Your milk may come in anywhere from day 2 to day 6 (usually around days 2-3). If your milk is slow coming in, try not to worry, but put baby to breast as often as possible and stay in contact with your lactation consultant so she can monitor how baby is doing.
While the biological process is the same, postpartum care often differs. Less skin-to-skin contact, a delayed start to breastfeeding and added postpartum stress may lower a women's breast milk supply after a cesarean.
Some women find that C-sections delay breast milk production, but rest assured that your milk will come in eventually. In the meantime, have lots of skin-to-skin contact with your newborn, and try nursing as frequently as possible.
Your milk may come in anywhere from day 2 to day 6 (usually around days 2-3). If your milk is slow coming in, try not to worry, but put baby to breast as often as possible and stay in contact with your lactation consultant so she can monitor how baby is doing.
If you have a delay in your milk coming in, don't feel discouraged. Continue to express milk. That means removing milk from your breasts with a breast pump or by hand. And continue to breastfeed often, even if you are supplementing with formula for a few days.
Some research has shown that women who experience a delay of more than 72 hours for their milk to come in are at an increased risk of low milk supply at 4 weeks after birth - especially if they are not supported early to get milk production back on track.
Milk “coming in” generally refers to the time when the mother notices increased breast fullness (and other signs) as milk production begins to kick into full gear– this usually occurs 2-3 days after birth, but in as many as 25% of mothers this may take longer than 3 days.
Sleepy baby
Babies born by caesarean section may be a little sleepy. They may need some extra encouragement to stay alert during the first few feeds. Skin-to-skin contact will encourage them to latch and feed more often.
Women who delivered by emergency c-section were found to have a higher proportion of breastfeeding difficulties (41 %), and used more resources before (67 %) and after (58 %) leaving the hospital, when compared to vaginal delivery (29 %, 40 %, and 52 %, respectively) or planned c-sections (33 %, 49 %, and 41 %, ...
Delayed Milk Production
If you have a cesarean section, it may take longer for your milk to come in compared to if you have a vaginal delivery. You'll want to put the baby to breast as soon as possible and breastfeed very often to stimulate milk production.
If you do not feel your milk letting down, it doesn't necessarily mean that something is wrong. You may never notice it, or you may feel it in the first few weeks then less over time. As long as you can see the signs your baby is getting enough breast milk and growing well, you don't have to worry.
Why it happens: Low milk supply can be the result of not pumping enough, pumping too soon after a feeding or not nursing between sessions. You may also have a low supply if you're not pumping long enough, if you're using the wrong type of pump or you're not drinking enough liquids.
1. You feel engorged, but little or no milk comes out when you pump. When you can feel the milk in your breasts but can't get it to come out, the issue is often getting a letdown. Milk stays in your breasts except when you're nursing or pumping (aside from the occasional leak).
Maternal care experts have urged new mums to try to get enough sleep after delivery, noting that not getting enough sleep daily can affect the ability of the mother to adequately function and also interfere with breast milk production.
Newborns should not go more than about 4–5 hours without feeding. Signs that babies are hungry include: moving their heads from side to side. opening their mouths.
The fluid your breasts produce in the first few days after birth is called colostrum. It's thick and usually a golden yellow colour. It's a very concentrated food, so your baby will only need a small amount, about a teaspoonful, at each feed. Your baby may want to feed quite often, perhaps every hour to begin with.
You may remove your wound dressing and take showers if stitches, staples, or glue were used to close your skin. Do not soak in a bathtub or hot tub, or go swimming, until your provider tells you it is OK. In most cases, this is not until 3 weeks after surgery.