Booby Traps: How Hospital Policies Can Sabotage Breastfeeding (and What You Can Do About It)

Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog post is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. The information provided is not a substitute for advice from a qualified professional who is aware of the facts and circumstances of your individual situation.

Parents hear plenty about why to breastfeed, but not enough about how hospital routines can make it harder.

Delays or interruptions to the first latch—often caused by routine hospital policies—can quietly sabotage the breastfeeding journey before it even begins. In this article, we’ll talk about protecting that first magical hour, and laying the foundation for breastfeeding success.

As a birth doula and lactation counselor, I’ve had countless conversations with new mothers who share the same heartbreaking experience: a rocky start to breastfeeding that left them feeling inadequate, ashamed, and sometimes led to postpartum depression.

Over and over, I hear women say, “I felt like a failure,” simply because breastfeeding didn’t go how they expected, or because they stopped sooner than they wanted to.

Let me say this, If your breastfeeding journey didn’t go as planned, YOU DID NOT FAIL . . . You may have been booby trapped.

What are Booby Traps?

Booby traps are well intentioned hospital routines and protocols that unintentionally hinder early breastfeeding.

Your care team isn’t out to get you, they’re just following protocol, a protocol that isn’t based in the latest research.

“The single most powerful step you can take to support breastfeeding success is to have immediate, uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact until your baby has finished the first feed. The first latch should not be interfered with by anyone, and support from staff during this time should be hands off.”

Skin to skin during a cesarean birth.

One of the most common obstacles to successful breastfeeding is separating a mother and baby during the first hour after birth, often before the baby has had a chance to complete their first feed. This separation frequently happens for routine procedures like weighing, or taking footprints which can almost always wait.

In many instances, babies can be fully assessed on their mother’s chest.

Babies with an APGAR score of 7 or above should not be removed from their mother’s chest.

That first hour after birth, often called the golden hour or even the magical hour, is such an important time for both mom and baby. It helps set the stage for bonding, breastfeeding, and starting off that new relationship feeling connected and calm.

During the first hour after birth, your baby will go through 9 distinct stages. Find more info here.

Some other booby traps include supplementation with formula in the hospital, nursery time, bathing, and giving pacifiers or bottles too early. All of these well-meaning interventions can interfere with your body’s ability to establish a strong milk supply and can make breastfeeding feel more confusing or frustrating than it needs to be.

Often, one of the biggest barriers is a lack of access to evidence based lactation support.

Sometimes, even when we do have support, the advice we’re given isn’t helpful or it’s based in outdated information rather than current research. It’s incredibly frustrating to be doing your best, only to realize later that the guidance you received may have made things harder instead of easier. You deserved better.

How Can You Avoid Being Booby Trapped?

Go into your birthplace informed, and with a breastfeeding-friendly plan in hand. Talk openly with your nurses and doctors about your wish to protect the golden hour, and ask that your baby be assessed while resting skin-to-skin on your chest.

Make sure everyone caring for you knows your preferences clearly: that you don’t want your baby supplemented with formula or given a pacifier unless medically necessary. If supplementation is needed, express your desire for your baby to receive your own expressed colostrum first.

Being proactive and communicating your wishes can make a big difference in how your breastfeeding journey begins.

Having a doula by your side can help protect your golden hour, but your strongest defense is going into birth informed and prepared. This is why we spend time discussing how to protect this time during our prenatal visits.

What If Separation Is Necessary?

In some cases, separation of mom and baby is unavoidable. In these situations, early expression of your breasts is crucial to ensure an adequate milk supply.

If you are separated from your baby and desire to breastfeed, expressing within the first hour plays a critical role in protecting your milk supply. You CANNOT wait to be reunited with your baby. The longer after birth that you wait, the more risk to your supply.

During those first few days, hand expression is the most effective since you’ll be collecting small amounts of colostrum. This precious colostrum can then be fed to your baby using a syringe, cup, or other gentle method.

Expressed colostrum in 1ml syringes

What If I Have a C-Section?

Having a cesarean birth doesn’t mean breastfeeding success is out of reach, it just means your journey might look a little different, and that’s okay. With the right support, you can still have a beautiful start.

If you're having a planned C-section, talk with your care team ahead of time about your breastfeeding goals. Ask if skin-to-skin can be done in the operating room or as soon as you're stable. Many hospitals are becoming more supportive of this, and it can make a big difference in helping baby latch early.

Consider asking your care team to delay routine procedures like weighing, footprints, and measurements so you can prioritize early skin-to-skin contact—even while you're still in the operating room.

Also, request that you and your baby not be separated when you’re moved to the recovery area. Whenever possible, ask to have your baby stay with you skin-to-skin so you can begin bonding and attempt that first latch.

These early moments matter, even in a surgical birth, and you have every right to ask for support in making them happen.

Skin-to-skin in the OR often requires an extra support person to ensure both you and your baby are safe. Don’t hesitate to ask that the necessary staff be present so you can have this irreplaceable bonding time—it’s worth advocating for.

The Bottom Line

You aren’t failing—the system is.

Families are being left without the support they need. The crucial first hour is being interrupted by routine procedures. Outdated practices continue to take priority over evidence-based care. And the result? Parents are left feeling confused, discouraged, and even heartbroken—when all they needed was compassionate, informed care.

If your breastfeeding journey got off to a rough start, please know this: you did not do anything wrong.

You deserved better support.
You deserved time to bond.
You deserved to be heard.

Whether you’re preparing for birth, in the thick of early postpartum, or looking back and processing your experience—your story matters.

Where Can You Find More Support?

At Raw Roots Doula Services, we’re here to support you during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Protecting the start of your breastfeeding journey is important to us. We’ve included a link to a free digital download with some basic advocacy scripts you can use during your vaginal or cesarean birth. Find them here.

If you’re interested in having us at your Western Pennsylvania birth, or would like 1:1 lactation support, contact us today. We’re excited to meet you!