Forceps delivery affecting breast feeding?

[EveryLittleBreeze]

My friend's baby was delivered by forceps on Saturday and is still showing little sign of wanting to BF. She asked me for help as I'm still BF DS 2.5 but as he was a born breast feeding expert I don't know how to help her.

As ever health professionals worse than useless. Bl**dy hospital wanted her to give baby formula without even suggesting she express (after almost discharging her without checking baby was feeding ok...)

Is it possible forceps have anything to do with baby's reluctance and how long is this likely to go on for before it improves?

Oh sounds like a sad one if she's not had proper help from the fuckers Hprofs since Saturday. Makes me mad...

Get on the phone on her behalf to NCT or BFN tomorrow, I'd suggest.

I don't really know TBH but I've heard some babies do take a while to get started and then do really well. The BF counsellors will be able to advise specifically but in meantime, skin to skin contact is a good thing...

DS was a traumatic forceps delivery. His face was quite badly bruised. When he had trouble latching and BF I put it down to this (pain from the bruises) so let him take it easy. Needless to say, a few weeks later I was exclusively FF. I wish I'd had more support, although I still think i was responding to his situation and doing the gentlest thing. Good luck to your friend. The NCT BF line is 0870 444 8708.

I have no idea about it having an impact (although DS was ventouse and didn't latch for a week), but with regards to the BFing (I had the same problem, hospital just gave DS formula despite my pleads to express, other times I hand expressed onto a sterile spoon in hospital) I expressed I think about 30ml at first (whatever would come out really) and gave it to him via the bottle (first night was spoon but that got hard to do!), the next day and every feed thereafter I tried him at the breast first, sometimes he would sort of suckle, then give the bottle. Eventually I trusted that he was getting enough just via breast (very hard at first as you can't see, you just have to judge it as best you can). Within a week the bottle was gone completely. I think he just needed to learn, and alos possibly build up his strength abit to be able to feed properly. At the end of the day, as the MW told me, as long as you are getting the milk in anyhow, it's doing the good. I hope that makes sense, little bit tired

BTW, he BF like a trooper for 10 months (only stopped because his teeth came through and he bit and tugged like mad).

I hope she can get some help from a decent BFC soon.

Lots of women I know have had great success with cranial osteopathy. If the baby's neck is sore or stiff after the delivery this might just help.

All I can suggest in the meantime is lots and lots of skin to skin contact and foir her to take to her bed with baby and just shut out the world and have a babymoon

have you seen the breastcrawl video? I think it's on hunker's blog

I had a forceps delivery and DD had no problem latching - had no idea this could affect it actually.

la leche league were absolutely brilliant when i got mastitis though, so i would really recommend that your friend contacts them.

My lo was born with forceps and his head was a right mess (was in loads of pain and wouldn't sleep on back etc) I took him to a crainial osteopath when he was 3 days old and she worked wonders with him - I would take him every other week and after a couple of months he was right a rain!!!!

Might be worth a go

I took DS to cranial osteopath for same problems - all she did was help him poo

By the way - my lo bf for 3 months with no probs.

Hi Daisy!!

How's your friend and her baby doing today?

Not an expert, but had a forceps delivery like DKMA and Cristina. The reason DS1 was not feeding on day 1 was because he was very sleepy with jaundice. Hopefully your friend's midwife would have ruled this out.

After this was treated, he was still in a lot of pain, couldn't lie comfortably, bruising to his head and face. He was much more comfortable lying on a pillow and fed well in this position.

Just wanted to add a good link to this post if anyone does a search regarding the effects of forceps delivery on babies as it can effect their latch and how they feel in the first week. Lots of kind advice above.

www.babycentre.co.uk/a1024507/recovering-from-an-assisted-birth