by Eve Smith

Created on: February 07, 2008

While pregnant, I had made the decision to exclusively breastfeed my baby and searched for all the information I could while awaiting the arrival of my son. When the time came for delivery, I was scared and fretful about having to have an emergency C-section. I had read that breastfeeding after a C-section was even more difficult than after a vaginal birth. My heart was just set on breastfeeding though, so I made sure the doctors and nurses knew my choice.

Luckily, I was at a very understanding hospital with knowledgeable staff. After I was cleared to see my baby for the first time after the medications had worn off, a nurse sat with me and explained what I needed to do. She was very patient and helped me position my son in the correct feeding position that was the least painful. It was one of the scariest and most treasured moments of my life.

My experience taught me a few things that I believe other C-section moms might find helpful.
1) Use a bobby pillow! The incision from the surgery is very painful for the first few days and the bobby pillow allows you to hold your baby in a correct feeding position without pain and pressure on your incision. My son was a big baby so this was a tremendous help for me.
2) Ask lots of questions. I found the nurses to be the most helpful during my hospital stay. They were willing to take the time to explain or demonstrate what was needed. I, personally, found them more helpful than the lactation consultants, because the nurses were more patient and had seen almost everything. (I called the hospital lactation consultant a "lactation Nazis" because she barked orders, lacked patience, and expected me to get the hang of it instantly.)
3) Try everything. I, too, found that my milk did not come in as quickly due to having a C-section and with a large baby, found that this was not acceptable to him. My son cried and cried and started to refuse my breast because he was not getting enough to satisfy his hunger in the hospital. I knew that if he refused to suckle, I would fail to produce the milk he needed, and I would not be able to breastfeed. The nurse suggested I drop formula on my nipple right before I attached him so that he would continue to latch on and help with the milk production. This helped immensely and allowed me to soon exclusively breastfeed my baby, without the worries of poor weight gain.
4) Use Dad. If you are fortunate enough to be married to a man who is eager to help; let him. While you are recovering from the surgery of a C-section, let your baby's daddy help you with as much as possible. Daddy can change diapers, bring baby to you in bed to nurse, put baby back in crib, etc. This is a way for dad to bond with baby as much as an opportunity to give you a little bit of a much needed rest.
4) Enjoy it. I know this is a hard thing to do when you are fighting with recovery, a screaming baby and sore nipples, but believe me when I say it gets better. Any mom that has ever breastfed will tell you that the first few weeks are the toughest, but if you get past that pain and discomfort, the lasting rewards are numerous. It is a miracle to breastfeed your baby, and an excellent way to bond in a way only you and your baby can.

Hang in there. You may not plan the c-section, but you can still stick to your plan of breastfeeding if you try hard enough.

Learn more about this author, Eve Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.