Starting Breastfeeding?

Question

I just had my baby this past tuesday (9-5-06).. it was a very hard labor, I went into labor with the intentions of having a normal vaginal delivery and being able to breast feed my baby when she was born, but things didnt turn out that way.. I ended up having an emergency c-section and i didnt really get to bond with my baby because I got really sick from the medication.. so we ended up bottle feeding her.. my question is, can I still try to breast feed her or is it too late? If not how would I start.. this is my first baby and I have no idea how to breast feed.. please any help would be great!

Answer 1

You are definitely able to still BF. It is going to take a ton of dedication from you and support from your friends and family. You will need to keep your baby at your breast as much as possible. He/she will need to stimulate your milk to come back. You can also try pumping, but rememeber that a pump will not stimulate your breast to make milk like the baby will. Make sure you have your baby start nursing before he/she is overly hungry so you both don't get frustrated. Contact your hospital's lactation consultant for more help :)

Good luck!

Answer 2

YES!

You can still breastfeed. Since you are still within the first few days post-partum, hopefully you won't have too much of a problem getting lactation going.

The first thing I would suggest that you do is contact a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and/or a La Leche League Leader in your area. There is probably an IBCLC at the hospital where you had your baby. You can check the link below to find a LLL Leader. A LLL Leader will help you for FREE and may even be willing to come to your home since your baby is so young.

Start putting your baby to the breast when she is hungry. You want her to open up really wide and you want to get a lot of your areola in there, not just the nipple. If you have problems getting her to latch, you could have someone else stand behind you and dribble a little bit of formula or expressed breastmilk across your nipple and into the corner of your mouth. It might help her figure out that she's supposed to eat this way now. She'll probably need to nurse about every 2 hours around the clock at this age.

I'd suggest stopping all bottles and giving baby any supplements she needs in another way. Spoon, medicine dropper, syringe, small soft cup like comes with a bottle of Pepto....something other than a nipple so that he sucking needs will all be met at the breast. Have lots of skin to skin contact with her.

Some people said you should check to see if you still have milk. Even if you have dried up already (probably not likely w/in the first week) you can still bring your supply back in. To do that, you need to stimulate your breasts! Putting baby to the breast or pumping will do that.

Also, many medications ARE safe to take while nursing. Your LLL Leader or IBCLC can check them in the book "Medications & Mother's Milk" by Hale and let you know.

Answer 3

first you should make sure if u still have milk in your breast, try to press gently on your breast to see if milk will come out , few drops of milk means "yes" then if u cant breast feed coz u r taking medications then u can keep ur milk by using breast pump at least three times a day so ur milk will not dry, when u stop taking medication u can resume normal breast feeding or put ur pumped milk in a bottle for feeding ur baby, using the breast pump consumes alot of tim and needs some patience unless u get an electric breast pump then it's Better but electric ones are more expensive than the manual ones,if u want normal breast feeding u can either hold the baby with her mouth facing ur nipple or u should make her lay beside u on bed with her mouth facing ur nipple but please don't fall asleep coz this might suffocate her, u should be patient coz some babies dont eccept breast feeding directly ,they rather take more time to get used to feeding from breast, some babies prefare bottles coz sucking from a bottle is far easier from succing from a breast,ask ur pharmacist or doctor about the herbs used for increasing breast milk

Answer 4

I really wanted to help you and typed this long answer, but I went to find a link and somehow lost my long post. I can't remember everything I said and need to leave for work soon so I have changed my settings so I can be emailed if you wish to contact me.

I can identify as I wanted a natural childbirth and also had an emergency c-section throwing all my plans awry. It was devastating to me for 8 years as I wanted to see my child born and in both situations of childbirth, this didn't happen due to emergencies.

I understand the bonding thing as I was separated from my child for 5 days by the hospital due to childbirth fever. They had the baby too far away to go to the nursery and I was too ill to walk (they made you stay in bed too long in those days and I was also quite ill).

I only got to see him from the door for a minute once a day which was torture. I have always felt this affected our bonding. In fact, I, on occasion spanked my children, and I always found it extremely hard to spank my breast feed child as I loved him so much (although I tried to treat them equally and think I succeeded).

Unfortunately, I knew nothing about breastfeeding at the time and there was not that much info 33 years ago---certainly nothing like there is now.

I also had an emergency c-section with my 2nd child who I nursed for 4 years as I believed in child led, on demand weaning. I felt so much closer to my breastfeed child...it bothers my even still that I did not breastfed my oldest.

They have differences attributed to breastfeeding to this day. Weight problems and high IQ's both run in my family. My 33 year old bottle fed child is extremely overweight, while my breastfed one is of normal weight. My breastfed child has an IQ of 167 while my oldest bottle fed one has one in the low 150's about...these differences despite the same environment.

So it is crucial to your child that you make every attempt to nurse as this will benefit both you and your child and even extend benefits into their lives.

Remembering this will help you when the going gets difficult in trying to establish breastfeeding.

Please understand that the two main reasons breastfeeding fails is nipple confusion and improper latch on techniques (see a breastfeeding book for the proper latch on position,]...the baby should pull the nipple far back into the mouth).

Hospitals bring about nipple confusion when they give the baby bottles of milk or water and pacifiers in the nursery. It is about 1000 times easier for an infant to nurse a bottle than a breast and when they get used to the bottle they often scream and refuse the breast.

This is why you need the compassionate support that La Leche League mothers and leaders provide.

Immediately look in the phone book or paper to find a La Leche League group in your area and call them. They sometimes even offer 24 hour support (but keep in mind they are moms volunteering to help essentially and be considerate).

It will require patience. Even adoptive mothers are able to establish breastfeeding (although sometimes not completely) through the aid of lactation aids or supplementers. Here is a link that may be helpful. http://breast-feeding.adoption.com/

Also may find help via La Leche League international

.http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=DKUS,DKUS:2006-34,DKUS:en&q=laleche (clink on first site as my computer wasn't working right to get it)

Yes, you can and should attempt to breastfeed being sure to have a support network if possible for days it doesn't go well to release frustration and get support and recharge. I think you can find that in the two links above and especially with real people in La Leche League in your area.

If you don't feel satisfied, try to talk with other La Leche leaders till you find one you like or who is helpful and try different groups if you must. Seek and you shall find.

As one who knows, this is the best way possible to improve your bonding with your child. Trust me, I know.

Congratulations on your wonderful new baby and I'm sorry you had to go through this..remember..this, too, shall pass, but in the meanwhile take comfort that even if your milk has dried up, you can still establish breastfeeding. It is not too late. If an adoptive mother vcan do it, so can you.

You will not regret the effort you make and breastfeeding is a delight.

Answer 5

yes you can still breast feed its not to late but what you want to do is when it is time for feeding put her to your breast and just try to get her to lach on and it does take time but she will do it if this is what you want be ready for it, it does take time and don't get emotional when she don't take it at first i did but like i said it will take some time but don't give up it is the best for the baby

Answer 6

maybe you could express some milk with a breast pump first, that way you know you still have milk and your baby can get the taste for it.I know babies can smell the milk from their mum so hopefully she will latch on if she is hungry.I was told to rub a little milk around the nipple, it's also suposed to help to prevent sore nipples.Good luck and stick with it, I found it tough at first but it was a fantastic bonding experience!

Answer 7

hey dont worry, now also you can start breast feeding. take the help of hospital staff or your mother or some one who can help you out in holding the baby while you feed.

Answer 8

i had a c- section to, the eppi made me sick, but i still breast fed, it is no way to late for you to start, she will still benifit from being breast fed. just wait untill she is hungrey, it will feel strange at first, but just put her to your breast and she will probley no exactly what to do, she may struggle at first, but dont just give up, try a few times, ask your midwife how to make sure she is properly latching on. good luck

Answer 9

if your milk has not dried up then you can still breast feed her. and congratulations