The Lie That Breastfeeding After a C-Section is Impossible

“You know, this will make breastfeeding her impossible…”

My triage nurse said this to me as I was being prepped for my emergency c-section with my first daughter. 

Talk about a punch to the gut.

The birth plan I had spent hours agonizing over was already out the window and now you’re going to stand there and lie to me that my plan for feeding her is shot too?

Good thing I knew differently.

Maybe the medication and limited mobility after a c-section make it harder… but I know from experience it is not impossible.

I didn’t let her words get me down, they only motivated me to work harder.

I asked to see a lactation consultant the morning after my emergency c-section and asked her to come back again before we left the hospital for good. I also asked to see the lactation consultant at my pediatrician’s office when my daughter was slow to regain weight.

I breastfed her for 18 months!

And you know what?

I am so proud of us.

We made it through that period she was slow to regain weight, cluster feeding, a wedding when she was only 6 weeks old, sleepless nights, road trips, family visits, trips to museums, zoos, parades, cross country flights…

We nursed in airports, sports stadiums, museums, hotels, friends’ houses, cars, planes…

18 months to the day after her dramatic entry into this world, she decided she was done breastfeeding, so I let my supply dry up and just soaked up her sleepy cuddles.

11 months later, my breastfeeding journey with her little sister started.

Like her big sister, little sister was born via c-section, although her’s was planned. And I had a plan in place to make sure we were set up for success. We met with lactation consultants before we left the hospital and my pediatrician knew about my dedication to breastfeeding and she supported me at every appointment.

With 39 months of breastfeeding under my belt after two c-sections, let me tell you the truth…

You can do it too.

If breastfeeding is your choice, you can 100% do it.

I believe in you!

Don’t let some old fuddy duddy nurse tell you any differently.

Don’t let your family tell you differently.

Don’t let some Instagram influencer or celebrity tell you differently.

Breastfeeding after a c-section is possible! I am living proof of that.

Here are some things that I think will help set you up for success:

1. Be loud and unapologetic about your choice. Tell your partner. Tell your OB/GYN. Tell your triage nurse. Put it on your birth plan. Tell the OB nurses. Tell your pediatrician. Tell your family. Tell your friends. Tell anyone who is in a position to support you. Breastfeeding is your choice and yours alone. Make sure the people in your support system know your desire and how they can support you. Be loud and unapologetic about what you need from them – a good support system won’t question you, they’ll just do it. Your baby’s medical team and your care providers should also support your choice. Do not be scared or afraid to call them out if they do not. I regret not telling that nurse off when she told me breastfeeding was impossible, I didn’t deserve that kind of energy. And you don’t either!
2. Seek out a lactation consultant. No matter how well you think you and the baby are doing, a lactation consultant is the best medical professional to confirm that for you. There should be some available to you at the hospital. It is also a good thing to ask about when you are choosing a pediatrician. When I was expecting my first, one of the reasons I chose the pediatrician I did was because of my OB/GYN’s recommendation and the fact that they had a lactation consultant on staff. Also, check your medical insurance coverage for lactation visits so that you can be prepared if there is an additional fee to see one.
3. Don’t let the Negative Nancy’s of the world get you down. Motherhood is hard enough. One of the most powerful lessons I have learned in motherhood is that NO ONE on this Earth knows your baby better than you. The celebrity who says your breastfeeding journey is doomed from the start because of your c-section? Doesn’t know you or your baby better than you. The old nurse who is stuck in her ways? Doesn’t know you or your baby better than you. Your childless aunt? Also doesn’t know you or your baby better than you. If you want to breastfeed after your c-section, I support you and everyone in your life should too. NO ONE on this Earth knows your baby better than you.
4. Talk about your experience and celebrate your success. Breastfeeding came easily for me despite being told it was impossible. Without telling my story, you wouldn’t have my assurance that you can do it too. You don’t have to have a huge platform to speak your truth. Talk with your friends and family about your experience, you never know who your story will touch. Listen to stories of triumphs and challenges from other moms, because you are never alone in motherhood. Also, celebrate yourself for every breastfeeding milestone you cross. Whether your breast-feeding journey lasted a week, a month, or years, you deserve to be celebrated in a way that you see fit. I bought myself some jewelry made from pumped breastmilk. I wear that little bead with pride!

Happy breastfeeding… I cannot wait to hear about your success!