Breastfeeding After C-Section: 9 Tips

I ugly cried the day my midwife told me that I would need a C-section. After months of inversions, a rebozo and chiropractics, my little guy still wouldn’t budge. I’ll be honest, I was devastated and terrified. Not only would I not get my out-of-hospital birth, but I’d be having major surgery (while awake), with the possibility of complications as well as the possibility that I would be unable to breastfeed.

The more I read on the internet, the more fearful I became. My word of advice? Stay away from the internet if you find out you have to have a C-section! And if you are going to read all you can on the internet beforehand, make sure you read my uplifting and informative piece, Caesarean Section Words of Wisdom.

Don’t mind the myriad of articles you see around the internet, saying that you’ll be unable to breastfeed after your C-section. I am a testament to the fact that you can have a long and rewarding breastfeeding relationship with your baby after a Caesarean birth. In fact, my son nursed like a champ for 21 months (despite going through sleep training at 9 months old). In fact, I feel pretty confident that you’ll be reading my piece, 10 Signs You’re Ready to Stop Breastfeeding, at some point down the road!

Again, I was presented with an amazing opportunity, to write about a topic in which I had a great deal of experience, when Care.com wanted to post an article about breastfeeding after a C-section. I consulted several lactation consultants, each of whom were kind enough to lend their expertise, and the result was a total of 9 tips for a successful breastfeeding relationship after a Caesarean section.