Benefits of post-caesarean section breastfeeding for mother and baby

The benefits of post-caesarean section (cesarean) breastfeeding must be obtained by your little one who was born through this procedure. This is because the caesarean delivery process is believed to affect the immunity of the little one.

Interference with the immunity of the little one who is born with a caesarean section can occur due to the little one not getting good bacteria from the birth canal during the delivery process. What's more, a lack of good bacteria in the body can cause your little one to become susceptible to disease.

Therefore, it is important to give exclusive breastfeeding or breastfeeding to support the immunity of your little one who was born with a caesarean.

Preparation for breastfeeding after cesarean section

Not a few mothers find it difficult to breastfeed after cesarean section. The reason is, there are several complaints that are commonly felt by Mama when you want to breastfeed, such as feeling pain due to surgical scars, fatigue, and difficulty moving after surgery.

It turns out that these things can affect the supply of breastmilk to a small amount. Therefore, ways are needed that can encourage Mama's efforts to breastfeed after cesarean section.

How to support initiation of breastfeeding after cesarean section

To help Mama and your little one benefit from the initiation of breastfeeding after cesarean section, you are advised to do the following:

• Make skin-to-skin contact with the baby in the first 24 hours after delivery
• Try to breastfeed the baby as often and for as long as they want so that the milk supply is adequate
• Ask your midwife or doctor if you need help and advice about breastfeeding
• Consult a midwife or doctor about how to express breastmilk to stimulate milk supply
• Determine the most comfortable breastfeeding position for Mama and your little one
• If the wound on your stomach still hurts, put a pillow to protect it while you are breastfeeding

In addition to the six ways above, support from people closest to Mama can also affect breastfeeding efforts. For those closest to you, try to be ready to help mothers who give birth by caesarean section so they can focus on breastfeeding and resting during their recovery.

Benefits of post-caesarean section breastfeeding

In general, breastfeeding is a way for Mama and your little one to get close to one another. Breastfeeding can also reduce sadness and regret for the mother who gave birth by caesarean section, as well as giving satisfaction because you have provided the best for the baby.

In addition, breastfeeding is often associated with health benefits in infants, such as increased immunity. Here are three important benefits of breastfeeding that you should know for your little one who was born with a caesarean.

1. Protect your little one from infection and disease early in life

After childbirth, your body will produce the first colostrum or milk that comes out of the breast. This thick, yellowish white milk contains more protein and contains less carbohydrates and fat than cooked breast milk.

Colostrum plays an important role in providing immunity and ideal nutrition for your little newborn. In addition, colostrum is also rich in immunoglobulin A (IgA) which can protect your little one's body from infection and disease early in life.

2. Increase the bonds between

Breastfeeding also has a psychological impact on both mother and baby. Based on research from the University of Virginia, breastfeeding can affect children's brain, cognitive and socio-emotional development, which includes:

• Better memory, language skills and intelligence
• The development of the brain myelination process (the formation of brain cell connections) is faster
• Aggressiveness and temperament in younger children

While for Mama, breastfeeding can reduce anxiety, mood negative ones, and stress. In addition, breastfeeding mothers also have longer and quality sleep patterns than mothers who provide formula milk.

3. Supports the baby's immune system during its growth period

Did you know? Your little one who was born with a caesarean section loses the opportunity to get exposure to good bacteria from the birth canal that can help support her immunity. For that, your little one needs five times more probiotics or good bacteria, so breastfeeding is the main solution to support his immunity.

This is because breast milk has complete nutrition needed to strengthen the immunity of your little one who was born with a caesarean, such as probiotics and prebiotics.

Probiotic factors can support immunity and improve the health of the little one's digestive tract. For example, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus , the good bacteria that mostly live in the digestive tract. These good bacteria also play a role in preventing infection and reducing the risk of allergies, asthma and other chronic diseases.

In addition, breast milk also has prebiotic factors or food for good bacteria in the digestive tract. An example of a prebiotic is FOS (fructo-oligosaccharide) and GOS (galacto-oligosaccharide) which can increase the number of good bacteria in the digestive tract.

Meanwhile, there is also a combination of probiotics and prebiotics, namely synbiotics that are able to restore the colonization of good bacteria in the digestive tract of your little one who was born with a caesarean so that his body's immunity is optimal.

For more information about preparing for a cesarean delivery, you can read about #SiapL PassCaesarean information. Don't forget to consult the doctor too, Ma.

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