Breastfeeding a large baby after a c section

[Ginandshinythings]

Hi there
Bit of background, my first baby was born at forty weeks, emcs and weighed 10.8! I was unable to even consider breastfeeding as my recovery was just awful.
I'm due my second in June, hopefully an elective c section and I would like to try breastfeeding. However, I'm concerned if I have another big baby, will I produce enough colustrum / milk in the early days to satisfy them?
I understand having a c section can make your milk come through later, and I hate to think my lo will be hungry.
Would you top up with the ready made bottles until supply came in?
Any advice greatly welcomed.
Thank you 😊

Some women just grow big babies and their are no other factors involved i am one of them, size 10, no gestational diabetes etc etc. Dc1 was an emcs at 9lb, my milk came in at 6 days but I bottle fed, dc2 was an elcs and she weighed 10.9lbs, again my milk took 6 days and she was bottle fed. Dc3 and 4 were elcs at 39 and 38 weeks weighing 9.15lbs and 11.6lbs and my milk did come in within 48hrs, I fed both for 18 months and thoroughly enjoyed it. With dc 3 and 4 I did have leakage from around 36 weeks so I did hand express in the shower to encourage milk flow and I do believe that helped.

My first was 10lb 4oz with a traumatic delivery so my second was an ELCS at 37 weeks. He wasn't quite so big (8lbs 6oz).

The only issue we had with feeding was just that he was so sleepy and a bit mucous after the ELCS. He would latch on and immediately go to sleepthen start gagging on mucous. So he was topped up with hand expressed colostrum from a syringe and on day 2 he had a little bit of formula. My milk came in but he just wouldn't stay awake for it, so lost about 10% of his weight up until day 5 when he was able to stay awake for feeds. He's been 90th percentile since and still feeding at 17 months.

Good luck.

@Phillipa12 oh my goodness, congrats! An eleven pounder! I think I may just be like you, I average a size 12, my husband is over six foot and very stocky. I'm have the gestational diabetes test this time to rule anything out, shortly after me someone did birth a baby just over twelve pounds... Amazing!
How did you find recovery from an elective? Took me nine weeks from my emergency, my scar just would not close.

Again ladies, thank you for the advice.

Gin recovery after dc3 and 4 was easy, I learnt my lesson after dc2 when I did too much and I took 10 weeks to recover. My advice is for the first 2 weeks do nothing apart from feed and change baby and shower yourself even if you feel great do nothing. I honestly did fuck all and sat on the sofa and was waited on hand and foot, after 2 weeks I slowly started doing more and by week 3 I was back on the school run but still doing very little housework. By week 4 I was all systems go.

My second baby was 10lb 4 and quite a straightforward section as I wasn't in labour for long before they realised he was too big to get out. Feeding was fine. He also slept well which aided my recovery as was able to get big chunks of sleep. He was just a very staid baby and I think it's maybe because I was more relaxed as he was my second. Just try and relax and do what's right for you. Try and get lots of rest to aid your recovery and lots of pillows round you when feeding. Accept all help that you can. Obviously this is advice I didn't follow myself and made things hard for myself weeping and calling myself a failure. Hormones perhaps. I did feed my second baby for 6 months. My first I had to do 9 months as he was a bottle refuser. My third I managed 3 months. Feeding was rough at the start and I wish I'd not made it into such a big deal as it made things harder for myself mentally. I hope it all goes well for you and it probably will. I did give some bottles along the way to children 2 and 3 and don't see any harm in it. You should see the rubbish they eat now!

Thank you so much ladies.

My first was a traumatic emergency- had to do it before the anaesthetic kicked in so felt everything ! Second was elective and so much easier. First was 14 days past the due date so that made him big 10lb 3 - 2nd planned a week before so she was 8lb 8oz - each one is different- Thing is no matter how you plan things never turn out how you expect! Good luck

Thanks Bert2e, I'll pay more attention in class!