Planning for a Vaginal Birth, but want the Peace of Mind that comes with being prepared for anything?
Birth is a defining moment in a family’s life and it sets the stage for a breastfeeding journey. Despite the best and most personalized birth plan, the only true constant in every journey is that it is deeply personal. For some, a planned Caesarean section is a choice and deep desire especially for personalities that prefer having a date to plan their life around. On the other hand, most expecting mothers envisioning a vaginal delivery do consider the possibility of having to face an emergency Caesarean section. This issue of The Starfish Thrower by SACLC is for those mothers, those wanting to prepare for an emergency Caesarean section while researching and planning for a vaginal delivery. Or perhaps you are walking into your second Caesarean section while carrying the weight of a difficult first experience and hoping reclaim your voice and the Golden Hour.
This month, we are focusing on how to bridge the gap between surgical intervention and the intimate, biological connection of breastfeeding. Whether you are planning birth via Caesarean section, preparing for the unexpected, or seeking a healing repeat Caesarean section, our goal is to help you feel seen, safe, and supported with the latest evidence-based research to discuss with your healthcare provider.
For the Expecting Mother: How to Prepare for Both
The Both Mindset: You do not have to choose between a birth plan and a backup plan. You can prepare for a vaginal birth while still having a "Gentle Caesareanean" list ready. Knowledge is not a lack of faith in your body. Instead knowledge is something you can keep in your toolbox for empowerment.
Advocate Early: Discuss skin-to-skin protocols and breastfeeding goals during your pregnancy. This will simplify decisions made even during an emergency if your preferences are already clearly communicated to your healthcare provider. It boils down to if you do not ask the answer is always no.
For the Healing Mother: Preparing for a Second Caesarean Section
Naming the Experience: If your first experience was traumatic start with identifying what felt missing during the first experience. Was it a lack of communication or a cold environment or a delay in holding your baby? Finding answers to these questions is the first step in ensuring this birth feels different.
Reclaim the Environment: Focus on the "Gentle Caesareanean" strategy. Ask for a clear drape, a specific playlist, or immediate skin-to-skin contact. This is your birth, and you are allowed to research different options to equip you with a restorative experience.
What is a Gentle Caesarean?
1. The Environment
Clear Drapes: A transparent surgical drape may be used, or the standard opaque drape is lowered at the moment of birth, allowing the parents to see their baby being born.
Atmosphere: Medical staff may play a personalized playlist to create a calmer, less clinical environment.
2. Immediate Bonding
Skin-to-Skin Contact: In a standard Caesarean section, the baby is often accompanied by the partner to complete assessments. In a gentle Caesarean section, the baby is placed directly onto the mother’s chest while the surgeons complete the procedure.
Early Breastfeeding: Because the baby remains with the mother, breastfeeding can often be initiated while still in the operating room.
Important to Remember: this might not be possible during an emergency Caesarean section. If this is not possible, prioritize skin-to-skin with baby to start as soon as possible after birth. Dad can also perform skin-to-skin if mom is unable to.
This approach aims to reduce the "medicalized" feeling of surgery and has been shown to support better breastfeeding outcomes, stabilize the baby's temperature and heart rate, and reduce maternal anxiety or feelings of detachment following the procedure.
Most importantly: high fitting underwear (a.k.a. granny panties) to avoid friction on your incision.
Secondly, invest in slippers that you can easily slip your feet into. It is very painful to bend over and put slippers on after a Caesarean section. Also when it is time to take baby home, your hands will be completely full and you will want shoes you can step right into without looking down.
ERAS Protocols: A Game-Changer for Breastfeeding After Caesarean Sections
For many new mothers, initiating breastfeeding after a Caesareanean section can be a challenge. Breastfeeding is often delayed by postoperative routines and early separation from their newborns. However, a recent 2025 study conducted in Spain reveals that Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols might hold the key to turning those challenges around.
The study followed 131 women undergoing scheduled Caesarean sections, comparing those who followed a family-centered ERAS protocol against a control group receiving conventional hospital care.
Key Findings
The implementation of ERAS protocols showed a profoundly positive impact on breastfeeding success at the time of hospital discharge:
Higher Success Rates: Mothers in the ERAS group were nearly 4 times more likely to achieve effective breastfeeding.
Stronger Performance: The ERAS group achieved significantly higher LATCH scores (a tool used to measure breastfeeding success), indicating better latching and overall breastfeeding performance.
Stable Exclusive Breastfeeding: Women under the ERAS protocol maintained exclusive breastfeeding throughout their hospital stay.
What Makes the Difference?
The study highlighted three independent factors that most heavily influenced successful breastfeeding:
ERAS Protocol Implementation
Early Skin-to-Skin Contact (More than doubled the likelihood of successful breastfeeding)
Structured Breastfeeding Support (Nearly tripled the likelihood of breastfeeding success)
The Bottom Line: By optimizing maternal recovery and minimizing mother-infant separation, ERAS protocols create the ideal clinical conditions for early contact and structured support which ultimately equip mothers and babies with the best possible start to their breastfeeding journey.
Follow this link if you would like to read the open-access article published in Nursing Reports by MDPI to discuss with your healthcare provider.
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