Baby #2 is due in 3 weeks, and it looks like I might end up tandem feeding. My son is still breastfeeding 2-3 times a day and I doubt that's going to change in the next few weeks. I was always open to tandem feeding, but decided early on to just go with the flow and see what happens. I've always said that I was going to keep nursing for as long as it was a positive experience for both me and my son, so who knows what that means in the coming weeks and months.

I've read lots of good information and talked with a few professionals (my GP was shocked and told me I should have weaned ages ago , and a LC who was supportive). I should mention that I had a breast reduction in the past and I was extremely lucky to be able to exclusively breastfeed my son, so no one can really predict what's going to happen when I try to feed two.

I was told by the LC to avoid feeding my son for at least 3-5 days until my milk really comes in to make sure that the new baby gets as much colostrum as possible. Does this sound right? It makes me feel really sad and I worry that my son is going to be confused and jealous. I'm going to have to spend at least 24 hours in hospital this time (damn GBS protocol), but after that I was hoping to resume feeding as normal.

For those of you who have experience with this, how did you manage to time the feedings for both children? I know I need to always feed the newborn first, but what did you do when your youngest went through growth spurts and cluster feeding? I'm sure we're going to find a rhythm, but I just can't imagine how this is all going to fit together.

Personal experiences and advice would be very much appreciated

Have you looked at the tandem feeding support sticky? There's some useful information up there.

I'm in the same position as you, but from what I've heard, it's probably best to offer the newborn milk before your toddler before your milk comes in but you don't need to stop feeding your toddler completely. Anyway, even when your milk comes in, it is still rich in antibodies etc. - it's not a complete change from colostrum to mature milk.

Also, from what I've read, you don't always need to nurse the baby first once your milk comes in. You can judge it according to how you produce. For example, lots of people find they end up with an abundant supply, and the toddler can often do a good job of managing the forceful first let down, before the baby carries on. It's explained better here.

Good luck!