How to establish full breastfeeding after caesarean section. Breastfeeding after cesarean section: features of lactation, taking antibiotics Breastfeeding newborns after cesarean section

There is a widespread belief that breastfeeding after a caesarean section is difficult to establish, as a woman faces many problems. However, any woman in labor finds herself in a similar situation, problems can arise even with traditional childbirth. The main difficulty in this situation is the presence of complications, difficult childbirth, stay in intensive care - a huge stress for the body.

With a planned caesarean section, the possibility of artificial feeding is doubled, and with a natural birth, women are less likely to switch to formula feeding. In any case, it is necessary to develop an optimal regimen for mother and child.

How does lactation develop?

Scientists have long proven that the amount of breast milk directly depends on the frequency of applying crumbs to the breast. It is better to do this immediately after birth - so lactation normalizes faster.

International experience shows that breastfeeding after cesarean occurs almost immediately after the baby is born (see also:). Sucking activity may be low, then you need to wait. At each urge of the newborn, he is given a breast until he begins to actively suck.

There are nuances of feeding a child:

• Time depends on anesthesia. If sparing preparations were used, you can let it go to the chest right away. When using general anesthesia, it is worth waiting for the withdrawal of all harmful substances - it is better to discuss the timing with your doctor.
• Sucking activity appears within six hours. When the baby begins to suck, the mother's body will be able to establish lactation, to establish the optimal production of the milk necessary for feeding (we recommend reading:).
• Attach the baby to the chest (we recommend reading:). You can not use substitutes, pacifiers, nipples, bottles, the newborn should try the natural taste (we recommend reading:). If this point is not followed, the chance of breastfeeding will decrease.
• Use comfortable postures. It is optimal to feed the baby from under the arm so that there is no pressure on the stomach. In the chosen position, it should be comfortable for both you and the child.

In medical institutions of a high level of service, the child and mother are allowed to stay in the same room even after a cesarean. This increases the chances of normal feeding, so it is worth discussing the possibility of leaving the child with you during elective surgery.

What to do if early feeding is not possible?

World practice is disappointing: early attachment of babies is extremely rare, so breastfeeding a child after a cesarean section is difficult. Women with their baby are often in different rooms, mom can be prescribed antibiotics. What to do in such a situation? Is there an optimal solution for this situation?

Being in intensive care

Usually, after the operation, the woman is placed in the intensive care unit for a couple of days. Breastfeeding a child is impossible - he is simply not around. The behavior of a woman in labor in such a situation should be as follows:

• Demand that the child be brought to you immediately. There is an international convention, according to which the staff is obliged to organize the stay of the mother and child in the same room, even if this applies to the intensive care unit. There is only one exception to this rule - the child needs an artificial respiration apparatus.
• The child needs to be fed with a spoon (we recommend reading:). If you are in the hospital for a long time, you cannot participate in feeding, ask close relatives to feed the baby with a spoon, a special drinker, a syringe without a needle. It is important that he develops a sucking reflex - breastfeeding even after a cesarean can be adjusted faster.
• . As a standard, milk arrives on the third day, during operations this period increases to 5 or 10 (we recommend reading:). It is necessary to organize pumping, doing them as early as possible. The optimal time is 10 minutes every 2 hours, at night you need to take a break, sleep well. It does not matter that at this time there will be little milk, your goal is not to express a large amount, but to send a signal to the body that it is already necessary to feed the baby. The procedure can be carried out by hand or.

This tactic leads to the fact that lactation is quickly improving. Food appears, the baby gets used to the breast.

Taking antibiotics

To avoid complications after surgery, a woman is always prescribed antibiotics. If the caesarean section occurs without complications, it is possible to use sparing drugs, such that are compatible with lactation.

You can check with your doctor about how safe the drugs are. If these funds are acceptable, do not be afraid to feed the baby. Through the chest, harmful substances will not be transmitted to the baby, they simply are not absorbed by the body, they cannot be harmful.

If antibiotics prevent feeding, you should act as if the baby is separate:

• Spoon feed him. The drugs will have to be taken for 3-7 days, at which time the baby will have to be fed with mixtures. If he is in your room, self-feed with a spoon.
• Express yourself. Do it with your hands or with suction. So the fluid will come faster, lactation after a complex caesarean section is normalized. By the time the medication is stopped, you will be able to breastfeed your baby without any problems.

Actions for lack of milk

Often, even after resuscitation was in the past, and you put the baby to the chest, there was no milk coming. The situation is standard, even if you followed all the requirements and pumped regularly. Why is this happening? There are several reasons:

• Pumping is not effective enough, unlike sucking. However, it is this procedure that allows you to ensure a minimum when there is no milk at all.
• Milk comes within 9 days after the operation. If you don't have much natural food for your baby, you don't need to introduce formula feeding. A small volume is enough for a baby, especially in the first days of life.

Does the child need supplementary feeding?

The WHO wet diaper test helps determine if a baby is getting enough nutrition. What activities does it include? You must watch how often the child urinates. In the first two days of life, the amount should be two times daily, from the third day it increases to four, from the sixth to six. If “going to the toilet” occurs at this level, additional complementary foods are not needed. The minimum amount will be enough for 10 days of life.

When is supplementation needed? Its introduction is necessary in the following cases:

• The baby is premature. In such small crumbs, the sucking reflex is impaired, they cannot suck out enough milk on their own, so pumping and regular feeding are required.
• Your milk is not enough. If the wet diaper test fails, supplementation should be given immediately. The child does not receive the right food, he is weak, nervous, cannot stimulate lactation. This leads to inferior development, deviations, diseases, the baby does not sleep, constantly wants to eat.

Supplementation rules

In order to stabilize feeding after caesarean section, introduce supplementary feeding correctly. To do this, follow a few rules:

• Choose the right way. In the maternity hospital, bottles with nipples are usually used, but you should refuse them, use a spoon, pipette, syringe if the child is in the same room with you.
• Act consistently. At the beginning of the procedure, apply the baby to the breast, then feed him with a spoon or pipette, complete the process with the same application.
• Volume is also important. Regardless of how much milk is produced, in the first 10 days of life, you should not give more than 30 mg at a time. Exceeding volumes is also harmful, digestion and general well-being of the crumbs may be disturbed.
• Switch to natural feeding. The diaper test should be done every three days, as soon as the number of urination returns to normal, reduce the amount of supplementary feeding. If your milk is enough, you need to completely abandon the mixture.

Normalization of lactation after cesarean is a hot topic for mothers who have given birth in this way (for more details, see the article:). If you believe the reviews and recommendations of doctors, the problem is easy to solve. Just follow the established procedure, which will allow you to stabilize the situation within a week. With early supplementation, it is possible to bring the problem under control within two weeks.

Is it possible to establish breastfeeding after a caesarean section? A similar question is asked by many women who have undergone surgery or are just preparing for it. How to properly organize the feeding of a newborn after a caesarean section?

Every woman knows about the benefits of breastfeeding. Nature provides that the best nutrition for a newborn and a child in the first months of life is exclusively breast milk. None of the most modern and balanced formula can replace mother's milk. That is why it is so important that every woman can breastfeed her baby, regardless of the method of delivery.

Useful properties of breast milk:

• 100% meets the needs of the child in proteins, fats and carbohydrates (under the age of 6 months);
• contains maternal antibodies that allow the baby to fight infections;
• contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals;
• has a pleasant taste for the child;
• is in optimal condition (ideal temperature and consistency suitable for feeding a baby).

Breastfeeding is not only about food. Breastfeeding allows you to establish contact with your baby and help the baby adapt to a new world for him. During suckling, the child communicates with the mother, receiving the care and affection he needs. The newborn feels protected. He is calm, comfortable and good - is this not a reason to breastfeed, no matter what?

In the process of feeding, human milk goes through three stages of its development.

Colostrum is the primary milk produced in the first 3 days after the birth of a child. Thick yellowish liquid contains all useful substances in a concentrated form. In fact, this is a high-calorie protein mixture, which the child eats in the first days of life. Very little colostrum is released, but this is enough to feed the newborn in the first days of life. For many women, colostrum begins to be produced during pregnancy.

transitional milk synthesized in the first three weeks. It has less protein than colostrum, but more fat and carbohydrates. This composition allows the baby to quickly adapt to new conditions and get all the necessary nutrients for further development.

Mature milk begins to be produced by the end of the first month of life. It contains a large amount of fatty acids necessary for the normal development of the brain.

There are two types of mature milk:

1. anterior (excreted at the beginning of feeding, contains a lot of protein and water);
2. back (comes at the end of feeding, contains fats and carbohydrates).

Make sure that the baby empties the entire breast to the end. Only in this way will he get to the hind milk and receive all the necessary nutrients.

Features of breastfeeding after caesarean section

It is believed that it is quite difficult to establish lactation after the operation. Many women set themselves up for failure, thereby dooming their baby to formula feeding. In fact, almost every woman can breastfeed, regardless of the method of delivery. Breastfeeding consultants say: nothing is impossible. The problems that a young mother faces after a cesarean section are completely solvable. Similar situations are faced by women who are forced to spend some time in intensive care after a difficult birth and pregnancy complications.

We describe possible problems and ways to solve them.

First application

In most maternity hospitals, early attachment of the baby to the breast is practiced. In natural childbirth, this aspect does not raise any questions. After the neonatologist examines the baby, he is immediately applied to the mother's breast and left for 1.5-2 hours. Such contact helps the baby to adapt to unusual conditions of existence, and the woman to establish lactation in accordance with the program set by nature.

After a caesarean section under epidural anesthesia, early breastfeeding is also possible. The mother's belly is protected by a screen or a diaper, the newborn is attached nearby and quickly finds her mother's breast. If the operation was performed under general anesthesia, you will have to wait a while. In this case, the baby will be brought in for feeding only when the woman has completely recovered from anesthesia and is able to breastfeed her baby.

sluggish sucking

Babies born by caesarean section enter the new world without prior preparation. Such children in the first hours of life do not always breastfeed well, behave sluggishly and refuse to eat. There is no need to panic: "Caesarites" need a little more time to adapt and search for the mother's breast. The whole process can take up to 2 hours. A young mother should be patient, help the baby find the breast and get colostrum so useful for him immediately after birth.

What to do if the problem persists? Breastfeeding experts recommend the following course of action.

1. Feed your baby as often as possible. Breastfeed your newborn at least 12 times a day.
2. Feed your baby only when he is calm. If the baby is crying, calm him down, otherwise he will not be able to take the nipple.
3. Make sure your baby is latching onto the nipple correctly. The baby's chin should be firmly pressed against your chest. The nipple and most of the areola should be in the baby's mouth.
4. Feed your baby in a calm and relaxed state. Feeling your anxiety and self-doubt, the child may refuse to breastfeed. Mental overexertion can also reduce milk production and even lead to lactostasis.

Milk shortage

Lactation after caesarean section can be difficult due to the use of various drugs in childbirth. The problem often occurs in women who have undergone emergency surgery after prolonged and unsuccessful induction of labor. In this case, the milk may come later and the baby will need to supplement with formula. It also happens that obstetricians unreasonably prescribe supplementary feeding to all babies born by caesarean section - to prevent weight loss.

What to do in such a situation? Feed your baby as often as possible. Milk comes on demand. The more often a woman puts her baby to her breast, the more milk she will produce. Conversely, formula supplementation greatly reduces the likelihood of successful lactation, especially when bottles and pacifiers are used.

Supplementary feeding with a mixture should be prescribed only according to strict indications and only when the baby is not gaining weight well. In other cases, frequent attachments to the breast are enough for milk to come in the right amount. If supplementary feeding is unavoidable, special supplementary feeding systems should be used. In this case, the baby will not get used to the bottle, and it will be much easier to convince him to take the breast. In the first days of life, you can supplement the baby with a regular spoon or syringe without a needle.

Be sure to offer your baby the breast before each formula feed.

Separate stay

In many maternity hospitals, the woman spends the first day after the operation in the intensive care unit. The baby at this time is in the children's department and receives the mixture instead of breast milk. This point should be clarified with the head of the maternity ward. If separation from the baby is unavoidable, care should be taken to preserve the milk. To do this, starting from the second day after childbirth, it is necessary to express regularly (every 2-3 hours without a break for the night). This approach will allow you to save breast milk and make it possible to continue lactation after meeting with the baby.

Collect milk in a sterile bottle if the hospital allows you to feed your newborn with expressed milk.

Taking antibiotics

Antibacterial drugs are often prescribed to prevent postpartum infectious complications after caesarean section. For the most part, lactation-compatible products are used. If, for some reason, a young mother was prescribed drugs that are not allowed during breastfeeding, the child will have to be fed with an artificial mixture. To preserve milk, it is also necessary to pump every 2-3 hours, including at night.

Choosing a position for feeding

Immediately after a caesarean section, feeding the baby in the classic cradle position can be difficult. To reduce pressure on the fresh seam, you can feed the baby in a position from under the arm. For convenience, special pillows for feeding should be used.

It is possible to establish breastfeeding after a caesarean section. It is only important not to rush, do everything consistently and maintain self-confidence. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your pediatrician or lactation consultant.

Is it possible to breastfeed after a caesarean section? How to organize natural feeding when mother and baby are separated? What are the nuances of the formation of lactation? What is important for a mother to know when preparing for surgery? Features of breastfeeding cesareans in the reviews of consultants on breastfeeding.

There is an opinion that it is much more difficult for a woman who has survived a caesarean section to establish natural feeding. This statement contains only a fraction of the truth. “The number of problems that a woman faces after a cesarean is no more than that of a woman who gave birth naturally,” commented Natalya Razakhatskaya, a breastfeeding consultant. “Women who are in intensive care after difficult and long births face similar difficulties.”

It is much more difficult to break social foundations, psychological uncertainty. They are backed by numbers. In 2014, researchers at Peking University conducted a study to find out which mother-baby pairs are most likely to be bottle-fed. A survey of nearly half a million women and an analysis of data collected from 1993 to 2006 showed that a planned caesarean section doubles the chance of bottle-feeding a baby. Whereas after natural childbirth, women decide to feed with a mixture much less often.

The formation of lactation after unnatural childbirth

It has been scientifically proven that the level of milk produced by a woman is affected exclusively by the frequency of applying the baby to the breast. And the sooner the baby is attached to it, the better.

WHO insists on early breastfeeding. According to some data, the first hour of life is optimal, according to others - an interval of half an hour after childbirth. At this time, a child born naturally shows sucking activity. However, things are a little different for Caesars.

Passage through the birth canal forces the child to adapt to new living conditions. Babies born by caesarean are deprived of this opportunity. Their birth causes a "failure" of the genetic program. But the body still adapts quickly enough. Lethargy, the absence of sucking urges, which are observed in cesareans immediately after birth, disappear within one to two hours. Accordingly, for the first time they can be applied to the mother's breast at this time.

“According to international practice, the first application to the breast of children born by caesarean section is carried out an hour after birth,” says Marina Mayorskaya, consultant on breastfeeding. - If the sucking activity of the baby is low or absent, it is necessary to apply it to each urge, "squeak", until he begins to suck actively.

The nuances of the first application to the chest of a cesarean.

• Depends on anesthesia. If sparing epidural anesthesia was used during the operation, it is possible to apply immediately after childbirth. If general anesthesia - you should wait for the end of the anesthetic.
• Six hours are important. As world practice shows, during the first six hours, cesareans begin to show sucking activity. Compliance with this time interval will help the development of lactation.
• Only chest. It is her, and not a pacifier, a pacifier, a bun, that the child should taste for the first time. The use of breast substitutes after birth reduces the chances of full breastfeeding.
• Comfortable postures. The optimal position of feeding from under the arm, which eliminates pressure on the woman's stomach.

In medical facilities that allow women to stay together after caesarean section with children, the percentage of normal lactation formation is high. If the caesarean is planned, try to agree in advance with the medical staff about the possibility of your joint stay with the child in the same room.

Inability to apply early

Unfortunately, the global practice of early caesarean breastfeeding is rarely observed in Russia. Various circumstances contribute to this. The woman and the baby are in different wards, the mother is prescribed antibiotics. Is it possible to breastfeed after caesarean in these situations?

Stay in intensive care

Traditionally, the mother stays in the intensive care unit for one to three days. This excludes the possibility of natural feeding due to the absence of a child nearby. The tactics of a woman's behavior should be as follows.

• Demand to bring the baby to you as soon as possible. The International Convention on the Rights of the Child obliges medical personnel to organize a joint stay of the mother and the newborn, even in the intensive care unit. The exception is situations when a woman or a baby needs to use an artificial respiration apparatus. Demand, negotiate, ask, connect relatives. The sooner the baby is near your breast, the less problems you will have with the organization of breastfeeding.
• Forbid supplementary feeding on the first day.“On the first day after giving birth, a woman produces about ten milliliters of colostrum. In the second - no more than thirty. Of course, colostrum is extremely important for the baby, but its absence does not doom him to the pangs of hunger, says lactation consultant Marina Mayorova. - Significantly more harm will be brought to the child by the introduction of complementary foods from a bottle, which is practiced in our maternity hospitals, than a day without food at all. But it will be impossible to fulfill your demand without the control of one of the relatives.
• Agree on spoon feeding. If the mother is in intensive care for a long time or the doctor insists on supplementary feeding, ask the husband or grandmother to supplement the child with a spoon, syringe without a needle, or a special drinker. The absence of objects that would allow the baby to realize the sucking reflex will help to establish breastfeeding in the future.
• Express yourself. The arrival of breast milk is observed on the third day after childbirth. Caesarean section prolongs the time interval: milk comes on the fourth, fifth, even ninth day. The more actively you organize pumping, the sooner you can start breastfeeding. Express your breasts with your hands or with a breast pump every two hours for ten minutes. From midnight to six in the morning, take a break for sleep. Even if there is little or nothing coming out of your breast when you express, keep doing it. Your task now is not to express milk as much as possible, but to give your body a signal that it is already needed.

With the observance of this tactic of actions, the correct formation of lactation is ensured.

Taking antibiotics

Prescribing antibiotics after caesarean is a standard procedure. It is designed to protect a woman from complications. If there were no difficulties during the operations, the mother may be prescribed antibiotics compatible with breastfeeding.

There is no need to be afraid to breastfeed if you are prescribed drugs of acceptable groups (check with your doctor). Their secretion into breast milk is either completely absent or so minimal that they are not able to cause any harm to the baby.

If the mother is prescribed antibiotics that prevent breastfeeding, the tactics of action should be almost the same as with a separate stay.

• Introduce supplements from a spoon. Typically, the timing of antibiotics is 5-7 days. During this time, the baby will be formula fed. If the baby is in the same room as you, you can feed him with a spoon or syringe yourself.
• Express yourself. Use a breast pump or hand expressing technique. This will allow lactation to reach normal levels by the time the baby can be applied to the breast. And the problem of what to eat for a baby when lactation after a cesarean section has not been established will not affect you.

Clinical breast pumps are commonly used in maternity hospitals. These are powerful, effective devices that make it much easier for an inexperienced mother to express. Ask the medical staff to bring the pump to your room.

Lack of milk

When the difficulties of resuscitation are already behind, and the baby is allowed to be applied to the breast, it may turn out that there is practically no milk in it. This situation is likely even if the woman has been pumping regularly. It is caused by several reasons.

• Pumping is not as productive as breastfeeding. However, it creates the necessary "minimum" stimulation, which triggers the production of milk.
• The arrival of milk is possible within nine days after a caesarean section. A mother's small amount of natural food does not necessarily require temporary supplementation.

“According to the WHO, the organization La Leche League, the introduction of supplementary feeding should be carried out, depending on the condition of the child,” says lactation consultant Marina Mayorova. “The wet diaper test can tell if a baby needs extra food.”

In the first day after birth, the child should write only twice. Over the next two days, the number of urination will be the same. From the third day of life, urination should be at least four, and the sixth - at least six. This means that the child does not need supplementary feeding. And while maintaining urination at the indicated level, it can exist without additional food, except for mother's milk in a minimum amount, up to ten days.

Supplementation is necessary in the following situations.

• The baby was born premature. Such crumbs also have a sucking reflex, but often they are too weak to suck milk from the breast in sufficient volume. It is ideal to supplement with your own milk, which will require regular pumping.
• Your baby is missing your milk. If the “wet diaper” test showed insufficient food for the baby, it is necessary to introduce supplementary feeding. A child who does not receive nutrition in the right amount is weakened, exhausted, nervous under the breast, which prevents him from eating and stimulating lactation.

The introduction of supplementary feeding requires the mother to follow several rules.

• The way is important. Even if in the maternity hospital the baby was fed from a bottle, being at home or with the baby in the same room, use only a spoon, pipette, syringe.
• The sequence is important. Give supplements only after the baby is attached to the breast. Finish feeding with one more application.
• Volume matters. Regardless of how much milk your mammary glands produce, the amount of supplementary food should not exceed thirty milliliters per feeding during the first ten days of the baby's life.
• The transition to natural feeding is important. Do a wet diaper test every three days. If there is more urination, reduce the amount of formula in the supplement. Once your milk supply is sufficient, artificial formulas should be discarded entirely.

“The baby was bottle-trained, and now he doesn’t want to take the breast at all” - young mothers often turn to breastfeeding consultants with such a problem. But even if the first subject that the baby met after birth was the nipple, it is possible to restore lactation in full and transfer it to natural feeding! Use a relactation technique that requires immediate nipple rejection and frequent attachment of the baby to the breast.

The question of how to establish breastfeeding after a cesarean section is fraught with many nuances. But according to lactation consultants, it is not as difficult as it is commonly believed. The correct sequence of actions of the mother will allow to establish lactation at the required level already on the fifth or seventh day after childbirth. And with the early introduction of supplementary feeding - within two weeks.

print

How to organize lactation after caesarean section

Long-term and successful breastfeeding is possible both after natural childbirth and after a caesarean section, the main thing is to follow some rules. What should be taken care of before and after the birth of the baby?

Unfortunately, not all women have the opportunity to give birth to a child through the natural birth canal. And the difficulty after the operation can cause breastfeeding after a caesarean section due to the fact that the child suckles a little, does not stimulate the appearance of milk, and even the antibiotics taken by the mother raise doubts about its benefits.

In Russian maternity hospitals, the topic of lactation, its need for a child, is not always raised. An important issue - how to establish breastfeeding after a cesarean section, is traditionally paid little attention. Children who are in the children's department receive mixtures, water with glucose from a bottle. From birth, they learn to suck on the pacifier, not the breast. But already from the second day after the operation, it is necessary to express milk, otherwise there is a risk of completely losing lactation. Many young mothers do not know about this.

So that the child does not become an artificial person from birth, in the case of a planned planned delivery operation, discuss in advance the issue of the first attachment after cesarean to the breast as soon as possible after his birth and joint stay with the baby after leaving the intensive care unit. If the maternity hospital does not provide for cohabitation, it may be worth refusing to give birth in this medical institution.

If everything is in order, start collecting things. Be sure to bring a breast pump and a nursing pillow (aka a pillow for pregnant women) with you. It is advisable to purchase an electric breast pump that imitates the sucking of a child. According to the experience of women who have already given birth, with its help it is possible to establish lactation after a cesarean section in the shortest possible time. And even if the baby does not subsequently breastfeed, this breast pump will help maintain lactation and feed the baby with expressed milk. Although, of course, you need to tune in directly to breastfeeding after a cesarean section, it is very convenient and comfortable for both.

When it becomes possible to feed the child, then this should be done as often as possible. At least 1 time in 2-3 hours, and preferably more often. Many babies, especially "Caesarians" and premature babies, sleep a lot after birth. Including falling asleep while breastfeeding. In order not to face a situation where there is not enough milk after a cesarean section, you need to wake the baby for feeding and keep it longer at the breast. At least 15-20 minutes to give each breast. In one feeding, it is necessary to give two breasts in the first days after the operation. With this mode of feeding, including night feeding, milk will come for 2-5 days. It should be borne in mind that every day the child needs more and more food, and he will have enough colostrum only in a very short time after birth.

Surely, mothers of babies born with a weight of 4 kg or more will have to think about how to increase lactation after cesarean. Due to poor sleep, large weight loss after birth (more than the allowable 10%), frequent crying, mothers are forced to feed them with formula. This is acceptable, but only after the child eats colostrum from both mammary glands. It is advisable, when lactation is actively stimulated after cesarean, to use special systems for supplementary feeding, they can be made independently or purchased at a pharmacy. To make such a system with your own hands, you only need a bottle where the mixture will be poured, and a dropper without a needle - that is, a tube. Through this tube, attached to the nipple, the baby will receive supplementary food. And at the same time, colostrum or breast milk. A huge plus will be the stimulation of the nipples and the fact that the child will learn to properly grasp the breast. So that after a cesarean section there are no problems with breastfeeding, if it is impossible to use the supplementary feeding system, you need to supplement the baby with a syringe without a needle, a teaspoon or a special spoon for babies with a soft coating (to avoid traumatizing the gums with metal).

There are situations when there is no milk for 1-2 weeks after cesarean, what to do in such difficult situations? Breastfeeding consultants call to fight for lactation. When using supplementary feeding systems, and, accordingly, nipple stimulation, milk will definitely appear. Remember that lactation can be achieved even in nulliparous women. This is a well-known practice abroad among women adopting babies. Why are you worse?

Many mothers are afraid to feed their children due to the fact that they are injected with antibiotics and painkillers. But in most cases they are compatible with lactation. You need to talk to your doctor about this. It used to be that, in parallel with antibiotics, a woman should definitely take drugs containing bifido and lactobacilli so that there are no problems with her intestines and the intestines of the newborn. Now it is considered ineffective. Yes, and there is no significant harm from that meager concentration of substances that enter breast milk and from there into the baby’s stomach. Expressing milk in order to reduce the concentration of the drug in it is a useless measure. The concentration of the drug will decrease on its own.

Painkillers should be discontinued as early as possible. They not only have a detrimental effect on the mother's body, because of them the stomach often suffers, but also children to whom the medicine enters through milk become lethargic, suck badly, and thereby only delay the appearance of milk in their mother.

Proper nutrition of the mother after cesarean during breastfeeding is very important. It should be denser than in ordinary life - since now more calories are needed to maintain your body in a normal way. But at the same time, not too plentiful, in order to avoid excess weight. Naturally, you need to follow the diet of a nursing mother. Do not eat foods that are allergenic and those that can potentially cause bloating or diarrhea.

And what to eat after a cesarean section while breastfeeding is useful to increase lactation? Products that will contribute to the rapid arrival of milk or its appearance in greater quantities do not exist. Traditionally, young mothers in maternity hospitals are fed with stewed vegetables and cereals, and are given lean meat. Such food is useful and balanced in the recovery of the body after surgery.

For lactation and breastfeeding, it is important that childbirth is natural. Caesarean section negatively affects the condition of the newborn baby and complicates the manifestation of reflexes. After surgery, the child often cannot take the breast on his own. It is important that after the operation the baby is next to the mother.

Caesarean section entails a number of the following problems in establishing breastfeeding:

• Impossibility of the first application;
• The child's habituation to the nipple with artificial or mixed feeding. As practice proves, after the pacifier, the baby does not want to take the breast;
• Late arrival of milk and low lactation. Sometimes a caesarean section leads to the opposite result - there is too much milk. What to do if a nursing mother has hyperlactation, read. Be careful, as excess milk accumulates in the breast and forms lumps, which leads to lactostasis !;
• Anesthesia and antibiotics negatively affect the course of lactation. Sometimes, with a complication after surgery, it is necessary to continue taking medications that are not compatible with breastfeeding. In this case, you will have to stop breastfeeding for a while.

But contrary to frightening forecasts, many mothers easily coped with the problems and established breastfeeding after a caesarean section. As practice shows, this will not take more than three days.

First application

Further lactation and the correct course of breastfeeding depend on the first application. With regional anesthesia, there are no problems with attachment, since the woman recovers quickly and it becomes possible to attach the baby to the breast immediately. However, with a complex operation and general anesthesia, a woman can lie unconscious for several hours.

But remember that attachment is not a decisive factor and you can establish breastfeeding in any case if you do the necessary manipulations for this.

Try to arrange for the first breastfeeding after a caesarean within six hours after the baby is born. It was during this period that the child had a high sucking activity. In this case, it is desirable to feed 1-1.5 hours.

Proper nipple grip

It is important that the newborn does not have time to try the food from the nipple before he takes the breast. The nipple causes nipple latch problems. Proper attachment of the baby to the breast includes the following:

• The baby should capture both the nipple and the areola;
• The baby's lips should be slightly turned outward;
• The baby can freely adjust the nipple with the tongue;
• The nose and cheeks of the child should adjoin the chest, but not drown in it. In this case, the puppies should not be drawn in!;
• To awaken the reflex, let the baby suck your finger;
• Don't be afraid to help your baby grab the nipple, take it close to the areola and try to gently place the nipple in the baby's mouth as deep as possible. But don't force the nipple in! This will only exacerbate the problem.

With the correct grip, the baby will suck with deep rhythmic movements and swallow milk. At first, you will have to help the baby take the nipple correctly. But when the baby gets stronger and grows up a little, he can easily cope with this task. Do not be upset if the baby spits out the nipple or turns away. It is a matter of time and soon he will reach for his mother's breast.

For more tips on how to teach a newborn to take a nipple, you will find in the article “.

Leave the newborn at the breast until he is full and releases the nipple from the breast on his own. Feed your baby on demand, not on schedule. Frequent applications will improve lactation, ensure comfortable and proper breastfeeding after cesarean section.

If there is not enough milk

Throughout the period of breastfeeding, the mother must maintain lactation so that the baby has enough milk. There are several simple ways that will preserve and, if necessary, improve milk production:

• Proper organization of breastfeeding (comfortable posture, correct nipple grip, feed the baby on demand, etc.);
• Frequent applications are the main stimulant of lactation;
• Breast and nipple care. It is important to monitor the condition of the nipples, as cracks lead to the development of lactostasis and the occurrence of infections. Use special ointments for nipples;
• Massage the chest with clockwise circular motions for 2-4 minutes a day. Massage not only stimulates milk production, but also disperses milk stagnation, prevents lactostasis;
• Drink more liquid. Drink water and natural juices, compotes and fruit drinks. Eat broths and soups. Warm drink perfectly stimulates lactation, removes harmful substances from the body, protects and helps with colds. The minimum amount of liquid consumed during breastfeeding is 2-3 liters;
• The nutrition of a nursing mother affects the course of lactation and the quality of milk, as well as the health and well-being of the baby. Therefore, it is important to establish the correct diet for breastfeeding;
• Drink herbal teas and special decoctions. Tinctures of dill, fennel and cumin help perfectly;
• To stimulate milk production, use warm compresses before feeding and cool compresses after. A compress of cabbage leaves will relieve chest pain.

There are also various medications to increase lactation. However, drugs should be resorted to only in extreme cases, when standard methods and folk remedies have not helped. Take medications only after consulting a doctor!

When to feed

If the baby is not suckling breast milk, do not rush to give supplementary food. After all, it is breast milk that provides the newborn with the necessary elements and provides a complex of vitamins for full development and growth. It is mother's milk that forms and strengthens the immune system, protects the baby from diseases.

Weak and premature babies who do not gain or even lose weight need to be supplemented. On average, a baby adds 100-150 grams per week, in the second or fourth month, the intensity increases to 140-200 grams. Then again falls to 100-150. However, keep in mind that every child is different and may vary. Calculate the correct weight of the baby will help you up to a year.

Supplementary feeding is necessary for long-term treatment of the mother, which is not compatible with lactation, and for prolonged separation of mother and baby. Do not start supplementary feeding without prior doctor's advice! Unfortunately, practice shows that the return to full breastfeeding is complicated after the introduction of supplementary feeding.

If the introduction of complementary foods is necessary, follow the basic rules for maintaining breastfeeding:

• Supplement your baby after he suckles at the breast and completely empties both breasts. Be sure to breastfeed every time you feed!
• Supplementary feeding should be no more than 30-50% of the daily feeding volume;
• Do not use a pacifier when feeding! The baby quickly gets used to the easy prey of food and rarely returns to his mother's breast;
• Prepare the mixture immediately before feeding and do not leave the next day.

To feed your baby, use a syringe or pipette for small portions, and a teaspoon or cup for large portions. In addition, there are special tube systems that are inserted into the formula bottle and lead to the nipple. This is the most natural way of mixed feeding, which keeps the baby and mother in contact. The baby immediately receives breast milk and additional nutrition.

Complications after caesarean section

Unfortunately, complications after such a surgical intervention are not uncommon in women. Types of complications are divided into three groups:

1. on the internal organs (large blood loss, inflammation in the uterine cavity, etc.);
2. at the seams (divergence or inflammation of the seam);
3. due to anesthesia (disruption of the heart, blood vessels and nerve cells)

To avoid problems, the mother is often prescribed antibiotics and other supportive medications. Choose with your doctor suitable medicines that will not harm lactation. After all, even among antibiotics there are drugs that are compatible with breastfeeding.

After a caesarean section, carefully monitor your well-being. Ensure proper care of the seams, do not perform heavy physical exertion. But special gymnastics and walks in the fresh air will only benefit.