C-sections and breastfeeding - any problems?

[EllieKat]

I'm 34 weeks pregnant and while I'm still very much wanting to go to the local maternity unit to give birth, the babe is large (am meant to be seeing a consultant soon, sigh) and it's possible that it'll be 'suggested' to me that I come in for an induction at 40 weeks (says the MW) or even earlier (says my GP s-i-l, but I think she's overdramatising). And I'm worried this might lead to a c-section, but since it's more of a possibility than it might have been, I want to prepare myself. (And yes, I know I don't have to do what they suggest...)

I'm most concerned about being able to breastfeed afterwards. Not just because of the pain, etc, but because of hormones. I'm going to expose my ignorance and ask: if you have a c-section before your body is 'ripe' for giving birth (esp. if it's earlier than 40 weeks), how does your body start pumping the hormones that start off milk production? Is it just that the placenta is gone? Do they give you something synthetic to help with milk production? Or am I worrying about something that isn't a problem? How have your post-c-section feedings gone?

Sorry for being stoopid!

C section at 38 weeks. Milk came in on day 3. Still BF at 16 months.

However may be worth doing some research on forecast large babies - I'm sure I read somewhere that many of them don't end up being large at all...

Good Luck

Milk will arrive about three days after birth. The delivery of the placenta stimulates prolactin production - however it's delivered! My milk arrived three days post partum. The only thing that will affect you may be if you have pethidin or morphates as your baby may be sleepy and not be up for feeding. But you will still have jumbo sized boobs regardless

Yes weight estimates can be out between four and eight pounds apparently

I had an emergency c-section but I was overdue by 8 days so slightly different - once the baby starts to suckle, you'll produce oxytocin, which will then make you produce more milk - I think that's right.

BF was fine - my milk was there all ready and waiting and she latched correctly with a little help from a very kind midwife during the night.

I laid a pillow across my stomach and held her on top of that as it was a bit tricky with a drip/pain/scar etc but it was fine.

I'd suggest a feeding chair or really comfy sofa with no arms if not.
Once we got home, after 5 days, I fed her a lot on my side in bed when I could then laid her in her crib to sleep.

I had all those exact same worries - my DS has now been breastfed for 26 weeks and 1 day

There is no reason you would be unable to BF after the section. Some say your milk takes longer to come in but IME that wasn't the case at all.

Positioning and having the baby close to you are vital though - moving yourself around in bed is tough for the first day or so and lifting baby can be a slow process. My advice would be to tell everyone you meet (healthcare profs I mean, not, for example, the woman serving you in Tesco) that you want to BF, tell everyone you meet that you want skin-to-skin ASAP, and ask anyone who's passing to help lift the baby to you or even better make a nest so the baby can stay in bed with you. DO NOT be scared to press the buzzer every hour to get help, it only takes a MW a moment to pass your baby over to you. Keep asking for help.

I'm sure it won't even come to this anyway!

Ohh, do take the numbers for the BFing helplines with you when you go in. Good luck!

Also, opiates (morphine/pethidine) might be an issue but my CS was planned in the end (breech, but also forecast huge and only 8lb 2oz in the end!) and the only opiate I had was morphine mixed into the spinal, baby totally unaffected.

Hoorah! See, I said I was probably being stoopid! My baby books are totally useless on this sort of detail!

I presumed it was all to do with the placenta leaving my body, but wanted to check. Thanks, WMMC.

I know that estimates for sizing can be way out. I'm 5'2" and at my 28 wk dating scan, the 'little' love measured over the 97th centile for tummy! But it doesn't follow that I can't deliver him. I'm just scared that the consultant will see me as a series of ticky boxes and make a decision based on standard hospital policy. But I intend to be stroppy and demand evidence!

I am planning on having 'I want skin-to-skin and booby contact asap' tattoo'd on my forehead.

I had an induction due to illness and DS was born at 37 weeks. Milk came in normally - as soon as the baby is out, your body "knows" this and will make the milk.

My child was going to be large, but the doc said they don't know what a woman's body will do until they've tried. I was induced at 41+3 (short of the 42 weeks only cos of pre-eclampsia signs). After a couple of hours pushing he wasn't coming out, his head was tilted back just enough to be a problem apparently, so I had a c-section. He was 12lbs 4oz!

Anyway, my milk came in after 2-3 days and he was exclusively breastfed. Even though I didn't do skin to skin and didn't actually pick him up for a couple of hours, just stared at him. I was exhausted and just shocked, "What do I do with a baby?!?" Fortunately the maternal instinct did kick in!!

One of the problems I had was my nipples did not respond at all. I am sure that must have been something to do with the spinal, I mean they've never ever not stuck out ever before! So then it was nipple shields to suck them out, then they gave me a double pump after to do because there wouldn't be enough stimulation with the shields. I knew where all that might end up so I used it at the start of a feed for a little bit so my nipples would pop out and then took it off and worked on latch. Nipples!!!

I had CS with DS and fed him no problem, again weights were foobared, DS was apparently going to be at least 10lb, weighed 8lb7.5oz, DD apparently about 2lb, weighed 5lb1.5oz.

Don't worry

Elliekat - with ds1, I had`a ES, 10 days ago with ds2 had a planned one.

DS2 is doing really well with bf and I was very concerned too about feeding beforehand because with my first we were screwed from the start with establishing BF and Iso wanted to bf this time. It took me 4 days before my milk came in, but we made it through my initial nipple and engorgement pain! Main prob was ds2 was very lazy, expcted it to be drip fed, but stripping him down to make him cold helped with feeding then he developed breast preference!! but we worked through that and he is back to putting weight on.

Hearing stories here and then the fab staff in lhe hospital who helped me really aided too in our success so far.

Had emergency caesarian at 36 weeks and had no problems, overflowing with the stuff.

emergency c-section and BF no problemo

congratulations hope all goes well

Also emergency c-s and successful bf even though regretfully after about 15 mins of skin to skin they wanted to take her (which DH) to get her ready for weighing etc and I let them . I have second section there is no way I'll allow that, don't know what I was thinking of. Luckily she latched on when we were reunited.

I b/fed ds1 after an emergency c-section and feeding ds2 is fine after my elective 5 days ago. If you follow all the usual advice (getting the latch right is key) you should be fine.

I would say that if in doubt, ask to see someone who is a b/feeding counsellor and don't just rely on midwives. I knew something wasn't right with ds2 and had half a dozen midwives tell me he was fine when they saw a bit of breast in his mouth. The NCT helpline was fab though, so as with most things, go to the experts!

Good luck!!

From what I am led to believe, it's not the CS but the pre-eclampsia than can cause BF problems.

I think it's something to do with the kidney's and the effects of the pre-eclampsia on them.

Please, someone let me know if thats wrong!

wrong pre-eclampsia resolves once baby born,in fact "cure" for pre-ecalmpsia is to deliver baby and has no impact on ability to BF. i had severe pre-eclampsia and bf

DD - emergency c/s at 39wks - b/f no problem for 14months

DS - elective c/s at 10days overdue - b/f no problem, 11wks & counting...

It just sometimes takes a little longer for your milk to come in than it would have done if you had laboured normally.

DS was 8lbs 8oz emergency section at 38 weeks

B/f for about 18 months

I found it hard to lift him out of the hospital cot to begin with, but I pestered folks to help me for the first few days.

Got a big u shaped feeding cushion which was fab.

Fed lying down a lot too.

Had enough milk to feed at least 26 babies

Emergency c-section at 30+6 following HELLP Syndrome/severe pre-eclampsia. Was still in CDU 24hrs after delivery on a drip, just off morphine etc with baby on SCBU when I started expressing. Milk production has been fab from day one and yesterday at aged 6wks DD breastfed properly for the first time.

Congrats rascal - that's fab!

My dd was born 6 weeks premature by c/s without me having been in labour at all and I had no problems breast-feeding her.

Don't panic if your baby doesn't want to feed the minute s/he is born. I might take a day or two for them to be awake and hungry enough. Just keep offering your breast. Make sure you read up on breast feeding before you give birth and ask for help when you need it. The midwifes I had were more than happy to help me with the latch until we both had it sussed. Remember both your and your baby need to learn to breastfeed.