclusively breastfed with DD1 until I decided to stop at 6 months.

vette_99 · October 2015

This is so not true! I've had 3 c-sections. I breastfed my first until about 14 months, the second for 22 months, and am still nursing the third baby who is 11 months. Please don't listen to her! Congratulations and good luck!

harmonicbabe26 · October 2015

Totally NOT true! I had 2 csections due to 2 breech babies and BOTH times my milk came in 2 days post op! All you have to do is nurse your baby so they can stimulate it and you will be fine. Also, the second time around it came in a lot stronger and more abundant. Nature's way I guess. Since this is your third baby you should have a similar experience.

jessiedee13 · October 2015

As the other ladies have said, this is not true. I chose to bottle feed from the start, even before my emergency c section that was my plan. With my first I leaked full on milk for 3 months and my second for 1 month. I'm planning to bf this time around because formula is expensive and I'm tired of buying it. I have complete faith that it will work out fine. Some women it takes a little longer for their milk to come in with a c section but make it very clear at the hospital that you are breastfeeding and everything should be more than fine

SLGILL1978 · October 2015

Not true at all!! I would let your OB and the nurses know that you want to breast feed. I had my daughter and was nursing within 45 mins of her delivery. She is a toddler now, and I still have milk. Pumping? I couldn't pump to save my life.

Barker2+1 · October 2015

Thanks ladies! I feel much better now I thought she was wrong.

JAP09-02 · October 2015

I've also BF'd three c-section babies. All my challenges had nothing to do with my delivery method.

ETA: I was nursing my third on the operating table while they stitched me up.

BabyMaximus2015 · October 2015

Uhhhh, this was my first baby and I had a csection. My milk came in within a couple days and I was nursing the day he was born.

junebaby20 · October 2015

5 weeks pp and breastfeeding going strong. Milk came in before I left the hospital. Your sister is way off.

KW12 · October 2015

Had a csection with my first son and breastfed for 22 months. Just had my second son yesterday morning and breastfeeding is going great

randa923 · November 2015

She needs to educate herself before she goes around spreading lies like that! With all the c-sections done now a days could you imagine if those women weren't able to breastfeed? Ugh. My milk took a little longer to come in, but it did. We had issues, but they were not related to my emergency c-section-they were related to jaundice (which is common with breastfed babies) and tongue tie. Just feed that baby all of the time to help your milk come in. Hang out topless with a baby on your boob for the next 6 weeks (and then you'll hit another growth spurt and hang out with a baby on your boob some more) lol

lazevedo1 · November 2015

All these ladies are correct. Please don't listen to this person that gave you this bad advise. First of all, your first milk will be the colostrum which babies can live off of and is all they need for the first week. Their stomachs are so tiny at birth the colostrum gives them all the nutrients they need. Even if your milk comes in late that's okay. Just keep breastfeeding and that will help your milk produce. And the best thing is to breastfeed within the hour your baby is born. Talk to your doctor or take a breastfeeding class.

Disneygeek77 · November 2015

Exactly, please don't listen to her. I have had 4 c sections and I have spent 4 years of life breastfeeding and hope to make it to 5.

shorty91 · November 2015

I just had a c-section on Monday and my milk had come in just fine. Part of that could be because this is my second child but I think it's mostly because I didn't give up trying to breastfeed. I did find uncomfortable when nursing and my uterus would contract but don't let that deter you

TerraMae80 · June 2016

Afternoon Ladies! Can I bump this post up? I am on another board for Pregnancy after IF and I am having a planned C-section. I also plan on breastfeeding. My first son was born emergency C-Section and I was doped up on Mag and Two epis so the breast feeding didn't happen the first time around. I was scared and stressed. This time I really really want to make it happen. Can you all give me some tips?

With my first I tried to get him on the boob and he'd scream. I even tried a shield and nothing. He'd latch for a bit but let go and scream. I didn't pump as often as I should have, it seems like my milk didn't come in well enough, although I did leak.

I am SO new at this that I don't even know where to start. My SIL told me to bottle feed the first two weeks and pump while I'm doing that and then introduce breastfeeding. My mom says to BF right away. Will the baby get enough to eat without a bottle? Do you even introduce a bottle while at the hospital?

SmallyMcSmall · June 2016

@TerraMae80 as you might have read in the posts above, having a c section doesn't have any bearing on your ability to breast feed (although having baby basically laying on your incision can be uncomfortable). That being said, it still has its challenges and it is a learning experience for both you and your baby. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't go smoothly from the start!

My son (my first child) was born via c section in March and we are still going strong with breast feeding with no signs of stopping. However, when we were still in the hospital, when he was very hungry he would have issues latching because he was so upset, and would have the same issue you described with the whole "latch and unlatch" fiasco. At one point I requested for a nurse to come in and help us figure out why he wasn't latching, and one thing she did was show me is that you have to be a bit more firmer than you might think with putting baby to the breast (for lack of better phrasing-and this is gonna sound a lot worse than it was- but you kind of have to mash the breast into baby's mouth)

As for wondering if your baby is going to be getting enough milk, remember that newborn baby's stomach is very very small, and won't need a whole lot to fill it, and colostrum is very nutrient rich.

When it comes to your moms or SILs advice, I'd listen to your mother. Nothing can stimulate milk production better than baby itself! There are plenty of other things you can also do to encourage your body to get the milk supply going. The easiest is skin on skin contact with your LO. I did this for 95% of my LOs feeds in the hospital and additionally, it helped him calm down a bit too so it was easier to get him to latch when he was frantically hungry and mad about it.

Another small an probably unnecessary tidbit, the hospital is going to make you do this anyway, but drink as much water as you can, obviously keeping well hydrated will also help amp up your supply.

Best of luck, and don't forget the breastfeeding board on here on the bump has enough traffic on it with wonderful ladies who give great advice!

ETA: because words are hard

TerraMae80 · June 2016

@SmallyMcSmall THANK YOU SO MUCH! After I posted this I did browse around the BF thread as well. Also went as far as looking up the LLLI.org site and have been reading a lot more on BF and I'm feeling a bit less stressed. I think my first experience ruined it for me, I was expecting to just put the boob in the mouth and be good. HA!

When the LC came in to help and started, as you said, mashing my son's face to the boob and he'd scream is when I lost it. I think it was all so new to me that I was just overwhelmed. I'm not going to give up this time, and I really do appreciate you taking the time to give me a little advise.

Congratulations as well on the new baby!!!

SmallyMcSmall · June 2016

@TerraMae80 you're welcome and thank you as well!

Another incredible resource for breastfeeding that I forgot to mention before is kellymom.com. It's has lots of information available all in one place.

TerraMae80 · June 2016

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mrs. Mo · August 2016

Since when are your boobs connected to your vag ?!?!?!? When I had my 1st c/s, my milk came in almost right away !

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