You can breastfeed successfully after a caesarean birth.
If you are well enough, you will be supported to breastfeed in the operating or recovery room as soon as possible after birth.
The sooner you can hold your baby skin-to-skin and breastfeed, the better for both of you.
Skin-to-skin contact
Have skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible after the caesarean birth.
This will help you:
- find a breastfeeding position you like
- attach your baby comfortably to your breast
- bond with your baby
- stimulate your body to produce breastmilk
If you are unwell after birth, your partner or another family member can hold your baby skin-to-skin until you are ready to.
Benefits of skin-to-skin contact with newborns
Breastfeeding positions
You and your baby may have to try a few ways to find a comfortable position after a caesarean birth.
Ask your midwife to help you position yourself and lift your baby out of their cot on the first day. In time, your birth partner can also help you.
Many maternity units have baby cots that attach to your bed safely. This makes it easy for you to move your baby without needing to ask for help.
The laid-back position, side-lying position or football hold are good breastfeeding positions to try.
Tips for finding a comfortable breastfeeding position
Do
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make sure you have plenty of towels and pillows before you position your baby to feed - you’ll find them useful for support
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put a rolled towel next to your wound to protect it in case your baby kicks
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place a rolled-up towel behind your baby when they’re attached - this can stop them from pulling away when they relax during the feed
Side-lying position
Put a pillow between your knees and another behind your back - this can help reduce the strain on your back and tummy muscles
Use the side-rail on the bed when rolling over to feed from the other side.
Laid-back position
In the laid-back position, you can easily position your baby so that their feet do not touch your wound.
By laying their tummy on your body, your baby is well supported and can latch more deeply.
Football hold
Put your feet up on a low, toddler-type stool. This will bring your knees up and improve comfort.
Use pillows under your knees, arms and behind your lower back for more support as needed.
Sleepy baby
Babies born by caesarean section may be a little sleepy. They may need some extra encouragement to stay alert during the first few feeds.
Skin-to-skin contact will encourage them to latch and feed more often. You can keep your baby stimulated during a feed by compressing your breasts. Ask your midwife to help with getting your baby to feed if they are sleepy.
If your baby does not attach well, you can express your first breast milk (colostrum). You can feed this to your baby using a syringe (dropper). You need to express every 2 hours until your baby is latching on and feeding well.
Your milk coming in may be delayed by a day or so because of the caesarean birth. Do not worry, your colostrum will meet all your baby’s needs until your milk comes in. Frequent skin-to-skin contact and hand expressing will help to bring in milk sooner. Drinking lots of water will also help.
You can also give your baby colostrum harvested during pregnancy as needed.
Pain relief
A caesarean section is a major surgery. Be sure to take the right amount of pain relief. You will be more comfortable breastfeeding if your pain is managed.
You can take most commonly used medicines during breastfeeding. The medicines you take pass into your milk in very small amounts. All the medicines you are given in the hospital are checked to be compatible with breastfeeding.
By the time your milk comes in you may find that you can manage with lighter pain relief. For example, ibuprofen or paracetamol.
If you have any concerns, talk to your midwife or obstetrician.
Weight loss
Most babies lose weight after a cesarean birth. Your baby will begin to gain weight as your milk production increases.
How to tell if your newborn is getting enough milk
Get support
After a caesarean birth, your hospital stay will be longer than for other births. Use this extra time to rest as much as possible and get help with breastfeeding positions.
For the first few weeks you will likely find it difficult to move around, get up, sit down, and sometimes even cough or laugh.
Allow others to do as many of the other baby and household tasks as possible. It allows you to focus your energy on healing and breastfeeding.