In many cases, breastfeeding after a c-section doesn’t go as smoothly as you might expect. The first attempts can be a little challenging and supplementing with formula seems perfectly reasonable. So many new moms have been there and wonder how to avoid overfeeding baby with formula after a c-section. Believe it or not, it is one of the most common breastfeeding mistakes.
Learn how to avoid overfeeding baby with formula after c-section and why you should absolutely NOT feel guilty about it!
Overfeeding Baby With Formula After C-Section: My Client’s Story
See this picture-perfect guy right here? He’s a pound over where he needs to be for weight gain. After a tricky start at the hospital and a new mama wanting to ensure her baby is fed, he’s been unnecessarily supplemented with formula.
This is a very common start of breastfeeding and here is how it happens.
When Your Milk Takes Its Time To Come In
Often times after a c-section delivery, the liquid gold takes a tad longer to come in. Mom’s milk ducts are filled with fluids from surgery. The body needs a minute to empty the fluids so the milk has somewhere to go.
Baby loses 10% of birth weight and mom is discharged with formula. She’s told to give baby a bottle after nursing.
Milk comes in. Mom doesn’t know if baby is getting enough to eat and gives him a bottle of formula.
The Snowball Effect of Overfeeding Baby With Formula
Baby is so full from breastfeeding AND bottle-feeding. He’s uncomfortable, gassy, fussy, and crying. What do you do when a baby cries? You give the baby more to eat.
Mom is breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, pumping, and washing bottles and pump parts. One feeding runs into another and she’s feeding her baby around the clock. Her baby is spitting up (because his tiny stomach has hit capacity) and now she’s googling reflux and food allergies. She is wondering if she should cut out dairy – but my icecream! – and ask the pediatrian about an acid suppressant. She is getting little down-time between feedings, absolutely exhausted and stressed about why her baby is so cranky.
How to Deal With Overfeeding
At the consultation, we tweak positioning for a pain-free latch and maximum transfer. Then – the best part – we perform a test weigh so Mom can SEE on the scale how much her baby has transferred. How much did this dashing dude eat? 4oz!
Supplement needed? No. Pumping needed? No. Bottlefeeding of expressed breastmilk needed? No.
What was needed is time and a little guidance to show Mom her body hasn’t failed her. She needed to hear that she didn’t mess up anything (or anyone) and sometimes breastfeeding isn’t as intuitive as you’d think.