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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

breastfeeding after c section, doc says after 6 hours, is that normal?

33 replies

muminmiddleeast · 20/02/2009 12:17

i am due an elective c section and have been told today that i cannot breastfeed for at least 6 hours afterwards due to the spinal and risk of spinal headache. My doctor said I have to lie flat on my back for at least 6 hours afterwards. I am not having a general. is it normal to have to wait this long? i want to bf and don't want my baby to have a bottle at all.

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Phoenix · 20/02/2009 12:21

My ds had his first feed in recovery. I had an emergency c-section but can't see what difference that would make to an elective.

Bubbaluv · 20/02/2009 12:28

I had a spinal and first feed was in recovery. Sounds v odd.

cmotdibbler · 20/02/2009 12:32

You can feed whilst they are sewing you up, and I don't know anyone who has had to lay flat for that long - but you can feed fine flat on your back.

You don't have to let them take your baby away, so just be firm

buttercreamfrosting · 20/02/2009 12:34

I've had 3 emergency sections and like bubbaluv first feeds were in recovery - doesn't sound right to me....

ilovemydogandMrObama · 20/02/2009 12:36

I fed DS immediately afterwards. Not a c-section, but induced and had epidural which is the same pain relief, I think?

Brangelina · 20/02/2009 12:37

Sounds odd. Mind you, I didn't feed mine for hours as was feeling pretty queasy after an emergency section, and DD never had a bottle in the meantime. I told them it was my intention to bfeed and she went without until I was ready. I tink she was pretty sleepy anyway, after the epidurals and spinal.

tiggerlovestobounce · 20/02/2009 12:38

I have had 2 sections with a spinal, and havent heard of that. They had me sitting up in bed pretty quickly after, but after the second section got me to lie down to feed my DD for the first time (for comfort rather than any other reason).

What sort of Dr was it who advised this - was it the GP? If so I would check it out with your midwife, OB/GYN or the anaesthetist. It sounds like rubbish to me.

Nabster · 20/02/2009 12:40

My son was born at 7.01pm and I wasn't allowed to feed him until 10.20pm but that was because of problems with him, not me. I had an ECS

Bellie · 20/02/2009 12:45

I had a elective c-section 2 weeks ago - was allowed to feed in recovery about an hour or so after. Was advised to do it lying down for comfort - he fed fine.

sadminster · 20/02/2009 12:51

That's complete rubbish - mine (both sections) have fed within 30 minutes of birth. Much easier to feed lying down until the spinal has worn off though.

ilovesprouts · 20/02/2009 12:52

i had a c section and ask if i wanterd to bf asap

Milkmade · 20/02/2009 12:54

I had EM c-s section and fed in recovery abou 90min later - only reason for even that delay was there were some complications and it took me that long to get to recovery from theatre.

LoveaDAISYcal · 20/02/2009 13:01

No need, my DS was rooting whilst I was still being sewn up and fed as soon as we were in recovery.

DD fed after being in recovery for half an hour, but she had been asleep until then.

If you are in the middle east though, it might be standard practice there. Is the culture more towards bottle feeding perhaps? I saw a thread on here a while back where the mum was saying it was the norm for the baby to go to the nursery as well. Perhaps compile a stack of evidence which proves that getting the baby on the breast ASAP is the best way to get BFing off to a flying start. tbh though, they can't really stop you can they? They have to give you your baby if you want to hold him/her surely?

purplemyrtle · 20/02/2009 16:27

Started trying to feed DS in recovery, have heard of people doing it in theatre though and may try if it feels right when I have my planned cs.

spicemonster · 20/02/2009 16:31

I fed immediately so that's not true

MrsMattie · 20/02/2009 16:33

Poppycock! I BF'd DS as soon as I was in the recovery room - about 30 mins after section. With DD, the lovely MW in the theatre popped her on my breast a.s.a.p (I was still on the table!), although she was too sleepy to feed at that stage...but she had a good skin-to-skin snuggle (lovely)

NellyTheElephant · 20/02/2009 17:37

As others have said that doesn't sound right. I had combined epidural / spinal and fed in recovery, which was about 45 mins after birth.

purplemyrtle · 20/02/2009 20:06

Mrs Mattie what did you wear to have skin to skin in theatre and did it work OK in terms of positioning, medical equipment etc? And any clues about who might be supportive with that (eg the lovely mw!) I'm getting mixed responses from different people at UCH when I ask about skin to skin in theatre, and it's really important to me.

purplemyrtle · 20/02/2009 20:07

Sorry to bring my own stuff into your thread muminmiddleeast, hope any responses will be useful.

Amberc · 20/02/2009 20:16

So can you actually get anything out then? I had a mare trying to feed after my section as a. there was nothing in my boobs no matter how much the MW/me tried to get something out and b. my baby wasn't in the least bit intrested!

Flo23 · 20/02/2009 20:17

You can breastfeed straight away, in fact the sooner the better.

Also had skin to skin in theatre following an elective c/s with DS2. There's nothing to it really, the midwife just lets the surgeon know the baby is going to be s to s, puts the baby onto mums chest and there you have it. The baby is covered by the gown the mum is wearing and a blanket, also getting plenty of warmth from its mother.(an objection may be that it tends to be cooler in theatre.)

That time of being on the table, having uninterrupted skin contact is a lovely memory for me!

Meglet · 20/02/2009 20:22

He is talking nonsense. Ok, you will be pretty much on your back for the first few hours as movement is very very tricky (numbness), but with help you can have skin to skin in theatre (although I found it awkward and only lasted 5 mins) then get someone to help you sit up with a lot of pillows and you can bf. I have had an em cs and a planned cs, it was pretty easy to bf after the planned cs.

my consultant was more than happy for me to have skin to skin, your doc sounds a little out of date. Your midwife will probably back you up. good luck

earlynite · 20/02/2009 20:28

I also breastfed in recovery after an emergency c-section. I was sort of on my side with boob out and DS laid down at my side.

chipmonkey · 20/02/2009 20:37

No babies allowed in recovery where I had my babies so poor things had to wait in the ward, but I fed them as soon as I got there! ds4 was very impatient apparently!

mamamila · 20/02/2009 20:41

me too started feeding in theatre and continued while wheeled all the way to recovery

ignore him! i assume he won't be in the theatre anyway

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