nursing a 36 week baby

[mamarootoo]

i really hope it's not offensive for me to post here. i know that 36 weeks is almost full term, but i'm still worried.

tomorrow i'll be having a c-section at 36w1d due to asthma issues.

can anyone give me some advice on how to make sure we get a nursing relationship established?

my plan right now is:

• inform everyone who will come into contact with my baby that i don't want her to have a bottle or other artificial nipple.
• pump colostrum/milk if she can't nurse right away.
• have my 2 year old urse more frequently to establish supply.

i'm at a very BFing friendly hospital, but even here a night nurse convinced me to give DD1 4oz of formula when she lost 9.9% of her body weight. DH was the one who convinced her to use a syringe rather than a bottle.

any advice would be very much appreciated.

[dani76]

My DD was born at 36 weeks. Although since I had gone into labor at 32 weeks, I had been given steroid shots to help her lungs. We had no problems with her nursing. She had jaundice issues that we had to be re-admitted for though. So, your situation could be much different. She would get really sleepy when she nursed, so I would rub her back to keep her awake. We did lots of skin to skin those first few weeks and laying in bed. We also had a no pacifier/no bottle note on her isolette when we were re-admitted to the PICU for her jaundice. I hope all went well for you.

[jlovesl]

Hopefully the baby will nurse right away. But even if she does sometimes having a c-section can make it a little harder for your milk to come in. But don't give a bottle. It can confuse them that early. Just keep giving the breast and you should be fine. But do use a pillow under baby when you do feed, MUCH easier on your incision. My 1st was 9 weeks early by c-section and breast feeding in those hospital beds can hurt... ouch.... Good Luck.