Breastfeeding after a Cesarean - Did you have any problems, Success stories, how long did it take for your milk to come in? Please share your thoughts/experiences ~ Here are some stories and tips - Nearly one in three births is a cesarean birth, in the United States. Many of these cesareans are unexpected, so it is a good idea to get as educated as you can about the procedure before your baby arrives. A cesarean birth versus a vaginal birth can impact the breastfeeding experience. Mothers who have eagerly anticipated a vaginal birth may feel disappointed because their expectations haven’t been met, and they may even be afraid they have “failed” at giving birth which leads to thinking they may “fail” at breastfeeding as well. You may have concerns, but there is no reason that nursing can’t be successful for the mother who has had a c-section. Breastfeeding can help normalize the experience of an operative birth! Initiation of breastfeeding is often delayed, because mothers who have delivered via c-section often need some extra time to recover before they physically feel like holding and nursing their baby. As soon as they are fully alert after surgery and able to hold their baby, they CAN begin to breastfeed. Mothers who have an epidural rather than general anesthesia are generally able to hold the baby sooner and nursing them for a longer period of time initially. Nursing as soon as you can has great advantages for mothers who have had a cesarean, and the same goes for mothers who deliver vaginally. It promotes bonding, provides stimulation to bring your milk in faster, releases the oxytocin hormone and helps the uterus contract along with providing your baby with the immunological advantages of colostrum and takes advantage of the fact that the newborn’s sucking urge is the strongest in his/her first couple of hours after being born. And, there is an extra advantage for the mother who had a cesarean: Nursing during the brief period of time before the regional anesthetic wears off provides a time of pain free, more comfortable nursing during the baby’s first feedings at the breast! If you find that you are having a difficult time finding a comfortable position in which to nursing without putting pressure on your incision try the side lying position, it is often preferred during the first day or so after surgery. Be sure to have some comfortable blankets, towels, and or pillows before you position to nurse, you’ll want them for comfort. It is recommended that you discuss the options of general versus regional anesthesia before surgery. Often in elective cesareans, regional anesthesia is an option and mothers are able to breastfeed sooner. Even if general anesthesia is used and putting the baby to the breast is delayed, there is no reason that the nursing couple can’t make up for lost time once they are together. Here are some tips from fellow breastfeeding moms that you may want to think about or try. 1. Be patient and do everything possible to help your milk come in. You need to give your hormones and body some time to catch up. Don’t stress, that won’t help your milk come in, just try to relax as much as you can and soak in every amazing moment with your newborn baby. 2. Nursing your baby as much as possible. Whether there is milk or not, nothing stimulates milk production like your baby’s natural sucking reflex. 3. Take a fenugreek supplement and drink mother milk tea often. 4. Go topless and have as much skin to skin contact with your baby as possible. This helps trigger your hormones to produce more milk. 5. Have a support team in place
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 18:45:59 +0000
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