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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Breastfeeding after c-section?

30 replies

Dragonhart · 29/10/2006 10:36

I am due to have my second baby by section beg Jan, a week before my due date after complications with the previous birth a year ago last July and since.

I am really worried about it but most worried about whether it will mean I cannot breastfeed this time. My MIL and SIL had emergency sections and said that they could not breastfeed. However I fed my DS for 8 months, after afew teething problems so have an idea what I am doing.

Has anyone breastfed their baby sucessfully after an elective section without going into labour before?

Any pos experiences?

OP posts:
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McDreamy · 29/10/2006 10:38

Yes I have, after 2 CS breast fed both of my babies with no problems. Good luck I hope it all goes well

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 29/10/2006 10:41

Yes, I fed DS. Lots of problems but I expect I would have had them without the CS tbh. It is possible, just make sure you get hold of someone who actually knows about bf to support you, rather than the usual shower of ignorant medical professionals.

HelenWheels · 29/10/2006 10:50

I fed for two years after a section. Agree with Caligula - ask for help from a breast-feeding counsellor rather than the midwife. Your hospital may have one if you're lucky, otherwise speak to the NCT for advice.

taMummy · 29/10/2006 11:37

I found it much easier to bf dd, who was born by elective section, than ds who had been through a "normal" labour and birth. She just took to it like a duck to water; I used the lying down on my side way for quite a while and it was fine. Good luck

TooTickyTheAppleBobber · 29/10/2006 11:43

My dd1 was born by emergency CS and we bf fine.

SpookySpoon · 29/10/2006 11:48

I breastfed for 9 months following an emergency section - though I was in (induced) labour beforehand. My DD latched on as soon as I was wheeled into the recovery room, and didn't let go for about an hour!

I have a couple of friends who both had sections without going into labour and have both breastfed successfully - including one who gave birth at 31 weeks, and expressed for the first few weeks before she was able to feed her child herself. They are still going strong 4 months later.

I think the fact that you have breastfed successfully before means you have a very good chance of being able to feed your new baby. Good luck

ProfYaffle · 29/10/2006 17:13

I had an emergency cs and bf my dd for 13 months. M/W showed me how to feed lieing down and doing the rugby ball position (although I quickly abandoned it)

FairyMum · 29/10/2006 17:17

Yes, I bf after my elective with no problems. It's a bit difficult to lift the baby up at first, but they don't normally feed much or you don't have much milk in the first couple of days anyway. I just asked the midwife to lift the baby into bed for me. My milk didn't really come in before day 4. I think it can take an extra day for the milk to come with a c-section. not sure about that.

EliBoo · 29/10/2006 19:01

I did, after section and no labour (failed induction) found rugby ball position worked best for me and dd to start with (found it hard to latch her on myself lying down). No problems at all initially, but a few days later we had some when my milk was a bit late coming in and dd got jaunediced and weak: not sure if that had anything to do with section or not.

Went on to bf for six months, anyway!

Waswondering · 29/10/2006 19:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tommy · 29/10/2006 19:10

have a friend who breastfed 3 babies after elective sections and another who did 4!

Good luck

ghosty · 29/10/2006 19:12

I did ... I had an c/section (after failed induction - did have minor contraction for a few hours before hand but I wouldn't call it labour) ... I breastfed DD for nearly 11 blissful months
My MW tried to get me to do it with the rugby ball hold but I was quite happy to hold her the 'normal' way ... she just rested on my bump (I still looked 7 months pregnant for a good few weeks ) ...
The only 'difficulty' was that during the first 18 hours or so I had to call a MW everytime I needed to feed DD as I was stuck in bed ... and so when I had an argument with a MW who was approaching DD with a bottle I couldn't get out of bed to pick DD up. I had to press the call button twice (emergency signal) to get other MWs to come running ....
Oh, fun and games .....

FWIW I had an emergency c/section with DS and was able to breastfeed him too (didn't feed him for long but that was nothing to do with the c/section)

HTH

buktus · 29/10/2006 19:17

3 c/s and 3 b/f babies, one emergency and two electives all were fine, good luck

Rochwen · 29/10/2006 22:09

I had a c/s without being in labour (breech baby) and I had no problems breasfeeding even though she was 6 weeks premature. I fed her until she was 6 and a half months.

bottomlessburp · 29/10/2006 23:12

Dragonhart thanks for starting this, i had emergency section after being in labour but DDs head stuck, i had no probs breastfeeding, she drank in recovery, milk came in on day 3. i havebeen very worried about being able to bf next baby as will have elective section but feel much more positive after reading this.

Highlander · 30/10/2006 10:17

easy peasy. Skin to skin in the recovery area, 30 mins after DS2 born. He latched on striaght away, milk in within 48 hours. Never looked back!!

mrsflowerpot · 30/10/2006 10:21

I've had 2 electives without labour starting at all and have breastfed fine both times. Skin to skin in recovery both times, like Highlander says, and was feeding within 30 minutes of both of them being born.

Original poster
Dragonhart · 30/10/2006 19:11

Thank you all so much you have all really put my mind at ease. Had only short time of skin to skin straight after having DS and had to be taken into theatre afterwards and still managed to BF so guess my chances are as high as if I was having a natural delivery.

Was feeling pretty guilty as the section is for my health not the baby's and was so worried that I wouldnt be able to do for this baby what I had done for my DS (does that sound crazy?)

Anyway thanks everyone. xxxx

OP posts:
Sophiev73 · 30/10/2006 19:29

I know how you feel - my ds1 was an assisted and dreadful birth and he was very traumatised as a result. We were unable to breastfeed for a week or so - the longest and most difficult time of my life I think - and when my ds2 was breech and I decided to have an elective section I was wracked by guilt for not a0 having a vaginal delivery and b) by fears I could not breastfeed, like you. How happy was I that after a miraculously short delivery and fairly stress-free procedure, he was popped in next to me in recovery, my dh got my boob out, and he latched on straight away! The most wonderful thing, I can't describe how relieved I felt. I am certain you will have the same experience. Good luck!

Pollux · 30/10/2006 19:33

I'm still bf my 6 month old dd after an elective c-section. Loads of skin to skin contact and buzzing for help at every feed helped

welshmum · 30/10/2006 19:35

Bf both babies after each elective, it was fine and dandy.
Good luck with your c-s, hope recovery is swift

hermykne · 30/10/2006 19:37

dragonheary
emergency c/s with dd breastfeed no problems - me lots of pain killers
elective with ds and breastfeed no problem

good luck

Prufrock · 30/10/2006 19:51

Yes - dd was an "emergency" section after a failed induction at 37 weeks and ds was an elective at 37 weeks. Both bf until just under 1 year when they self-weaned.

I have to say, having seen other full-term babies since, that mine were both significantly less "awake" for their first few weeks. But I made sure I bf them at least every 3 hours, and struggled valiantly to keep them awake so that they got a full feed, and then had no problems with supply.

TuttiFrutti · 30/10/2006 21:15

I had an emergency cs and breastfed in the recovery room, and had no problems establishing breastfeeding - did it happily for 6 months.

Some people think it's different for electives, although from the comments on here it's obvious that you can breastfeed successfully after an elective. A friend of mine had twins by elective cs, and breastfed both of them for 5 months with no problems.

Toothyboy · 30/10/2006 21:30

Breastfed ds1 within an hour after emergency cs (induction, didn't really labour at all - foetal distress), and breastfed ds2 still in theatre after planned cs (no labour). My milk came in in 2 days both times.