Breastfeeding after a Caesarean Birth

[MilkOnTap]

I have heard that the bulk of your milk usually comes in 2 or 3 days after the birth of your baby - is this the same with a caesarean birth? :confused:

[zenifa]

In my experience, the answer is yes. My milk came in on day 3, but I was bf my DD an hour after my c/s birth without any problems, well apart from being a 1st timer!! Having a c/s didn't affect our bonding/attachment/feeding or my milk supply. My only tip is make the most of the midwives while you are in hospital to get your bf on track and then consult ABA/Lactation Consultant once you are home if you have any concerns/doubts.

[Jenko]

My friend had a c/s and had no trouble at all breastfeeding her bubs.

[borntobemummy]

Exactly the same:thumbsup: I BF DD for almost 15 months;)

[mum2my4]

After all of my births, 2 VB's 2 CS's my milk came in 2 -3 days postbirth.

[Mell]

I had 2 c/s and my milk came in about day 4. I did have to give DS2 a bottle in hospital about day 3 as he wasn't doing very many wees and had a bit on blood in it, but i am still feeding him now, so there was no problems.

[kimbo]

My milk came in on day 3 after my c-section. :)

[Veritas]

I think my milk "came in" about day 4/5 ish... we didn't have any problems prior she was just feeding very regularly....

It can take slightly longer with c/section births, but as said before, make good use of all the resources on offer!!!

[MilkOnTap]

Thanks for the input ladies. I've had quite large amounts of colostrum lately so I'm fairly confident that I should be able to breastfeed. I'm determined to give it my best! :thumbsup:

[Pixie]

Yep day three for me.

[ziggy29]

day 4 for me.

BF was difficult but nothing to do with having had a casesar.

Good Luck.

[Samaras Mummy]

Day 3/4ish for me

[Becteria]

I can send you a pic of me 2 hours after a csect successfully feeding bubs.

After day 3 all my milk CAME IN though!!!!!!!!!! Man i was a COW!

[SassyMummy]

If Day 1 is the same as teh c-sec day... then my milk came in on day 5 (as in, I had my c-sec on Monday and all my milk came in on Friday). I had a sprinkling of it in the morning, but by night my boobs were heavy and massive and EXTREMELY painful.

It might depend on whether or not you went into labour first? I mean, I didn't go into labour or anything, and mine came in on day 5...

[Foxymoron]

I had an emergency C with Thomas, and put him to the breast as soon as I got out of recovery. Milk came in late on day 2, and plenty of it. Thankfully I had DD tandem feeding so no sore boobies!

[Bibs]

I had an emergency c section and my milk came through on day 3. Didn't have that many problems just conflicting instructions from each midwife on how to attach. I just listened to the midwife I had throughout the pregnancy and never had issues about attachment again.

[Tabby]

emergency csec for me after 14 hr labour and day 4 my milk came in

[melissa.r]

Latest research is telling us that if you have a c/s you are more likely to have difficulty BF and are less likely to continue BF beyond the first few months. Not sure about the ins and outs of the research but I understand that what contributes to this is that BF in the first month is hormonally driven and that c/s delay the release of hormones and subsequently milk production. That is why it is so important to BF your baby within the first hour or so after delivery. Unfortunately hospital protocols make this more difficult as they do not have adequate staffing in recovery for women to have their babies with them and sometimes women do not have the opportunity to BF in that time. Provided you are aware of the complications that c/s can have on BF, there is absolutely no reason with the right support you can not successfully BF your baby for as long as you and your baby are willing. It depends on how important this is to you and what lengths you will go to, to ensure that you have the best possible chance of achieving this.

[threepigs]

I was giving dd her first b/f an hour after c/s. She fed on colostrum very regularly for the first two days (like every hour or so - very exhausting) and then every few hours and when my milk "came in" her demand and my supply where in such sync that I didn't get excessively swollen or sore at all. In fact, the only way I could tell is that her poo changed colour and the midwives told me it was because we'd moved from colostrum to milk.

Honestly, I really can't see why anyone would suggest you can't. It never even occured to me that I wouldn't be able to.

Good luck

[threepigs]

And I would just add to that, my girlfriend had her dd five weeks after me, v/b, and had all sorts of problems with b/f (she persisted though the stubborn little thing and all has been well).

We had very different birth experiences but have both b/f for 9 months.

[BlueGin]

Hey PL, it must be reassuring to hear how many Hubbers have had their milk come in promptly after a c-section, and I'll add my voice to the cry! :D

I fed K-man on the operating table (if you tell them you want to I think they'll do their best to allow it, as long as you and bubs are cool there are very few reasons to prevent it!) and if you can't feed at that point, try your best to have your baby directly on your chest, as this promotes the milk supply (apparently the close eye contact as well as the smell and such does wonders) and I know I could actually feel something happening while we looked at eachother!

He fed every few hours, only knew my milk was in as they suddenly became rock hard on day 2 or 3, nothing else changed!

Good luck matey!

[harvey123]

by the looks of all the replies there is no delay in milk coming in after a c/s. i had a c/s and had no troubles bf. my milk came in about 3 days after and i had my bub on my chest as soon as she was born. the only difference i think it made for me was i used the football position when feeding..although i think this was more because i have big boobs.
good luck with bf and you birth. :thumbsup:

[Wilby]

:wave: I BF my DS in recovery (where I only had to stay the required 30mins) and my milk came in around late day 2 or early day 3 (same as DD and I didnt have a cs with her).
Whilst getting in and out of the chair to BF was slightly harder aftewr a CS , I actually found feeding easier after CS as my rear end wasnt causing me pain when I sat! But I found the CS much easier all round as far as recovery etc goes!

[ElizaDee]

With me, I had a general (so totally knocked out) for my c/sect. Not sure if that makes a difference but my transition milk came in on day 5 and full milk on day 6.

My hospital were not worried and DS was fine :thumbsup:

[nats]

Mine seemed to take ages! It didn't come in till after I left the hospy but never fear, babies have plenty in store if either you can't bf right away or the milk takes it's sweet time producing - just keep feeding :yes:

[natasha]

Yep, mine was fine Ally, came in on day 3 no probs.:thumbsup:

[ElizaDee]

Just wanted to add:



He fed every few hours, only knew my milk was in as they suddenly became rock hard on day 2 or 3, nothing else changed!

Good luck matey!

I realised my milk was in when I woke to a sopping wet nightie. LOL I had no idea what had happened. :laughing:


:wave: I BF my DS in recovery (where I only had to stay the required 30mins) and my milk came in around late day 2 or early day 3 (same as DD and I didnt have a cs with her).

I had DS on my boobie about 45mins after he was born, I had trouble breathing when they brought me around after the general. So I was taken away from him but DH held him, when I was breathing again properly they placed him on my breast (DH's instructions bless him!) and he hasn't stopped sucking!! :laughing:

So as I said before since my milk took longer than the others, I don't know if this is because of the slight delay or the general, but we got BF going and it has been great!

I always have a large supply for my little man, milk everywhere!! :eek:

[sopolicha]

I have had three c-sections. I never had any trouble with my milk for any of my lovelies. The best thing I found out on my last turn was to take the baby with you into recovery, so there really wasn't any delay in starting to feed. I was lucky because a midwife came with us into recovery (she was a right cow, but that is another story).

Ask the hospital if they can do it for you , I think it makes a huge difference Good Luck!!!

[MrsMiggins]

I had 2 c/s - the first elective & milk came in late on day 4. My second was emergency & my milk came in around day 3.

I was able to BF DS (#2 bub) while they were stitching me up, but unfortunately he decided to give us all a bit of a fright & stop breathing, so they had to take him away & get him breathing again before whipping him off to the SCBU for observation.

If anyone's interested in BF immediately after a c/s, check with your OB/hospital as to their policies. With DD, they didn't allow it, however in the space of only 17 months and at the same hospital, it was not only allowed, but actively encouraged! :)