Difficulties Breastfeeding after C Section

[tcr]

Hi everyone! Wanted to reach out if anyone on here has successfully breastfed after a C-section? I’m a first time momma and have been stressed to find out that my baby hasn’t been getting enough milk from me so his pediatrician recommended to top off with formula.

We are on day 9 PP and when I squeeze my boob, I do so a lil bit of milk. I have met with a lactation consultant about triple feeding (breastfeeding, bottle w/ formula, then pumping). I don’t want to seem like a bad mom but I feel like pumping after each feeding session after breastfeeding seems so exhausting and I’m barely getting any sleep. I know I have to also focus on my body going through a major surgery.

Looking for any suggestions to bring milk in or any words of encouragement. Thank you so so much!

 

[thiago]

@tcr You aren’t a bad mom, whichever way you end up feeding your child. Triple feeding is exhausting. It takes a while for your milk to come in, and it sounds like yours is in and just taking a bit to be enough for your kiddo. Pediatricians are anxious about getting kids back to their birth weight and beyond, so once yours is back there, you can probably start to lay off the triple feeds.

For what it’s worth, I had a c-section and breastfed (and still do) my (now-5 month old) son. The beginning few weeks are really hard. Give yourself some grace and some love.

 

[tcr]

@thiago Appreciate this, thank you so much!!

 

[charles1992]

@tcr 2 sections. Breastfed for 4 years/20months tandem. No issues whatsoever.

 

[tcr]

@charles1992 Oh okay! Was there any delay in your milk coming in?

 

[jjhgfghfjhgghh]

@tcr Hi there,

Just another person chiming in to say I was in the same boat. Others have covered the main points you were asking about BUT

I just wanted to say that we aren’t taught about how traumatic/difficult deliveries can massively affect our supply and it can take a while for bodies to be in a position where supply is levelled out. Me and my fellow breastfeeding mums who had challenging deliveries all had different challenges, but we all got there and found our way in time.

The main thing I want to say is to please try to be kind to yourself, your body is currently healing from a major abdominal surgery, learning to care for this new baby, AND you are breastfeeding. This is HUGE! I remember it being a completely exhausting time as others have said. I also remember getting to a point where I was being really unkind to myself and I realised no one else was being unkind or judgemental. I had to really listen to my cheerleaders when things were immensely hard.

 

[charles1992]

@tcr For my first (son, emergency section) my milk came in after 2 days and for my daughter (elective) there was no delay.

 

[rusticray05]

@tcr I did the whole triple feeding thing after my c section. Baby has been EBF for 10 weeks now

 

[tcr]

@rusticray05 Oh great to know! Thank you so much, were you triple feeding each feed?

 

[rusticray05]

@tcr Most but not all. I used about 9oz of formula for a couple of overnight feeds where I was way too tired to get the pump out. But I was mostly giving the breast milk that I pumped in the bottle.

 

[jaybrass]

@tcr You aren’t a bad mom. Did they do a weighted feed to make sure it was supply vs transfer?

I triple fed after my c/s. It was exhausting. I would get my husband or mother in law to feed the baby while I pumped, then I’d save my milk until I got enough for a bottle. Sometimes my husband wasn’t able to get up with me (he was working), so it’d take me forever to get done. I had to do power pumping for a week, etc. until my supply increased and baby transferred better (mine was both issues).

We still typically do 1 formula bottle a day just bc he now sleeps through the night, and I had to sacrifice my supply a bit for my sleep when I went back to work. He is 5 months now.

I’m a pediatrician for full disclosure so I firmly believe there is no wrong answer, just the best choice for having a healthy baby and mama.

If you want to try pumping, I’d recommend at least doing it for one of the middle of the night feeds or an early morning feed (aim from 3-7 am). This is when prolactin is highest so it is the best bang for buck. If you can make it a power pump, even better. Make sure your flange size is good. Also hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I still drink BodyArmor Lyte at work in addition to water.

 

[mrjeff]

@tcr Loads of people, including myself breastfeed after a c. It's hard any way you cut it. There's no circumstance in which parenting is easy. If you are serious about breastfeeding (providing your baby with the best, tailor-made nutrition) then I would caution you not to get into a top up cycle and to pump after every feed if you think your initial supply has been affected by your formula use. Its exhausting, because everything about having a newborn is exhausting. Find ways to make it easier like leaning on your partner to help with cleaning pump parts.

 

[jbeasley863]

@tcr Give the triple a go you're right it is exhausting, and there were nights where I'd be up crying. But in the end the extra effort was worth it. And you can pull back on the triple feeding once the milk comes in better. I'm a first time mom with c-section as well. My LO wasn't latching well and my supply was really low at the beginning.

Trust your body to get there and during the hard times just remember it's temporary and if you need a break just take a break and keep working at it. You've got this

 

[gssm2819]

@jbeasley863 Agreed! I’m also a first time mom who had a c-section and we triple-fed for a little less than a month. At some point, my milk came in and my daughter as been EBF for the last few months.

You’re so right - it’s a lot. But it can be done if it’s something you want to try! I can’t believe my baby is exclusively breastfed with how this journey started, but I’m really happy I stuck with it. Sending you all the encouragement and positive vibes! Just know that fed is best

 

[brownette]

@jbeasley863 Also you can bottle feed and pump simultaneously - it's what I do every time I feed (I don't bother putting my kiddo to my boob anymore for various reasons). It cuts down on the time some

Also use the fridge hack to save time with dishes

 

[agree]

@tcr I'm in the same boat, FTM with unplanned cesarean, still trying to exclusively breastfeed at more than 3 weeks postpartum. It seems like my milk will never fully come in or be enough to feed my baby. I see the comments suggesting triple feeding, I've been doing similar but not every feeding and not in the right order. Our guy had lost a lot of weight and our goal was to get him back to where he needed to be so we were "bottle feeding" first (quotations because we're tube feeding while he's on the breast to avoid nipple confusion because I'd like to EBF) to make sure he's getting enough and we're using milk I've pumped as well as donor milk. I pump after all daytime feeds but I guess I need to do it after night feeds too, and I'll just have to insist he breastfeed before getting the bottle.

 

[mrhopeful]

@tcr All bodies are different! I was expressing for a month before I was induced (and then failed to progress so I had a cesarean) so my milk came in on day three but now I’m having a separate issue of painfully engorged breasts and accidentally choking my baby. It’s been scary. Not to mention my baby still lost 8% weight after birth. We still almost supplemented. I was pumping and expressing and breastfeeding every hour at the hospital. I broke down crying and still do bc I am trying so hard to keep up

 

[stonesoffire]

@tcr Almost 19 weeks post c section and EBF! Lost 10% birth weight but baby seemed content and no signs of hunger so I didn’t supplement. Weight was up a week later when milk came in. Don’t stress

 

[christopherkeb]

@tcr For another perspective my babe was in the NICU. Once he got a feeding tube inserted I pretty much stopped putting him to breast and just pumped milk. Later one once we were home at 2 weeks we started slowly introducing the breast again. By 6 weeks we mostly were at the breast with one bottle a day for meds. At roughly 8 weeks we got rid of the one bottle a day and went totally to nursing.

So maybe for the time being (while you are healing a bit, getting your footing with a new babe and getting your supply up) you can just pump (8-10 times a day/ when babe eats) and top off with formula. Then once weight is no longer an issue and your supply is up/ you are healed up more you can bring babe back to breast? Just an idea. Babe will be bigger then and more effective at removing milk. There is the risk of developing a bottle preference (mine little guy never did but I think that's because even though he mostly bottle fed for 6 weeks we still practiced at the breast).

Whatever the case if your goal is to nurse babe at the breast I have a great pdf on how to bottle feed in a manner that helps prevent bottle preferences and support nursing at the breast.

Good luck momma! You got this!

 

[tcr]

@christopherkeb Thanks for sharing!! Could you share that PDF?