Breast feeding/ cesarean mothers? - Page 4

[ckberkey]

Originally Posted by momz3

Is it harder? I'm tired of all of the negativity I'm getting about "Oh it will be so hard" "You THINK you will breastfeed"

I will be having a cesarean in March and want to immediately start bf'ing. How was it for you? Also, do you use the same pain meds?

This will be my first breastfed child so I am new to all of this. Thanks!

I breastfed my csec babe with no problems at all. I did have pain meds, too.

[treemom2]

My first child was a c-sec under general anesthetic. My water broke and I listened to my doc when she told me to immediately go to the hospital. . .where I was put on pit, had an epidural, and never got the urge to push even when I was fully dilated. When they took me for the c-sec, I had an epidural window (where part of you isn't numb) and had to be put under with general. When I woke up, I didn't see my babe for about 3 hours; I'm not sure what she was given but from DH's report (he stayed with her) she was given glucose. When I got to my room, the nurse refused to let me BF her. Even when I asked for help starting BFing, she would just say I would get to do that later and would pop a bottle of formula in her mouth. So, about 24 hours after her birth I finally got a nurse who was so kind and helped me BF her. I had totally inverted nipples and was given nipple shields to help pull my nipples out so she could latch. When that nurse was on duty she helped me put DD in a football hold to nurse but when the other nurse came in she would formula feed my DD even though I begged her not to give DD formula. I left the hospital after 48 hours with tons of bottles of premade formula. At home, it was tough getting DD to latch but I was determined to make it work. I think once we got home, we only stressed once enough to feed her a bottle. After that, we had a wonderful nursing relationship. Sure, it was uncomfortable and it took a while for me to get used to holding her football and get past the sore bleeding nipples. . .but I didn't give up. Am I a martyr? Heck no, I just knew that BFing was the best thing and the only thing I wanted to do with my babe. So, we made it work and it got better over time. I nursed her until she self weaned and after that one time at home giving her a bottle, I never gave her formula again. I'm not sure if it was harder because I had a c-sec or if it was harder because of that nurse's attitude in the hospital. I was given pain medicine in the hospital but when I got out of the hospital I didn't take anything for pain. In the hospital where I gave birth, all babies roomed in with their mamas and were only taken away for exams and my DD was taken for bilirubin lights a couple times (now that I know more about stuff like that I wouldn't have let her be taken away, but I didn't know as much as I thought I did--I read all the wrong books). I think if it is something you are totally committed to doing then you will get past the problems (unless of course there is something else medically wrong with you or with your babe. . .like my SIL has infantile breasts and never made enough milk for her babe). With my 2nd child, he was a HBAC and we never had any problems with the BFing relationship except I couldn't get enough of my areola in his mouth (he would spit me out until he just had the nipple--ouch) but he never got any formula and we stuck with it (for over 4 years).

[sasshell]

My daughter was born by "emergency" c-section without me going into labor and was on my breast within an hour. The complications I had with breastfeeding had nothing to do with the section, but more of a total lack of understanding the breastfeeding relationship. Luckily it was nothing several trips to an LC and sheer determination couldn't overcome and she was EBF for for 12 months and weaned at 23. It wasn't easy but again, it had nothing to do with the section. I'm scheduled for another section in 6 weeks and have every intention of EBF this babe as well.

You'd be amazed what you can do when you set your mind to it. Refuse to take home the free formula and plant yourself in a comfy spot at home and focus on your only job-breastfeeding that new baby. Everything else can wait.

PS: I heard from everyone (even my uber supportive partner) that I wouldn't last a day breastfeeding. It was hard but I refused to listen to their opinions and stuck to what I knew was best. I didn't know anyone who had EBF their baby (and I was 35 years old) until I went looking for support, so what did these people know anyway? I knew what was best and so do you!

[Madalyn]

I had absolutely no problems bf'ing after mine. He nursed as soon as I got back from the operating room.

[corrieoseal]

I had a c-section and no problems BFing my DD. (We're still going strong at 15 months.) This was despite the fact that it was over two hours before I was able to see her and attempt nursing. The nurses said she had a "hoover maneuver" sucking reflex and my milk came in on the third day. I only wanted to add my story as reassurance that even if your hospital policy is to separate mother and infant during the recovery period, a successful BFing relationship is entirely possible. Good luck!

[The4OfUs]

I had 2 c-sections, am hypothyroid, and I nursed successfully both times.

Arm yourself with knowledge of the common pitfalls, what normal newborn nursing is like, and be prepared for common problems, and things will likely be fine.

[EviesMom]

I have had one csection and one HBAC. I breastfed after both, and while the HBAC was easier to begin breastfeeding, I really think that's because DS was a second nursling, so at least I knew what I was doing by then.

Generally, speaking, it's completely do-able, but milk may take longer to come in, and it took more messing about with pillows and props after the c. (Obviously, some nursing pairs have insurrmountable problems, but I suspect those cases would have been nearly/just as difficult if the baby had been born vaginally too).

In my case, I found a nursing pillow really invaluable to keep her up off the scar and keep me from needing to hunch over. And we did 1 day of formula in the hospital, with a dropper, because her weight was dropping faster than was healthy. I don't think anything else was substantially more difficult, nursing-wise. And c-sectioned DD went on to CLW at almost 5!

[Maxine45]

It was fine.
I was always nervous to wind up in c-section (which I did, the 2nd time last May) just because of the fear that nursing would be too hard but it was just fine.
The incision was much lower than I expected and didn't get hurt by nursing. The baby did "step on" my incision area a couple times and that hurt, but it had nothing to do with nursing.
And yes the pain meds were the same: percocet and advil.