ELCS and breastfeeding concerns

[amyboo]

I'm currently 37+5 with my first who's been in a footling breech position for weeks now. So, I've been booked in for an ELCS on 29 March. Not really what I was hoping for, but it's apparently the least stressful option for me and baby.

Anyway, I have several panicky concerns about having an ELCS. One of them is that I won't be able to breastfeed. I've always planned to breastfeed and was really hoping to make a good go at it, especially as here (in Belgium) you get kept in hospital for 5 days and get good support from midwives and the lactation consultant. My gynae said there should be no adverse effect of breastfeeding caused by the CS, but I've read a few things about people saying it took longer for their milk to come in etc than with a normal delivery. I was hoping to get sorted with breastfeeding while still in hospital, so that I can fall back on the support of the midwives etc...

Can anyone share their experiences of breastfeeding after a CS? Will it be affected because I can't hold baby straight after the birth? DH will be able to hold him, but they said that I won't be able to until they've stitched me up....

I had an emergency C section, it was painful trying to get the baby out of the cot and back in after feeds, but on the whole I didn't find it too bad once I had them "in position"

If you have help getting the baby and putting back in the cot for the first 5 days, that sounds lovely.

I've also heard it said that milk can take longer to come in with an ELCS, however you could always give them a top up after each feed, until it does come in, in the worst case scenario. It's not ideal but it is an option.

I'm sure some other lovely mums will be along soon to encourage you.

Hi amyboo I'm also in Belgium. Whereabouts are you?

If you are in Flanders you can contact the Bakermat for Kraamzorg (help at home at giving birth) and midwives for home checks and breastfeeding advice.

Are you a member of BCT? They have very good bfing classes and bfing counsellors.

Generally after a CS in Belgium you stay in hosptial for 7 nights, and that is not a bad experience because you should get your own room, fridge, the food is mostly good.

'help at home at giving birth'

that should read:

help at home after giving birth.

The Boole Buik also have midwives who can advise on bfing, and there are midwives working independently as well.

bolle buik!

I really need to preview!

I had a traumatic first birth, and my milk did not come in for 5 days. BF successfully for 1 year despite this. Have an elective booked this time, and figure BF will be a lot easier this time.

I've had 2 C-Sections and with my DS it was an emergency one because I was very ill with preeclampsia and at 31 weeks. I wasn't even given a pump for over 24 hours and even then not shown how to sterilise properly. He still managed to have nothing mut breastmilk for over 6 months. My DD was born full term after an elective and she is also breastfed.

I hope this can reassure you somewhat .

My advice would be to keep pressing that call button on the first night to get someone to come and help you pick up the baby and get the cushions arranged.

My section was pushed back to 5pm and the DTs didn't wake much to feed in the first night - and I couldn't pick them up and didn't know how much they should be feeding. Cue admittance to NICU with low blood sugar at 8 hours old.

(still managed to exc. bf though once they left NICU at 4 days old - they're 6 mos now )
Best of luck.

I had an elective CS for breech and found it a very positive experience. Although I couldn't hold DD straight away they put her next to me as soon as she had been checked while I was being stitched up. Which was a nice distraction.

I first breast fed her in recovery which felt very soon after birth. My milk came in quickly and I think I was engorged within 1 or 2 days. I had problems with my position- not the latch so much as my posture - which was sorted out by a lactation consultant 2 weeks later. It hurt a lot till then but I was able to do it. With a lot of drugs and swearing.

An elective CS sounds a lot easier than an emergency one.

I've had 2 CSs and have breastfed successfully after each. First was emergency, second elective.

Elective was really a very nice experience overall. I asked to hold the baby after she was born and that was fine - could you talk to them about this again. Dh had to hold her while I was stitched, but at least I had held her and seen her properly. First time was a bit more fraught and I didn't get to hold her for a few hours not sure that had an effect on breastfeeding but it wasn't so nice.

My milk came in each time before I left hospital and I didn't stay for five days either time. Just feed as much as you can of colostrum beforehand, will stimulate milk and be good practise for you both.

Things that are hard are not being able to pick up the baby yourself at first, and needing help to get it into a suitable feeding position. As you get stronger that will quickly improve but I think I lacked the ability to make the subtle adjustments in my position that can help with getting the latch right because of my severed abdominal muscles. Especially first time when learning the ropes I think this had a bad effect on things (dd1 could not latch on properly when we left hospital). There's not a lot you can do about it, but it can help to know.

I think a good breastfeeding pillow will help in the early days. Feeding lying down can be great if you have trouble with positioning. Also once you get home naked in bed time is great.

After your baby is born your only two jobs for a few weeks will be feeding and recovering. They complement each other wonderfully - sit under that baby and let other people bring you stuff

best of luck, enjoy it all

Both of my children were born by c-sections and both were/are breastfed.

DS was an EMCS and ended up with a few top ups in the early days which looking back I think actually hindered my milk coming in as he wasn't sucking and stimulating the flow enough because he was full of formula.

DD was an ELCS (12 weeks ago ) and I was determined to EBF her so I just demand fed from day 1, swapping her between boobs 3, 4, maybe 5 times or more in one feed (remember, your boobs are never empty, they make milk constantly so there is a little bit there all the time) and she's never needed a top up.

I honestly didn't find holding them to be a problem. As teaandcake says, the getting baby in and out of the crib was sore and you'll be glad of help with that, but once positioned, I found it fine.

Some suggestions for if your tummy is sore (can happen more with an EMCS but I was really comfortable - and less battered - after my ELCS) are putting a pillow, maybe one of those crescent shaped ones, on your lap to lift baby away from the wound and cushion you (this also helps take the strain out of your arms and tummy muscles), putting a sterile maternity sanitary towel in the front of your pants to cushion the wound 9btw, huge maternity pants are the best thing to wear after a section as they don't dig into the wound), holding rugby ball style (which will be easier in bed) or getting one of these to soothe and cushion.

I also found feeding with my knees up more comfortable. I propped baby in the V between my body and my legs and that kept them away from my wound too. You can use a cushion to prop your knees up at first to take the strain out of your tummy muscles. I found it so comfy, I still feed like that now

HTH

Oh yes, I second making full use of the call bell on the first night. First time I was a little shy of using it "too much" and lay there feeling sad and powerless while my baby cried. The last time I had no compunction about using it and the midwives were always happy to help (of course, since I could not get out of bed and had a newborn to look after).

i had a emcs and dd latched on minutes after they gave her to me. it was hard to hold her though, recoving from the cs - i wont lie!

however that was the first few days. dd is going strong with the bf at 5 months!

similar to stinkymink - my first dc was a traumatic natural delivery and i had no milk for 5 days - it was quite stressful as dd was such a hungry baby but we got there eventually. ds was elcs and my milk came in 2 or 3 days so overall was more relaxed. i am sure you will be fine :}

I had an elective section for breech 2.5 years ago and breastfed DS for over 2 years!

I haven't anything to compare it with, but it's awkward rather than anything else. DS had his first feed within an hour of birth and I had to push that button all night to get help getting him in and out of bed. Don't be shy to ask for help!

I had the section on Tuesday afternoon and my milk came in overnight on the Friday. DS fed perfectly well on the colostrum until then and in the end I had too much milk if anything! I don't think it necessarily follows that your milk supply will be poor. Feed frequently and take the pain relief that's offered (I don't know if this is true for humans but I know that cattle in pain produce less milk!).

Good luck

My local hospital in Belgium let you co-sleep with a baby, in a cot attachment attached to the bed.

My ds (17 months) was admitted to hospital for a night last week and they let him sleep in my bed as long as the monitor was always on him. So definitely at least one forward thinking hospital in Belgium!

I had CS following complications. It didn't affect BF and on day 4 the pain goes almost completely. co sleeping is great in the night, it saved my sanity.

also (need ref here) isn't it so that the baby doesn't need v much food for the first day or so (i know i've read/been told that somewhere) so dont panic about milk coming in late/later - unless the baby is poorly it will all be fine

They basically forced me to co-sleep in my hospital. It was agony because my stomach muscles had totally separated and lying on my side made it all worse. I didn't know it was controversial.

Same as others have said - my dd was an emergency section at 33 weeks - she went straight to Neonatal and spent 3 and a half weeks there and I didn't even start pumping until about 24 hours after she was born. I EBF until she started solids and stopped at 13 months when I was pregnant with no 2 - ds an elective section (which was a FANTASTIC experience, so calm, such a happy day) and he was given back to me after I'd been stitched and latched straight on. He's 8 months now and like his sister was EBF until solids and still doesn't have any formula.

It can be done! Just like others, had an ELCS and went on to exclusively BF DS for 11 months. IME, it did take slightly longer for my milk to come in after the section than with my VBAC, but I had lots of support from MWs and HVs, and lots of help at home. When my milk wasn't in I kept switching back and forward from one boob to the other as someone else has mentioned. Definitely use a feeding pillow (my crescent shaped one was fabulous) and try different positions - lying on my side was impossible for me after my CS, but I could sit up with my knees bent and that worked for us.

Oh, and I held DS in surgery whilst they stitched me up and he was feeding within an hour of being born. Good luck!

I also had an C-section for a footling breech just over a year ago. It was sort of elective but my waters had broken 3 days previously at 35 weeks. I was desparate to avoid a C section but in the end it turned out to be a pretty positive experience. I was able to hold my daughter (with a bit of help!) while I was being stitched up and I fed her in recovery. I think my milk took about 4 days to come in but as everyone else has said just keep offering and offering and the baby will feed. I was determined that she wouldn't be having any top ups as I was worried that it would affect my milk production. I must have sounded very militant as every midwife I saw would say 'and it's your baby that's feeding so well isn't it?' I have no idea whether she was or not but she seemed to be doing fine.

The hospital I was in was fine about me co-sleeping with her so I just lay down to feed her all night. I found it much easier in the early days to feed lying down until she was a bit bigger and I had more of a clue what I was doing.

We were both home after 2 nights in hospital and the feeding got easier and easier - we are still going strong a year later.

Good luck with everyone on the 29th

Hi, I have had 3 sections. Bf after them all, no difference really to my normal births other than the discomfort for first few days/getting a good position. It took abit longer for milk to come in after 1st one but it was fine. I was very ill after the 2nd one and DS rushed to NICU. He had formula for 1st 3 days as I was too ill to go there but I managed to then feed him and his twin for several weeks. My 3rd was an elective and bf went fine. I bf him for 11 months.

I had a C-section just a few hours after induction at 36 weeks, so don't suppose my body was in any way ready to give birth. Milk still came in a normal time.