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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

having a c section at 39 weeks - will my milk come through?

41 replies

ruty · 23/04/2008 08:34

On recommendation of consultant because of my funny pelvis and emergency c section last time finally decided to go for elective, booked for 39 weeks [fairly soon!] I mentioned the worry of whether my milk will come through, and she said it may be difficult and baby might need 'top ups' at first. This worried me as I don't really want to do that. Is there anything I can do to get my milk to come through? will I be able to avoid supplementary feeding? Bit concerned. I breast fed ds till he was well into toddlerhood but stopped in early pregnancy, so guess that doesn't help.

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littlepinkpixie · 23/04/2008 08:37

I had a section at 39 weeks too, I didnt notice any problems at all with the milk, it came through at day 3 or 4, and i never needed to give formula. I've also had a "normal delivery" and I didnt notice any difference between the 2 in terms of how long it took for the milk to appear.
Good Luck!

CorrieDale · 23/04/2008 08:41

Yes. Absolutely nothing to worry about there. I didn't even notice the milk coming in and was still fretting about it on day 5. A helpful MW suggested I check for myself, so I gave a squeeze and nearly got her in the eye with a milk jet.

FFS! What is it with consultants? Why can't they just say 'erm, I don't know', instead of worrying people unnecessarily?????

StarlightMcKenzie · 23/04/2008 08:43

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Original poster
ruty · 23/04/2008 09:24

ooh thanks for these replies, very reassuring. So pinkpixie, if your milk came through after 3 days that was alright, the baby wasn't too hungry?
I'll try and get baby to breast ASAP starlight mackenzie, not sure if they'll let me on the op table, but will do it as soon as on ward. Thankyou.

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kittywise · 23/04/2008 09:35

Oh God another "expert" talking shite

Of course you milk will come in. Women feed very prem babies their own milk don't they!!!!!!!

StarlightMcKenzie · 23/04/2008 09:44

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terramum · 23/04/2008 09:47

ruty - he is talking crap ...your breasts will already have been making colostrum in small quantities ready to feed the baby when it's born and when the placenta comes away after birth (whatever the method of delivery) this sends a signal for the production of colostrum to be increased.

See this page on the excellent kellymom site for more info:
www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html

ProfYaffle · 23/04/2008 09:49

I've had 2 c/s, both times bf for a year with no problems and no top ups. No-one (hcps or anyone at the nct) mentioned there could be a problem with milk supply post c/s.

Don't worry, you're an experienced bfer, you know how it works with the demand/supply aspect, you've done it before you'll do it again

MarsLady · 23/04/2008 09:50

Yes!

Jackstini · 23/04/2008 09:51

Ruty - you can ask for skin to skin/baby to be put to breast whilst you are being stitched up. Not all docs will agree to it but many will.
Also milk can start leaking before baby is born or 'come in' up to 6 days after, (everyone is different) but you will still have colostrum which is ample for newborn. Feed as much as possible and you should be fine. Good luck

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 23/04/2008 09:52

Your milk may take a day or two longer to come in, but that is because of the csection (your body doesn't go through the 'I've just had a baby' process like it does in labour) not because you will be 39 weeks.

As others have said, you'll still have colostrum, which is all your lo will need for the first few days.

Put your lo to the breast as much as possible and you'll both do fine xx

Monkeybird · 23/04/2008 09:54

Just stick that baby on as soon as you can and you'll be fine. Your body will probably 'remember' BF anyway.

The first couple of days may be a sucking frenzy but this is only the baby building up the supply as they need to - it is what is supposed to happen, not an indication of a problem. Unfortunately not all health professionals understand this.

My last (of 3) c-sections, I asked for the baby to be handed to me in the operating room where I (with help) tucked him in next to my breast. I had milk everywhere within 2 days...

cali · 23/04/2008 09:57

Hi Ruty, have had the same deliveries as you will have had and with DD2-el cs, my milk came in very quickly, about d3. Please ignore what the consultant said as it is very very rare for a healthy term baby to ever need top ups. Just let the baby feed whenever they want to. You have breast fed before and that will make things easier for you. Good luck with everything

StarlightMcKenzie · 23/04/2008 09:57

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mawbroon · 23/04/2008 10:03

Hi ruty - my ds was born by elec cs at 39+1. My milk came in on day 4 and he's never stopped feeding since (now 2.6 )

Don't let anybody pressure you into topping up, and take the phone number of your breastfeeding counseller to the hospital when oyu go in.

Good luck

Leda · 23/04/2008 10:03

I did have problems breastfeeding while in hospital after my c-section: I couldn?t get my dd to wake up at all for feeds and when she did she screamed when I tried to put her on my breast. So I gave top-ups while there (on midwife recommendation) which probably just made it worse. When I got home I stopped giving formula and soon got breastfeeding fully established (so even if you do resort to top-ups it doesn?t necessarily mean you won?t be able to breastfeed. Just keep on trying.)

Twiglett · 23/04/2008 10:03

yes absolutely

mine did for both my c-sections .. had no issues breastfeeding at all from the start with both

Twiglett · 23/04/2008 10:04

both my children were sleepy babies and I just let them sleep tbh ... fed them when they didn't .. slept when they slept

Sidge · 23/04/2008 10:06

It is the removal of the placenta (whether through labour or surgically) that triggers milk production, so having a section shouldn't delay it!

I've had 3 sections and breastfed all three without needing to top up (well I expressed for DD2 as she was prem and tube fed but had no lack of milk).

With DD3 my milk did take nearly a week to come in properly but that was due to DD3 faffing about rather than a lack of milk. She certainly was getting something!

Please don't worry, with support you will be able to fully breastfeed your baby even after a section. Ask if you can have a bedside cot for the baby (the sort that hangs over the side of your hospital bed) as well as a wheeled 'aquarium'. That will make life easier for feeding. And get as much skin to skin as possible - I had DD1 and DD3 put in bed with me in recovery and took my theatre gown off so they could snuggle against my breasts. They both had their first feeds within half an hour of being born! It was lovely

ScaryHairy · 23/04/2008 10:24

Ditto what the others have said re removal of placenta stimulating milk production, milk taking a few days to come through and your consultant being full of shit.

Skin to skin as soon as you can is a good idea, as I am sure you know, but if you can't face it immediately, don't worry. I couldn't hold my daughter very well after section (too many drugs and I was violently sick) and she did not latch until at least 10 hours after birth, when she did it all by herself after I decided to sleep with her in the top of my nightie. She actually moved around and found my nipple herself and latched, clever girl. So don't worry if it takes hours - babies are so well-programmed and clever, they know what they are doing, even if their drugged up mothers don't! And our bodies are far cleverer than your consultant by the sound of it!!

Original poster
ruty · 23/04/2008 10:30

thankyou so much for all the replies, really giving me confidence i can do it now. I had a bad experience with ds - after emergency c section in middle of night, asked for help to know how to breastfeed [baby trying but i was clueless] midwife took him away to 'calm him down' and i kept trying to buzz to get him back, then found out she had fed him with donated breast milk without my consent. Was very hard to establish breastfeeding after that, but did it after a few difficult days. Hopefully this time i'll be more prepared anyway.

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Original poster
ruty · 23/04/2008 10:31

he was a massive baby too!
Funny, the consultant was a woman who had children, she was very nice, but obviously perhaps not as well informed as you lot!

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ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 23/04/2008 10:43

Going into labour is the first hormonal trigger to start milk production, and removal of the placenta is the last.

So technically your milk coming in shouldn't be delayed, but not everyones seems to fit this rule!

I think the other reason it is believed that milk coming in after csection can take longer is because there is less mother/baby contact. Due to it being difficult to lift your lo, and as you have experienced, MW's taking the baby away from the mother (for whatever reason).

Be prepared for lots of skin to skin and some feedathons!

Good luck xx

Twiglett · 23/04/2008 11:15

just put baby straight to breast as soon as you're in the recovery suite .. ie you've been stitched and reunited

will be fine .. promise

Original poster
ruty · 23/04/2008 11:34

ok will do fingers crossed!

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