Yes, your baby CAN go from bottle to breast

Midwife: received wisdom not accurate

MOTHERS who have given birth by caesarean section can successfully start breastfeeding up to three weeks later if they are unable to do so immediately, a top midwife has said.

The received wisdom has been that a mother must start breastfeeding instantly, and that giving a baby even one bottle feed can scupper successful breastfeeding. But following caesarean section births, this is not always possible due to pain or exhaustion.

The news comes as events take place around the country today to mark the start of National Breastfeeding Week. In Ireland, 55.4% of babies are breastfed within days of birth; in the UK and Australia, the equivalent figures are 80% and 90% respectively.

Margaret Hynes, a clinical specialist in lactation at Limerick University Hospital, said: ‘Women would be surprised they can breastfeed after a caesarean.

‘A lot of them think that because they had an operation they can’t. It is a big operation – we give them as much support as we can.

‘Very often after a caesarean a woman just feels exhausted, and tired and overwhelmed and unable to feed her baby in the first 24 to 48 hours. It’s possible for women to change their minds. They still have a window of opportunity for the first three or four weeks.’

Ms Hynes said she has seen an increasing number of women starting to breastfeed at home after initially feeding their newborn with a bottle.

She said: ‘They can establish lactation: that’s really important to say. Sometimes they give one bottle in the hospital and think they have to give up breastfeeding, but we can support them to start if they wish. They might be intimidated by the hospital, or they were upset, but they can start again at home.’

Women who have a C-section typically stay in hospital for four days says Ms Hynes while other mothers might leave after one night. In her experience, this is a chance to get more support from lactation consultants.

‘To be honest, mothers, especially new mothers, need to learn about breastfeeding and the baby needs to be guided,’ she said.

A midwife for 37 years, Ms Hynes stressed that there are forms of pain relief that are suitable for mothers who are recovering from a C-section and wish to start breastfeeding their new baby.

Limerick University Hospital offers procedures called gentle caesareans which are modified to make the woman feel more at ease. Ms Hynes explained this includes having monitor leads attached to the woman’s back instead of her chest so she can breastfeed immediately if possible and have the baby placed on her chest without impediment.

Instead of separating mother and baby for tests, the pair are taken to a recovery ward where they can be monitored together. All midwives at the hospital are given breastfeeding management training, she said.

The information website breastfeeding.ie, run by the HSE, now receives around 4,500 visits a week.

‘Three-week window of opportunity’