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Breast Buddies Natural Parenting And Breastfeeding Support Forum. Attachment Parenting
Welcome to Breast Buddies. Friendly breastfeeding forum to help mothers and mothers to be.
Login or sign up today!

Breastfeeding tip : Recognising a growth spurt

* You feel as though you haven't got enough
* Baby getting upset at the breast (though can be a sign of other common problems)
* Baby is breastfeeding often or almost nonstop (feel like baby is always wanting to feed)
* A baby who was previously sleeping through the night is now waking to breast feed several times
* Baby will latch and unlatch, fussing in between

Please join today for support and advice.



To get rid of the ads please join free today! Smile
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Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth?

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Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth? Empty Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth?

Post by Kasia80 Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:38 pm

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/cesarean.html

Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth?

Yes, it is certainly possible to breastfeed after a cesarean. Whether you know about the cesarean in advance or not, you would be prudent to begin planning for the possibility of unexpected interventions. A smooth birth contributes to a smooth breastfeeding experience, so when you take advance measures to prevent difficulties from birth complications, breastfeeding can succeed more easily.
You can put together a "birth plan" that outlines your desires and expectations regarding your baby's birth and the hospital stay. Perhaps someone at the hospital, such as a lactation consultant or midwife, may be able to help you with this. Sometimes such personnel have templates of birth plans that you can work from. If not, you can create one on your own. Books such as The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth by William and Martha Sears, many of which are available from the LLL Online Store, can help you devise a birth plan for yourself. Discuss the birth plan with your physician and get his or her signature on it. Make copies for your physician, for the hospital, and to keep with you when you go to deliver your baby.
As you prepare for your baby's birth, a good question for your doctor would be "What kind of anesthetics are available and under what conditions do you prescribe them?" If you know you are having a cesarean, an epidural, rather than a general anesthetic, can leave you alert, so that you can breastfeed immediately after birth in the delivery room. However, you may need assistance, from your partner, a doula, or a nurse. Following a cesarean, the IV, your incision and hospital equipment may restrict your movements, so that you may need to breastfeed lying flat on your back. Having someone arrange pillows to support you and the baby, or actually holding the baby in place, can make it more comfortable for you to breastfeed right away.
In the first few hours after your baby's birth you may need extra assistance, especially if you had a cesarean. Find out if the baby's father or another person can stay with you and the baby in your room so that you can have help in lifting the baby, changing position, changing diapers, and so forth. You'll be surprised how quickly you can be up and around after the cesarean, but there is definitely a time period when your ability to move around is quite restricted. Having a person in your room to assist you can allow unrestricted breastfeeding of your baby. This can be a key to getting breastfeeding off to a good start and help you to avoid engorgement.
Typically, the medications you may be given following a cesarean birth (pain medications and antibiotics) are compatible with breastfeeding. By the time your milk comes in, you may no longer need pain medication. During the early days, you can ask to skip or postpone doses of pain medication if you feel you can do without. Ask your physician if you could try taking over the counter analgesics, such as you would take for a headache. Take enough medication so that you are comfortable. This will help to keep your baby alert and better able to nurse frequently and effectively.
Positioning can be another challenge right after a cesarean. Lots of pillows to support the baby and to support your body in various positions can be your most valuable breastfeeding "accessories." Rolled up towels or blankets can also be used. You may find that your body is tender at the site of the incision and that you cannot move and change positions as easily as usual. Hospital beds, IV lines, and monitors may interfere with your freedom of movement and with your ability to position yourself and your baby for comfortable breastfeeding. You may need to experiment with various positions to see what will work best for you. The FAQ How Do I Position My Baby to Breastfed? includes descriptions of the side-lying position as well as the "clutch" or football hold position which many mothers who have had a cesarean find helpful. See the "Resources" section at the end of this FAQ for additional references.
As you make your plans for your birth, attend a La Leche League Group in your area for additional information and support. To find a Leader of a local Group, check out the section of our Web site entitled Finding a Local LLL Group. You will meet mothers who have had many different birthing experiences.
Kasia80
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Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth? Empty Re: Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth?

Post by Kasia80 Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:40 pm

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T021400.asp

BREASTFEEDING AFTER A CESAREAN

Studies show that women whose babies are born by cesarean surgery are just as successful at breastfeeding as mothers who deliver vaginally, as long as their commitment to breastfeeding remains high. It may, however, take a bit longer for mothers and babies to begin breastfeeding after cesarean surgery, and mothers' milk tends to come in a bit later following a surgical birth. This may be a direct result of the surgery, or it may be because mothers who have cesareans have fewer opportunities for early and frequent breastfeeding.
If you know before you go into labor that you will be having a cesarean, talk to your doctor ahead of time about holding and nursing your baby immediately after the birth. Even if your cesarean was not the birth you anticipated, you can still make the most of the your baby's first feedings. You will need extra help, since you're doing double duty: healing yourself and feeding your baby. Try these time-tested helpers for successfully breastfeeding following a surgical birth:


  • Ask to see and hold your baby as soon as possible after birth. With help from nurses and your partner, you can enjoy skin-to-skin contact and give your baby an opportunity to nuzzle at your breast.
  • Plan to breastfeed your baby in the recovery room before the anesthesia wears off. With help from nurses, or your partner, you can put baby to the breast even if you must lie flat in bed.
  • Your doctor can prescribe pain medication for you that will not affect your baby. Pain suppresses milk production and makes it harder for you to enjoy your newborn. To decrease postoperative pain, talk to your anesthesiologist about using medications that will help you feel the most comfortable, yet alert, after the surgery. Long-acting analgesics (for example, Duramorph) injected into the spinal tubing immediately after birth can considerably ease postoperative pain.
  • Discuss with your doctor the use of "patient-controlled analgesia" (PCA) in which you administer your own pain-relieving medication as you need relief. Don't hesitate to use pain medication--you and your baby will enjoy each other more if you are comfortable.
  • Plan to breastfeed early and often. When baby is hungry or fussing, have one of your attendants (either the nurse or your spouse), bring baby to you and help you position his body and mouth for efficient latch-on.
  • Ask your lactation consultant or attending nurse to show you how to breastfeed in the side-lying and clutch-hold positions. These positions keep baby's weight off your incision. Lying down while nursing helps you rest and relax.
  • When nursing in the side-lying position, comfortably surround yourself with pillows. Place one or two pillows between your back and the side-rail, another pillow between your knees, a pillow under your head, and one under baby. To support your incision while lying on your side, wedge a tummy pillow (a small, foam cushion or even a folded bath towel) between the bed and your abdomen.
  • If you sit up in bed to nurse your baby, use lots of pillows to support your body. Put pillows under your knees to take the strain off your abdomen and back. Pillows on your lap under baby will protect your incision. You may find nursing sessions more comfortable if you get out of bed and sit in a chair.
  • Be sure your partner watches how the professionals help you breastfeed. Have them show him how to help you in the hospital and later on at home. It's especially important for dads to learn how to help you with the lower-lip flip.
  • As much as possible, keep your baby with you in your room after a cesarean. Rooming- in is possible, even after a surgical birth. Get help from dad, grandma, or a friend - someone who can be with you most of the time in the hospital and lend a hand with the baby.
  • The decisions and details surrounding a cesarean birth may seem overwhelming at times. Don't let this distract you from your precious time with your new baby. Do whatever you can to enjoy these first few days together.
Kasia80
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Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth? Empty Re: Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth?

Post by Kasia80 Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:43 pm

http://www.2coolbaby.com/Documents/brstcesarean.htm


Breastfeeding After a Cesarean
by Anne Smith, [email]anne@breastfeeding-basics.com[/email]
http://www.breastfeeding-basics.com
Anne Smith is an IBCLC &endash; International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and La Leche Leader since 1978. More importantly, she is a mother to 6 breast fed kids with twenty plus years experience of counseling nursing mothers. Her site, www.BreastfeedingBasics.com[color:e2c5=#000000:e2c5] , provides expert advice and solutions to breast-feeding problems and gives basic information on how to breast feed. Anne also features her recommended breast feeding products and breast pumps. [/size]



In the United States, nearly one in four births is a cesarean birth. Many of these cesareans are unexpected, so it is a good idea for the expectant mother to become informed and educated about the procedure before her baby arrives. An operative birth versus a vaginal birth can impact the breastfeeding experience in several ways. Mothers who have eagerly anticipated a vaginal birth may feel disappointed and inadequate because their expectations haven’t been met, and they may even be afraid that because they “failed” at giving birth, they may also “fail” at breastfeeding. These concerns are unfounded, because 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 new baby. As soon as they are fully conscious and alert and able to hold the baby, they can begin breastfeeding. Mothers who have epidural rather than general anesthesia are generally able to hold the baby sooner and nurse him for a longer period of time initially.
Nursing as soon as possible after birth has advantages for mothers who have had cesareans just as it does for mothers who deliver vaginally. It promotes bonding, provides stimulation to bring the milk in sooner, releases the hormone oxytocin to help the uterus contract, provides the baby with the immunological advantages of colostrum, and takes advantage of the fact that the newborn’s sucking urge is strongest in the first couple of hours after birth. There is an extra advantage for the cesarean mother: 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.
Babies born via c-section may be somewhat drowsy and lethargic, especially if the mother was exposed to anesthetics for a prolonged period of time during labor. This doesn’t mean that breastfeeding won’t be successful, but it can mean that the milk may take a little longer to come in than it would after a vaginal birth. The baby may need some extra encouragement and stimulation in order to stay alert during feedings (see article on “Waking the Sleepy Baby”), but this period of lethargy generally only lasts a short time.
Many mothers are worried that the medications prescribed for them after delivery will adversely affect their babies. Both the antibiotics and the medication used for pain relief are usually not a problem, and are routinely given to the mothers of newborns. Although these medications do pass into the milk in very small amounts, the volume of colostrum or milk produced during the first few days of nursing is small, so the amount ingested by the baby is minimal. Mothers should be encouraged to take the smallest amount of pain medication they need in order to stay as comfortable as possible in the post-operative period, but there is no reason to try to be a martyr and not take the medication at all. It will not harm the baby, and mothers who have had a surgical birth often need the extra rest they get when their pain is managed. By the time the milk is fully in, they often find that they don’t need as much medication as they did in the very beginning.
C-section moms need to be aware that antibiotics are routinely given after a cesarean, and may cause an overgrowth of yeast that can result not only in a vaginal yeast infection, but also thrush in the baby’s mouth or diaper area, as well as on the nipples. Mothers should become familiar with the signs, symptoms, and treatments for yeast so that if the problem does develop, they can treat it promptly and nip it in the bud. (See article on “Information Sheet and Care Plan for Yeast (Candida)”).
Mothers who have had surgical deliveries often find it difficult to find a comfortable position in which to nurse without putting pressure on their incision. If epidural anesthesia is used, they are usually awake during the birth and can nurse on the delivery table in the operating room. In this case, they will need help in positioning the baby because they will be nursing on their backs and one or both arms may be restrained due to the placement of the IVs.
The side lying position is often preferred during the first day or so after surgery. The mother should turn slowly on hr side, and put a rolled up towel next to the incision in case the baby kicks. The baby should be placed on his side facing the body, chest-to-chest. He should always be directly facing the breast so that he doesn’t have to turn his head to nurse. A rolled up towel placed behind the baby can help keep him from pulling off the breast as he relaxes during the feeding. Putting a pillow under her knees can help reduce the strain on the stomach muscles and support the back. She can use the side rails to help her roll over when she is ready to offer the other breast. The hospital nurse can be a big help with these early feedings, because it can be challenging to find a comfortable position in the early days after surgery.
The football, or clutch hold, can also be a more comfortable alternative to the traditional cradle hold. The baby should rest on a pillow and be held along the side. If the cradle hold is used, the baby can rest on a pillow that covers the tender incision. Many mothers find that the cradle hold is more comfortable after the first few days of recovery from surgery, but not in the very beginning.
It is just as important to make sure the baby is latched on correctly after a cesarean birth as it is after a vaginal birth. Making sure that the baby opens wide and latches on well behind the nipple and not just on the tip can help avoid nipple soreness and facilitate effective milk transfer.
If the mother knows that she will be delivering via c-section before the birth, she can make choices in advance that will facilitate breastfeeding. She can choose a hospital that has policies supportive of breastfeeding, such as not routinely giving bottles and allowing rooming in. She should find out how much time she and her baby will be allowed to spend together. Rooming in offers several advantages. Extra help will be needed in caring for the baby, so it is a good idea to find out in advance if there is the option of a private room that allows the father or other family member to stay with mother and baby around the clock.
Some hospitals have policies that require that babies born via c-section spend the first 24 hours in the nursery under observation, although the trend in most hospitals over the past few years has been to separate mothers and babies as little as possible. If the hospital has such a policy, and the baby is healthy, the mother can discuss the possibility of waiving this requirement with her doctor. If the baby has medical problems that require observation after birth, she should ask about the availability of electric breast pumps on the maternity floor, and pump as soon after birth as possible and every couple of hours after that. Pumping will help stimulate the milk supply, prevent engorgement, and provide valuable colostrum that can be fed to the baby in the nursery until mother and baby can be together again.
It is recommended that the mother 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.
The hospital stay will be longer after a cesarean than after a vaginal delivery. The mother should use this extra time to get help with finding a comfortable position to nurse, and get as much rest as possible. Once she returns home, she should establish a nursing station (see article on “Establishing Breastfeeding: Starting Off Right”). Since she is recovering from surgery as well as adjusting to life with a new baby, it makes sense to take it easy, limit visitors, and take advantage of family members and friends who want to help.
There is no reason that mothers can’t nurse their babies successfully and for as long as they want, even though they do have to overcome some additional challenges in the beginning after a cesarean birth.
Kasia80
Kasia80

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Post by kay Sun Oct 07, 2007 7:17 am

You know my hospital payed no attention to my birth plan - but luckily i had a natural birth for both and uncleaned baby was put straight to my chest and i was able to feed almost immediately.

I went to visit a friend yesterday who has a LO 6 months old. She was really ill at end of PG and had emergency C-section at 36 weeks under general anesthetic. She was really poorly he wasnt brilliant and they didnt see each other for 2 days.
When they did meet she didnt feel like he was hers, and really struggled to bond. She had always been determined to BF, and managed to get this established with the support of good MWs.
Unfortunately she continied with the bonding issues, and developed severe PND, and really didnt enjoy the BF - which she thinks should have helped her bond more but didnt.
She weaned him onto bottles at 3 months - he didnt want to - but she was at the end of the line basically.
When we visited yesterday, both baby and mummy were doing well, and he was enjoying his first tastes of homecooked veggies.
Sorry its a bit long winded, but i feel this story was appropriate to this info xxx
kay
kay
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Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth? Empty Re: Is it possible to breastfeed after a cesarean birth?

Post by Kasia80 Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:33 am

Yes, Kay, thank you... :aww:
Kasia80
Kasia80

Female Number of posts : 4575
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Tell us about yourself : \"If breastfeeding in public makes people uneasy because the breasts are considered sexual, then bottle-feeding must be the equivalent of whipping out a dildo\"
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Post by ldnug Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:19 pm

On a more positive note I had ac-section with Emily and had skin to skin within 15 mins(which I did have to insist on). She fed well and although finding a comfortable position was more difficult - with plenty of cushions and support early on I didn't have much trouble.

I was in an equal amount of discomfort when I had my first baby naturally - infact sitting to feed was more uncomfortable!!

The best advise I can give is to insist on skin to skin asap - obviously this is difficult if the baby is in distress or there are complications but most mothers will mange to do this. My hospital initially said - wait until u are on the ward and more comfortable but they did respect my wishes!
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Post by Jemmy Bloocher Sat Feb 23, 2008 7:59 pm

I know this is an old topic now (somewhat), but thought I'd reply in case any new mums to be look in on it. I had c-sections with my 3, the first being an emergency one after which I was separated from my son for a while (he was in scbu for 10 days) and I managed to breastfeed them all very successfully (still on number 3). I do think it takes determination whichever way you give birth, but once it all 'clicks' it is worth all the pains and aggro on the way.
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Post by Natasha Sat Feb 23, 2008 8:10 pm

:aww: I think you very right!

Well done!! :aww:
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