If you’ve had a cesarean delivery, this is not an impediment to breastfeeding your baby, although for some women the discomfort of the wound can make it a little more difficult.
For this reason, there are some tricks to keep in mind when breastfeeding to avoid pressure and pain in the suture points of the cesarean section. These are the best positions to breastfeed after a C-section to keep you and your baby comfortable.
Remember, it doesn’t take longer for milk to come in after a C-section, but that could happen if the baby is late in coming to the breast. For this reason, the ideal would be for the baby to be with its mother in skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible, also after the cesarean section.
At first, after the intervention you will be recovering from the effects of anesthesia and you will be in a lying or semi-recumbent position. For this reason, the best positions to breastfeed are those that allow you to breastfeed the baby without getting up to get him to take his first food and start breastfeeding. These are the side-lying pose and the back-lying pose .
Side lying posture
A very convenient position for the mother who has had a caesarean section, which is also ideal for night feedings, is lying on her side.
The mother and baby are lying on their sides, facing each other and in this way there is no contact with the wound stitches. It can also facilitate breastfeeding for babies with a short frenulum or ankyloglossia.
You can place (or have) cushions placed behind your back to provide stability and comfort, and another between your knees to help relax your abdominal area.
Lying face up posture
Similar to the previous one but with the baby resting on the mother’s arm, or even on her shoulder if someone helps you holding the baby. This way you avoid bearing any weight or pressure on the wound.
The baby can also be placed on the chest horizontally (crossed) over the tummy so that it does not touch the wound.
rugby ball stance
Once the stitches allow you to sit up, the rugby ball pose is one of the preferred options for mothers who have had a caesarean birth because it does not support the baby on the wound.
The woman is seated with the baby resting on her forearm. His body is slightly curved on the mother’s side, with his feet towards the back of the chair where he is sitting. You can use a nursing pillow so that the baby is higher.
In this position, the mother holds her head and sees the face of her baby, who feels safer being snuggled up to his mother’s body.
