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Original poster

Didnt manage to breastfeed during 'golden hour'

46 replies

kate288 · 07/12/2018 02:40

Hi, I have just given birth to a gorgeous baby girl and although I did have skin to skin straight after, this only lasted 20 mins as I had to be stitched up (and I think the midwives changeover also made them want to hurry to do the stitches). This meant my baby wasn't able to latch during this time.

This was only a few hours ago but I'm on the post natal ward and she's only had a few licks of colostrum that I hand expressed. Do you think she will have trouble latching now due to not having the full golden hour? I feel guilty about it! I think I was just so relieved labour was over that I wasn't fully thinking about her feeding!

OP posts:
Almostthere15 · 07/12/2018 02:46

I'm not a medical expert but didn't want to read and run. Following complications in labour one of our dc didn't get golden hour but went on to bf for 18 mths. So I can't see it's s problem but ask the midwives if you're worried.

Congratulations (and try and get some sleep!)

Purplepjs · 07/12/2018 02:54

It won’t be a problem. Neither of my children fed during that time. One had skin to skin but the other had to go straight to SCBU for around 6 hours. My eldest breastfed for 18 months and my 1 week old is currently up feeding! Babies can find it hard to latch in the beginning; there is lots to learn. And they can be sleepy from their birth. My advice would be to buzz for a midwife every time you feed and thy can help you get the latch right. Many congratulations! You will get there. Xx

Biancadelriosback · 07/12/2018 02:54

If it's any consolation, my DS was whisked off to SCBU straight away so I only had a few minutes of skin to skin before I passed out and he was taken away. I didn't see him until the next day by which time he'd already had his first feed (formula via tube). First time I got him on the boob was day 3. It wasn't ideal, and it was hard but we did it and he was breastfed for 11 months.

MintyT · 07/12/2018 02:55

Congratulations

Goodness me don't start fretting, or feeling guilty, relax, feel clever you have just given birth, it will be fine. And IF you cannot for some reason BF, in the whole scheme of things does it really matter. Don't feel guilty, feel proud of what you have just done

RollercoasterOfLove · 07/12/2018 03:01

Congratulations on your new baby.

FWIW, neither of mine had a golden hour. One had no skin to skin whatsoever and he fed to 14mo before self weaning. The other one had skin to skin, but I didn't attempt to latch her until day 6 when my milk was finally in. She had some colostrum via syringe and formula in hospital but then went exclusively to breastmilk and self weaned at 15mo.

It might seem really crucial right now, but it's really not. Promise. Enjoy the newborn snuggles!

Downeyhouse · 07/12/2018 03:03

Both my boys were in the NICU and with ds 2 it was 36 hours before I could hold him.
I ended up BF him
Until he age of 2.5.

Please do not worry about that first hour.

ViragoKnows · 07/12/2018 03:11

Congratulations!

Dont get hung up on the “golden hour”. It’s only a theory/ideal (and quite a recent one).

All you can do is keep trying and you’ve still got every chance of success. You’ve got nothing to feel guilty for either- you needed stitching.

7salmonswimming · 07/12/2018 03:16

Good god Shock What fresh hell is this golden hour?!

Lady, you’ve just given birth! You’ve just had body parts sewn together! Now is not the time to be fretting with guilt about your mothering failings!

Honestly, you will be fine. I didn’t see either of my babies for the first 24 hours, let alone skin to skin, let alone feeding. I breastfed them both for over 14 months each. Relax. You’ve got a looooooooong road ahead of you.

Congratulations btw!

Shelley54 · 07/12/2018 20:36

I mean this gently : perhaps too much reading? “Golden hour” is something most people have never heard of, and realistically it will only be a barrier in your head. Feeding newborns is stressful however you do it. Don’t let this make you feel even more stressed.

Congratulations on your baby and try to enjoy these very early days.

autumnboys · 07/12/2018 20:39

Congratulations on your new daughter!

Please don’t worry. None of my three managed to feed in the golden hour for different reasons and all went on to feed for at least a year.

Happy babymooning! Flowers

BareBelliedSneetch · 07/12/2018 20:39

I know how you feel. I was obsessed by the bloody golden hour. My DS was whisked away to nicu before I could hold him, and didn’t get a whiff of a boob until around day 5. And was then exclusively breastfed until 6 months, and carried in feeding until he was 3.

I was not in a healthy mental place for those first days, and the pressure of the “golden hour” did not help at all!

Ploppymoodypants · 07/12/2018 20:40

I have a 14 day old DD. Never heard of golden hour. She was born via c section so DH did skin to skin.
She is now breastfeeding like a champion though, so she clearly didn’t know about golden hour either. Relax and enjoy your lovely baby x

SoyDora · 07/12/2018 20:43

If it’s any consolation, I successfully BF two DC and am 37 weeks pregnant with my third and have never even heard of the ‘golden hour’! Is it a new ‘thing’?
My best friend is currently successfully BF-ing her 9 week old who was born 8 weeks early and was tube fed for the first 3 weeks of her life. I’m sure it will be fine.

IRememberSoIDo · 07/12/2018 20:44

Firstly congratulations! Enjoy your baby. I have never heard the term golden hour and fed babies for over five years. Don't fret, relax and take everything as it comes and ask for help as much as you need to.

HavelockVetinari · 07/12/2018 20:44

DS is 16 months old, I had an EMCS under GA so missed the hour by a mile, he's having a BF right now and refusing to go into his cot

Ooplesandbanoonoos · 07/12/2018 20:49

Never heard of the golden hour. I had DD about 9am didn't latch on until late afternoon and midwife helped me hand express colostrum that night. She is and always has been an excellent feeder.

mumsastudent · 07/12/2018 20:49

op I don't get it why couldn't you feed while being stitched??? while I didn't feed my first straight away (she had to be whisked to intensive care but colostrum is there for several days isn't it?& dc1 was than purely/successfully bf for 6months) at least I cant remember if she was - away with fairies at the time. with dc2 did have stitches & I was given dc2 twice to feed while dr stitched me up (boy did it take along time - reoccurrence from dc 1 birth I suppose)

Disfordarkchocolate · 07/12/2018 20:52

Congratulations on you new baby. Don't worry, I have had 4 babies without even mention of a golden hour or achieving it, all fed for a year. Don't stress.

Creatureofthenight · 07/12/2018 20:53

I’ve never heard of the golden hour either. Pretty sure DD didn’t feed during hers as it took a long time to close me up after c section! She was not keen on latching that evening but made up for it the next day!

Rogue1234 · 07/12/2018 20:57

We had the same, 20 mins skin to skin with no boob, then I was taken into surgery.

I didn't manage to get DS latched on properly for about 3 weeks (I was pumping and mix feeding), and didn't feel like we had really got the hang of feeding until he was 6 weeks. He was exclusively breast fed from 8 weeks, and is still breast feeding at 12 months.

Please don't beat yourself up over this. I cried so frequently over breast feeding in the early days and it all turned out absolutely fine.

Congratulations on becoming a mum Flowers

thomasthecheekyone · 07/12/2018 20:57

I gave my DD every chance to feed in the first few hours, but it was about 3 hours before she showed any interest. Still feeding at 9m.

My DS I was separated from for 5 hours post birth and he still matched fine and fed until 15m.

FinallyGotAnIPhone · 07/12/2018 20:57

I’ve never even heard of the golden hour. I had stitches after my first and I don’t remember her feeding. I wouldn’t worry. Both my kids I bf for six months.

reallyanotherone · 07/12/2018 21:03

I have never heard of a golden hour either and I succesfully fed two children for over a year.

My first i was recovering from a crash section and the m/w gave her formula while i was recovering. I fed her when she woke up about 6 hours later and we cracked on with feeding with no problems.

Second i can’t remember. Another section so it won’t have been within the hour as i react badly to the anaethetic so probably a couple of hours later. Again no issues.

Feed, feed, feed more. Every time they squeak, feed. The more you feed the easier it becomes.

MaderiaCycle · 07/12/2018 21:05

Ask for help before you go home. We didn’t and I really regret it.

user1493413286 · 07/12/2018 21:12

Please don’t worry. I had an emergency section under GA and my baby went to special care because i was only 32 weeks. I didn’t hand express colostrum until 29 hours after she was born and she was too little to breastfeed until she was about a week old; despite that she was a champion feeder and my supply quickly caught up (I pumped for a week+).
The fact that we didn’t have the golden hour made no difference to breastfeeding or bonding

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