Establishing breastfeeding after elective section

[thosethreewords]

This is my first baby, and she's breech. Still some time to turn but I'm booked in for an elective section in a few weeks.
Although this wasn't at all the sort of birth I would have chosen, I have made my peace with it if this is what it comes to.
Theoretically I know there can be some issues with breastfeeding post caesarean, especially with elective surgery.
Positive stories very welcome!

I had an elective section with my first baby for the same reason as you. It was a wonderful experience because the main benefit is that you go into new motherhood without being exhausted from labour! So I could actually focus immediately on the breastfeeding and found it relatively easy to establish. My advice would be to get support early from a lactation consultant or La Leche League if you're finding it difficult as good positioning and attachment makes all the difference. They are still offering zoom meetings / consultations even if lockdown is still in place. And read the book: what to expect when you're breastfeeding and what to do if you can't. It really helped me. Loads of practical advice. Prioritise feeding after delivery, keep baby close / skin to skin / offer the breast very frequently. The best advice I was given for a newborn was: don't look for feeding queues, assume they are hungry! ELCS should not have any negative impact on your ability to breastfeed. You might find it more comfortable on your abdomen to use different positions to the traditional "cradle" hold, for example laid back breastfeeding or rugby ball hold. I loved laid back breastfeeding and used it for the first few months! Really helped with my recovery. Good luck!

I had a section for the exact same reason with my first. No problem establishing breastfeeding at all. Just put baby to breast as early and often as possible, and ensure your pain is being managed so that you’re not too uncomfortable or tired to nurse.

I had an ermergency c section and am still breastfeeding five months later. At hospital I did initially find it difficult to express the colostrum and with hindsight wish I had practised this before, and collected some. Staff were great at helping and when I was worried baby wasn’t getting enough, they provided formula and a straw so I fed her with the straw taped to a finger as this was more like breastfeeding. It’s helpful that your c section is planned as you won’t be tired from labour and can focus on skin to skin. It can be difficult to hold the baby for breastfeeding initially, at hospital I fed lying down or used the rugby hold. At a breastfeeding support group I tried a my brest friend pillow which has been brilliant. They are expensive but often available second hand and you can wash the cover or buy a new one. Last thing I’d say is I found breastfeeding is a difficult skill to learn but it does get easier!

Keep putting baby to breast very frequently. Every 2-3h at least. The boobs need the baby to stimulate milk production. You have colostrum at first which is tiny amounts because baby's tummy is tiny, the size of a Malteaser. Then your milk comes in 2-3 days later.

That's where you might need support, should milk take longer to come in. You may have to give a little formula but also keep putting baby to breast frequently which is going to be a challenge because no doubt you will be tired and in recovery.

Also the night feeds are very important for establishing supply. It's to do with hormone levels.

What I'm getting at is don't end up replacing a boob session with a bottle. Yes supplement but keep putting baby to breast just as frequently.

Also stock up on lasinoh and use after every feed.

Good luck!

Second a bf pillow.

Also can learn to feed lying down once milk comes in. Game changer!

My positive story is simply that my elective c section was a lovely experience and there were no issues at all with breastfeeding!

To begin with, I used to roll sideways to get up into a sitting position rather than do a 'sit up' in the usual way while I healed. That's it!

I had a csection 8 weeks ago- was supposed to be planned but went into labour early so was done as a semi emergency..... no problems breastfeeding, baby has latched on whilst in recovery. The midwives are usually very good as support with this and can show you different positions to feed in if your scar is uncomfortable.

They literally placed the baby in position for me (I was hooked up to a lot of wires)

The midwife watched baby latch and then they kept coming back to check on me.

I was so numb I didn't feel any pain or discomfort when initialising bf but when I got home it was SO uncomfortable, painful and really generally not great.

A body pillow was amazing, I put it above the scar and positioned the baby across it so there wasn't added pressure on my stomach. Helped a lot!

I found breastfeeding difficult after a non planned section as my babies were in incubators so I had to express for them. The advice was to pump a minimum of 8 times per 24hrs and at least twice in the night as that is when you produce more as someone mentioned up thread. The key is just doing it a lot especially in the early stages. All the best.

My positive story - baby delivered early by semi-emergency section (but I didn't labour at all) and although baby needed help learning to latch etc and was syringe fed for a bit I absolutely poured milk (sorry if TMI!) pretty much from the first contact with him even though I really didn't think my body was ready. Established latch/breastfeeding with help of midwives on day 2 or 3 I think and went strong for over a year. He was literally yanked out of me 6 weeks early and it was still ok. Good luck and congratulations!

Thank you so much everyone 💐 I feel much better now and will get looking at those positions and the book recommended

I didn't have a c-section but did have a complicated labour that entailed some similar things like a spinal block, blood loss, a lot of fluids.

I had delayed onset of lactation, and I understand that this can happen with c-section. For the first few days I was producing nothing and thought I would never bf. But lots of skin to skin, trying to express and having baby permenantly attached meant we got there.

Good luck to you, I hope everything is very straightforward, but even if it isn't don't panic if bf isn't easy to begin with.

I had a semi elective/emergency section at 34 weeks with 48h notice.

Baby couldn't suck initially so i used a pump for the first few days to get my milk in. It was one of the hospital ones and OMG they're amazing! I think you can hire them. Hopefully you won't need a pump if your baby is term but if one is needed hire a big one if you can.

Good luck!!

I was booked in for a planned section but ended having an emergency section instead.

Baby was 6 weeks early so was worried about establishing breastfeeding too. However it's all gone well and we're three weeks in so far. Straight after the op the midwives helped me express colostrum into the syringes which I continued to do myself until day 3 when my milk came in. My baby is on SCBU so we're unable to do every feed from from the breast yet, but I've been expressing routinely every 3-4 hours and that is given to baby via tube/bottle. It's been tough going but really glad as I seem to have a good supply!

Basically in my experience, the section didn't inhibit my milk supply, even with a preemie. Hope this gives you some reassurance :)

Do your best and have an open mind.

Emergency section and elective section here, breast fed absolutely fine.
Established quickly with no real issues with both.
Extended breast fed both too.