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#1
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
I've just got to ask, I've always wondered, but having had surgery on
Wednesday, I'm reminded just how rough you feel, how immobile you are etc. I think with constant help and constant supervision, I would have been able to breastfeed through this, but I really do mean constant help and supervision, my zonk out times are fairly unpredictable, I don't think it would be safe to help me position a baby then leave me. However, this was hip surgery with two tiny incisions, not major abdominal surgery with a large incision, add in some baby blues and I really can't fathom how anyone manages it, am I missing something? Or is it as close to impossible as I'm imagining and that anyone that does it needs the hugest gold star and pat on the back possible. Anne |
#2
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
LOL... it is close impossible without adequate support/coaching, but
still possible if one is prepared before hand. I'm not sure how long postnatal women stay in the hospital where you are from, I would assume that someone who had a section would be there for at least two days - in the province I live it is a three to four day stay. Clearly during the first 24 hours while recovering from anesthetic someone should be there to help pass you the baby and help position the baby, though it is doubtful that they will stay and supervise the entire feeding. One position that I show people after having a section is laying on one side - nurses or your partner should help position pillows around you for good support (a body pillow is great for this) as well with helping you turn as you would likely be stiff and sore; pull baby in close to you and facing you. She should be cuddled up right against your body, with her head at breast level; on her side with ear, shoulder, and hips all lined up. I would suggest placing a pillow or a rolled receiving blanket over the incision to protect yourself from baby's kicks. I would also place a pillow or rolled blanket behind baby's back to help keep her in place and supported in the event that you do nod off, as well as pulling the side rail up on the bed. You can lean forward and offer baby both breasts on one side or you can put baby on your chest and roll to your other side, then reposition her on that side - all with help of course during the first couple of days. But the beauty of this position is that if you do nod off then there is no worry of dropping the baby! I don't know how well that would work if you have bad hips - it would depend on the nature of the problem I suspect. Another good position is the football/clutch hold. In this position you would have baby facing you and her body is tucked along your side (like a football). Baby's back should be along your forearm and your hand is spread supporting her neck; use pillows or a nursing pillow to bring your baby up to a comfortable height for breast feeding (again nursing staff or a partner should help with this during the first day or two). Be sure the baby doesn't have to arch her neck to drink; and if need be bend her legs up against the back of the bed if you need to move her further back. If your arm gets tired use pillows or rolled blankets to give yourself additional support. And again with the bed rails up, if you nod off the baby will still be safe and sound (always have a pillow or rolled blanket between baby and the bed rail). This is a good position to use after a c-section because the baby isn't over your incision. Without some help during the first 24-48 hours it would be fairly difficult and one would get discouraged easily. But that is why nurses should help you with it... but even if they didn't (which, in my view, means they would be horrible nurses) if you think about it, even without breastfeeding you would still have to manage to pick the baby up and give her a bottle - you still need to find a position that works and worry about zonking out. So you would still have the same problems/concerns. -Jen |
#3
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
Anne Rogers wrote:
I've just got to ask, I've always wondered, but having had surgery on Wednesday, I'm reminded just how rough you feel, how immobile you are etc. The first time, the lactation nurse brought about 14 pillows to cushion me all around and set up a place for Pillbug to lay. The second time, I had a pillow across my tummy and put the baby there. You do need help for someone to put the baby on and take the baby off of you because you cannot move, but that only lasts a couple of days. It's a lot easier to breastfeed after a c-section than it is to cough. (Coughing or sneezing caused MAJOR PAIN!!!!!!!) -- Anita -- |
#4
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
On Nov 10, 8:14?pm, Anne Rogers wrote:
I've just got to ask, I've always wondered, but having had surgery on Wednesday, I'm reminded just how rough you feel, how immobile you are etc. I think with constant help and constant supervision, I would have been able to breastfeed through this, but I really do mean constant help and supervision, my zonk out times are fairly unpredictable, I don't think it would be safe to help me position a baby then leave me. I think people vary an awful lot in how they react to surgery, but while a C-section is major surgery, in many ways it's not as disabling as some situations. I wasn't zonking out all the time after mine. I did spend a fair amount of time in bed with my sister and husband bringing me the babies, but I was generally pretty alert and not in much pain. I had to be careful with certain moves, but not others. The main problem was that I kept forgetting not to do certain things, just BECAUSE I felt generally fine if I didn't try to use my stomach muscles and what not. I'd say I was definitely less zonked out and less of a mess than after I had my impacted wisdom teeth out, for instance. (I don't do well with sedation. Never had an actual general anesthetic.) --Helen |
#5
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
Anne Rogers wrote:
I've just got to ask, I've always wondered, but having had surgery on Wednesday, I'm reminded just how rough you feel, how immobile you are etc. I think with constant help and constant supervision, I would have been able to breastfeed through this, but I really do mean constant help and supervision, my zonk out times are fairly unpredictable, I don't think it would be safe to help me position a baby then leave me. However, this was hip surgery with two tiny incisions, not major abdominal surgery with a large incision, add in some baby blues and I really can't fathom how anyone manages it, am I missing something? Or is it as close to impossible as I'm imagining and that anyone that does it needs the hugest gold star and pat on the back possible. Am I right in guessing that you were under general anaesthetic for the surgery? I'd guess the unpredictable zonk-outs were down to that rather than the surgery itself, in which case that wouldn't be a factor with most Caesareans. Of course, the soreness and difficulty doing anything physical would be there, but at least if somebody got the baby positioned for you chances are you'd be able to stay awake until the end of the feed and wait for them to put the baby back. All the best, Sarah -- http://www.goodenoughmummy.typepad.com "That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be" - P. C. Hodgell |
#6
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
Am I right in guessing that you were under general anaesthetic for the surgery? I'd guess the unpredictable zonk-outs were down to that rather than the surgery itself, in which case that wouldn't be a factor with most Caesareans. Of course, the soreness and difficulty doing anything physical would be there, but at least if somebody got the baby positioned for you chances are you'd be able to stay awake until the end of the feed and wait for them to put the baby back. I was under a GA, though I think the zonk outs are more to do with painkillers and other drugs. I had surgery on my shoulder about 6 year ago, I was under a GA for the same amount of time but didn't need to take anything but OTC painmeds afterwards (moving it really hurt, but you don't have to move a shoulder!) and I didn't feel any ill effects afterwards. The mention of zonkouts, was more to do with, oh my, not only is every movement going to hurt and every nursing require assistance, but I'm not going to have control of when I go flop either! I suppose the evidence is that it can't on average be as bad as my imaginings are - if it were, the breastfeeding rate among c-section mums would be very different to among non c-section mums, when it doesn't seem there is a dramatic difference - not that I can track down any helpful statistics though. If I engage my brain and think back to the behaviour of the women on the postnatal ward the improvement as the hours passed was noticeable - I think it was the vision of a constant cycle of pain, needing help, feeling tired, feeling drugged that was making it seem so impossible. I think I'd also forgotten the true size of newborns, I just looked up the weight of my laptop and it's apparently 6.2lb and I'm not having a problem moving that in a sensible manner, only if I try and lean over and grab it one handed or something silly like that! Cheers Anne |
#7
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
I think people vary an awful lot in how they react to surgery, but while a C-section is major surgery, in many ways it's not as disabling as some situations. I wasn't zonking out all the time after mine. I did spend a fair amount of time in bed with my sister and husband bringing me the babies, but I was generally pretty alert and not in much pain. I had to be careful with certain moves, but not others. The main problem was that I kept forgetting not to do certain things, just BECAUSE I felt generally fine if I didn't try to use my stomach muscles and what not. Whereas I can't imagine having a 6inch incision across your stomach being forgettable. Maybe my skin doesn't heal normally, I've only ever had laparascopic surgery and there has always been a not insignificant period of time where there has been significant pain from the skin wounds, regardless of what has or hasn't gone on underneath. I'd say I was definitely less zonked out and less of a mess than after I had my impacted wisdom teeth out, for instance. (I don't do well with sedation. Never had an actual general anesthetic.) When I had impacted wisdom teeth out, we discussed sedation and local v. general, the anesthetist reckoned I'd feel worse afterwards from the sedation, which kind of surprised me, I had a GA and though I had some problems afterwards, they were entirely due to the fact one of them was very deep and had needed a fair bit of digging to get at, not the GA. Anne |
#8
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
It's a lot easier to breastfeed after a c-section than it is to cough. (Coughing or sneezing caused MAJOR PAIN!!!!!!!) I can imagine, coughing and laughing isn't necessarily fun after a vaginal birth, though having had 2 with identical tears, I discovered it's not directly related to the tears, but more the general bruising and trauma, my first was very fast, my perineum just pinged over the baby's head, that really hurt afterwards, 2nd time, I got the same tear, I presume due to tissue weakness, but it was after very controlled stretching and releasing of the perineum, I got no pain from that afterwards. Anne |
#9
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
Clearly
during the first 24 hours while recovering from anesthetic someone should be there to help pass you the baby and help position the baby, though it is doubtful that they will stay and supervise the entire feeding. One position that I show people after having a section is laying on one side - nurses or your partner should help position pillows around you for good support (a body pillow is great for this) as well with helping you turn as you would likely be stiff and sore; I think I'd worry more about getting help in the hospital than at home, I was immobile after the birth of my first, as not thinking I was even in labour (induced) they gave me a double dose in the epidural and produced a baby 1.5 hours later, so I couldn't move. I suppose it's possible they didn't realise I was just as incapable, even though I was not in pain and just plonked the baby on top of me, with the call button out of reach and the curtains drawn so I couldn't attract anyone's attention. I guess the moral of that story is always have the call button in reach! If I do have another baby AND I had a c-section, at least I'd have done the breastfeeding bit before, even if they baby hadn't! There is enough variables that I know I don't come out on the good side of, that it probably would be more likely that the experience would be worse than average, such that it probably would be prudent to express some colostrum in advance - but as one of my babies was IUGR, I'd do that anyway, it's an easy enough insurance policy if you have any suspicions you might need to use it. Cheers Anne |
#10
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how on earth do you breastfeed after a c-section
I had a C section, and my daughter was breastfed from the start. I made
sure to pack my breastfeeding pillow when going to the hospital, and then after surgery, I just got the pillow and called the nurse to come pass me the baby when she cried. The incision wasn't really an issue with feeding, more with trying to get the baby and get situated than anything because getting out of bed was a big ordeal. In the daytime, there was generally always someone in the room with me, either her father, or a good friend of mine, or any member of the family after Suppertime. Mine was a planned section too, so that may have made it a little easier for me, I didn't labor for so long, get tired from that, and then have a section. In the hospital here too, they take the babies to the nursery for the first night, and bring them back when they need to be fed, I guess if they're formula fed, then they would feed them too and let the Moms have a full nights sleep. I actually didn't really like that, but at the same time, I was in a fair amount of discomfort and drugged a bit, so I wasn't really in a position to disagree either. I also found that the football hold was great for the first few weeks, I couldn't really hold her properly the other way till later on. Heather "Anne Rogers" wrote in message news I've just got to ask, I've always wondered, but having had surgery on Wednesday, I'm reminded just how rough you feel, how immobile you are etc. I think with constant help and constant supervision, I would have been able to breastfeed through this, but I really do mean constant help and supervision, my zonk out times are fairly unpredictable, I don't think it would be safe to help me position a baby then leave me. However, this was hip surgery with two tiny incisions, not major abdominal surgery with a large incision, add in some baby blues and I really can't fathom how anyone manages it, am I missing something? Or is it as close to impossible as I'm imagining and that anyone that does it needs the hugest gold star and pat on the back possible. Anne |
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