Breastfeeding after C-section

Discuss keeping the baby skin-to-skin until first nursing to your healthcare provider during your pregnancy.

Ask if the hospital has a lactation consultant on hand and arrange them to meet with you after you shift to the recovery room.

Keep the baby skin-to-skin right after birth. Ask your partner to hold the baby skin-to-skin if you are unable to do so right after the surgery.

Early and frequent breastfeeding to establish a good milk supply.

Keep the baby in the same room as you.

Taking pain medication to avoid feeling uncomfortable while breastfeeding.

Avoid the use of artificial nipples like pacifiers and bottles as it interferes with breastfeeding.

Avoid supplementing unless medically necessary.

Breastfeed in comfortable nursing positions for c-section like football hold and side lying position.

Hand express the milk and give it to the baby in a cup or feeding syringe, if the baby needs to be away from you.

Accept help from family and friends.

Keep the baby skin-to-skin right after birth.

Current research strongly suggests keeping the baby skin-to-skin right after birth. If you are unable to hold the baby skin-to-skin for medical reasons, your partner may hold the baby skin-to-skin until you feel better.

Early and frequent breastfeeding to establish a good milk supply.

Early and frequent skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding brings you and your baby emotionally closer. Breastfeeding helps you emotionally bond with your baby while recovering from a major surgery and gives you the satisfaction that you are giving your newborn the very best, which no one else can do for the baby.

Keep the baby in the same room as you.

Keep the baby in the same room as you so you can respond to the hunger cues of the baby early. Holding the baby skin-to-skin is all that’s needed for him to nurse well.

Taking pain medication to make breastfeeding comfortable.

Breastfeeding becomes comfortable when the pain from incision is controlled with the use of pain medication. Pain relief medication for c-section is compatible with breastfeeding even during the newborn period.

Avoid pacifiers and bottles as it interferes with breastfeeding.

If the doctor recommends formula for medical reasons, request them to be given via cup or feeding syringe rather than a bottle to avoid the risk of nipple confusion. Bottles and pacifiers in the early weeks interfere with the baby’s ability to learn to breastfeed.

Avoid supplementing unless medically necessary.

If it is medically necessary to formula feed the baby for medical reasons, request it to be given via cup or feeding syringe rather than a bottle to avoid the risk of nipple confusion. Continue to pump every 2 hours to have the milk supply established.

Breastfeed in comfortable nursing positions for C-section like football hold and side lying position.

Side Lying and Football hold are comfortable breastfeeding positions after C-section good choices while your incision is healing.

Hand express the milk and give it to the baby in a cup or feeding syringe, if the baby needs to be away from you.

If the baby needs to be away from you in the NICU for medical reasons, hand express the milk and give it to the baby in a cup or feeding syringe rather than a bottle so that the baby doesn’t prefer the bottle over the breast. Drinking from a bottle is easier and faster and doesn’t require much effort from the baby compared to the breast. So, if babies get used to the bottle before they master the skill of latching and drinking from the breast, they would fuss when put to breast and rather prefer a bottle.

Accept help from family and friends

It takes time to heal and recover from a surgery and learn the skill of breastfeeding. Feel free to ask help from family and friends.