Cesarean Risks: How It Interferes With Breastfeeding

Most women want to avoid cesarean deliveries. As compared to the normal vaginal birth, cesarean risks are relatively higher – the recovery period takes longer, the surgery can increase your risks to infection, higher costs, etc. Also among the most common cesarean risks are a few breastfeeding issues which may affect not only the baby's health but also the relationship between the mother and the newborn. How exactly does C-section interfere with breastfeeding? In this article, we will try to explain to you how a cesarean operation affects breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is more difficult for women who have undergone cesarean deliveries due to a wide range of reasons like delayed access to baby, increased supplementary feeding, excruciating pain, maternal fatigue, separation from the baby, blood loss leading to anemia, interference medications, etc.

Less initiation - It is said that mothers who have just undergone surgery tend to initiating breastfeeding less as compared to mothers who have delivered normally. Most of the have planned to give breastfeeding a shot but after the operation, they change their minds and opt for commercial milk instead. This may be because the physical toll of the operation saps the mother's emotional and physical strength. Either they feel groggy from the medication, exhausted from the labor, woozy with the pain or just to weak due to the blood loss. Breastfeeding suddenly becomes a very difficult and overwhelming task to do.

Stress - Stress is also a major factor why women who have had cesarean find it hard to breastfeed right away. A difficult labor or an unexpected cesarean operation can give too much stress to the mother. It is believed that when a mother is troubled, the stress interferes with the release of oxytocin which is the hormone responsible for milk ejection reflex. Studies show that stressed babies may be weaker and less active as compared to the healthy ones.

Delayed access to the baby - Women who have had cesarean cannot be with their baby right away. Nursing your baby after birth can jumpstart hormonal processes which are designed to ensure enough milk supply and to aid in the mother's physical recovery afterwards. It is said that breastfeeding works best if it occurs on the first hour after giving birth. While a few are lucky enough to nurse their babies right after the operation, most moms patiently wait until they are brought into the recovery room. The delay in first nursing does not only interfere with breastfeeding but also with hormonal levels. It can directly impact the mother's milk supply, delay the appearance of mature milk – all these can put the baby at risk for excessive weight loss after birth or of dehydration.

Anemia – When you undergo a major surgery, you may lose twice the amount of blood as those who have had vaginal birth. This may cause anemia. Anemia significantly interferes with milk supply.

If you plan on breastfeeding your baby, discuss the matter with your doctor as early as you can. He can make special arrangements so that the baby is brought to you sooner than usual.

Article Source: http://www.parentingarticlelibrary.com

You can find helpful information about cesarean risks and everything you need to know about cesarean deliveries at Aha! Baby.

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