The iconic image most people have when they think of Mum and Baby is a healthy, rosy-cheeked Mum and a chubby, cherubic newborn nestled in her milky bosom. Naturally, the baby will be breastfed, both individuals happy and all will be well.
While this is the ideal, it may not be the case for all Mums. Even for those who do manage to breastfeed and live to tell the tale, there can be many variations on that story. Some may not manage to keep it up for long, some may have lactation problems, some may choose to both nurse and supplement low supply with formula and still others perhaps never overcome their breastfeeding hurdles at all.
While no one can predict how things will turn out, here are some ways you can set yourself up for a higher chance of success if breastfeeding is something that is important to you.
Plan to have a natural birth plan
One of the ways to ensure success in breastfeeding is to start as soon as you can, meaning from birth. For this to happen, you’d want to ensure as much as possible that you are physically able (meaning awake) when baby is born. Obviously, this would be hard to do if you’re undergoing a planned or emergency C-section.
Thus, many Mums who are keen to breastfeed from birth also plan for natural birth, ideally without medical interventions. Some methods of training for a natural, pain-free birth include learning hypnobirthing techniques and/or giving birth in water or at home.
Good to have: doula and pro-breastfeeding hospital
Working with a Doula can also help ensure that upon birth, the baby is directed to the Mum to latch on instead of being taken away to be weighed, cleaned and looked over first – of course barring any necessary medical reasons. Routinely, babies born in hospitals are not immediately passed to the mother to be latched. So, if this is important to you, it needs to be clearly understood and carried out when the time comes.
Indicating that the baby is to be kept with Mumma at all times (instead of being taken to the nursery as the normal practice) can also help with breastfeeding on demand – also crucial for successful breastfeeding.
Not all hospitals welcome doulas or prioritise adhering to your birth plan. So, in the early stages, make sure that your obstetrician is aware of your goals and the hospital you’re planning to give birth in supports your plan to breastfeed upon delivery.
Many good hospitals organise ante-natal classes which include breastfeeding courses to prepare you for what’s to come. Alternatively, you can seek out breastfeeding courses from private clinics or practitioners.
So the natural birth didn’t happen
What now? Fret not, even with an emergency or elective c-section, it is still possible to have a successful breastfeeding experience. If latching on your baby as soon as possible is important to you, then make sure that the hospital nurses, your birth support team and your partner know this so that they can assist you in this goal.
Some ways that they can support you to get skin-to-skin contact with your baby as soon as medically possible. Hand expressing your breast milk if baby if not able to latch on immediately is also another item to tick off the list; this will help simulate baby’s natural and regular suckling.
Do remember that a caesarian is considered major abdominal surgery, so if you’re keen to be up and about to handle breastfeeding, your healing must take priority. Ironically, this means not stressing out too much about the amount of milk you’re producing, or if baby is able to latch on well.
Instead, get as much rest as you can and make sure that you have the requisite number of support pillows (and persons at home!) to aid your medical recovery
Tackling breastfeeding problems
Even with best laid plans, lactation problems can occur. Problems with letdown, painful or incorrect latching, low milk supply and illness like mastitis are common with many new or even second and third time Mums. Sometimes these issues can either go away naturally or subside with easy DIY home treatments.
But if the concerns are unrelenting and severe, you may require the attention of a board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). In pre-Pandemic times, an LC can easily make home visits to correct your latch and administer help personally. Nowadays, with safe management measures, some good LCs conduct their services over Zoom quite effectively. Many good hospitals also have an IBCLC on call to check on postpartum Mums who choose to breastfeed to ensure that their needs are met.
Peer support also helps. The Breastfeeding Mother’s Support Group is an organisation that supports nursing Mummas and advocates for public awareness and understanding about breastfeeding in general. They provide trained counsellors that can attend to your lactation concerns over WhatsApp or Zoom. They’re also there to lend a listening ear if all you need is emotional support.
If you are having any breastfeeding issues and would like to seek help from a lactation consultant, find lactation boosters or engorgement massages, you can find them on our Directory!