One more q about breastfeeding..When does the milk start if you had a cesarean?

Question

Mine was on Saturday (after days of trying to have a natural birth!!!) and the baby is so hungry it is unbelievable!

Answer 1

Milk should start tomorrow it's the same as a natural birth-
Do not do too much as you could pop your stitches-
And it still hurts by 6 weeks-Take it easy.

Answer 2

It sometimes tends to come in a bit later after a Caesaren than after a vaginal delivery. But hey, it's only Tuesday, that's three days, most women's milk doesn't come in until day 3 or 4 anyway however their baby was born.

But don't worry, the colostrum that is in your breasts really does provide everything your baby needs for the first few days, meanwhile all the suckling will help milk production along.

Answer 3

Milk "comes in" 3-7 days postpartum. It is the removal of the placenta that triggers the hormones that produce milk. The term "coming in" is a bit misleading as colostrum production commences during pregnancy and over the days post partum transitions to mature milk, and as it does so quantity increases (colostrum is very nutrient and energy rich and so required in small concentrates; mature milk is almost like a diluted version for want of a better explanation and thus increased quantity is required)

CS deliveries can delay milk production to the latter end of the scale above (although not always) which is because hormone levels are lower than during a natural delivery - thus they can take longer to increase and peak. This is less likely if natural delivery has started resulting in and EMCS rather than a planned section as even starting labour kick starts the hormones.

Babies instinctively may want to nurse lots in the early days because this is what stimulates milk production (they suck = hormones which make milk to be released = milk) signs baby is obtaining enough are wet nappies, stools transitioning from meconium through greeny and to mustard colour.

Great online sources include:
http://www.iwantmymum.com (has online qualified breastfeeding counsellors who have undertaken 2-3 yr breastfeeding course)

www.kellymom.com

in real life the ABM (Association of breastfeeding mothers) and LLL (La Leche League) both offer excellent support and information, you can obtain their info by googling.

Answer 4

I had a c-section and my milk didnt come through for about a week by that time i had started using bottles. The midwifes made me breast feed every hour every 30 minutes - 1 hour for 48 hours by which time i was bleeding and she was screaming hungry so i gave up. I had no colostrum then either so it wasnt like she was getting any nutrition at all even the midwifes tried latching my daughter on and blamed me but they could see she wasnt getting anything in the end. but my god when the milk came in i think i could have provided the whole of oxford with milk for a month!
Go on bottles, I hate to say it as i wanted to breast feed so much but there is no point staving your baby for it if they are hungry feed them esp. if you were like me and produce nothing for some time. you may be able to go back to breast feeding by weening baby back to the breast, it might take time but it should work.
good luck

Answer 5

Someone else said you might starve your baby.
You WILL NOT starve your baby as long as you continue to allow him to nurse. Your body is designed to feed a child and will adjust how much milk it makes depending on how much the baby nurses... so, the more you nurse the faster and more milk will come in.
I had a c-section and my milk came in about two days later, I nursed every 3 hours until that time and my daughter was fine. After my milk came in I nursed every 4 hours.
Call the hospital where you gave birth, they might have a free lactation clinic where they show you how to nurse. They weigh the baby before you nurse, then you nurse and they weigh the baby again and you'll know how much they ate! Good luck!

Answer 6

I just had a baby and i was lactating in my second trimester with my second son. With my first my milk came in about 2 days after the birth. You should have colostrum coming out and that has all the vitamins he needs right now. If he wants to nurse, let him and that will get your milk in faster. If you are really concerned, call the babies doctor. He may recommend that you supplement with formula until your milk does come.

Answer 7

Soon sweetie. You need to get through these first days of producing colostrum. My guess is that it will come through later today or tomorrow morning. Milk production is triggered by the baby suckling enough, it's nothing to do with having a natural birth or cesarean.
Good luck, and congratulations

Answer 8

My milk came in in about 3 days after my first son was born. My second son, it came in in 2 days.

Both were cesarean.

Answer 9

It should start straight away. I had my twins by emergency c-section due to pre-eclapmsia. I was in a high dependency unit for 3 days and didn't get to see them. My milk was ready after the 3 days. I was worried it might of dried up because I didn't express while I was in hdu. It was fine though. Usually your breasts start leaking milk just before you are due to give birth. You should have plenty there. If you are experiencing problems talk to your midwife or health visitor.

Answer 10

a c section is not similar to a normal birth, the body is not fully aware after a c section as it has not received the signals it usually gets from the contractions etc from a normal delivery. my milk didnt start until after 3 days, mainly because i wasnt with me baby he was intensive care, the nurses gave me a little hat that my baby had worn and had his smell on it, so i could smell him and encourage my milk to start. uptil then my body wasnt aware of having to produce milk, when i smelt the hat, i immediately felt something in my breasts, nurses encouraged me to use a breast pump as well. its all different for every woman just dont stress yourself out about it, that wont help, you have to be relaxed! congratulations and good luck to you and your baby x