2nd + time mommy's experiences...

[Mama627]

I'm wondering if you ladies had an easier time breastfeeding your 2nd + babies?

I tried breastfeeding with my first (who was induced at 37 weeks), and basically it didn't work. She'd latch on and then fall asleep. Everything was difficult. My milk took forever to come in -- I had several days after the birth where nothing at all came out. My nipples never seemed to take on the right shape without this "latch assist" contraption. After only a day, due to my DD's weight declining by 10% and jaundice, the doctor had me give her formula. After a few days of formula, she wouldn't even latch on to me. I tried pumping, but I couldn't ever pump enough, so we had to continue supplementing 50% or more with formula. I'd only get ridiculously small amounts out before they "went dry". I saw 2 different lactation consultants, one with DD and one after DD refused the boob. Both said I was doing it right (trying to feed DD and pumping). I wound up giving up completely after a month and felt like a total failure.

I'm worried this time will be the same because my boobs haven't grown that much, so there's no way there can be much milk in there. I'd love to hear from someone who had a horrible time breastfeeding their first, but was successful with their 2nd + babies.

 

[kelly29]

i didn't really give bf much of a try with my other's baled after only a wk or so but it can be done i'm loving it now its by far the hardsest thing at the start but omg the easiest now i'm so glad iv'e got milky boob's at 3am i don't have big boobs though they are bigger now all you can do is try and see hun x

 

[Mum2MJ]

Much easier 2nd time around my DD's is 8+ weeks and it's easy as anything now (still hard first week or two though) whereas with my DD1 I was struggling and combi feeding at this point and gave up at 12 weeks. It definitely helps knowing what to expect from the first time around, I'm sure you'll be fine x

 

[kerrie24]

It was still hard at the start but if you give it a chance and are determained,there is little chance you will be unable to do it.On my 2nd child I was more confident that I could do it and ready to tackle any problems that arose.

 

[momto4girls]

with my 1st one, I was young and inexperienced. it was so hard the first few weeks that I started giving her formula around 6 weeks. I remember being out with my aunt when she was about 3 months old and my daughter started to cry and I told my aunt I needed to stop by a bathroom so I could get some water to mix with her bottle and she asked why, if I was nursing would I want to give her formula when I could just nurse her in the bathroom or in the car? I said I was more comfortable with the formula. I ended up combo feeding her till she was about 6 months, then I gave up totally b/c she would rather take the bottle and it was just easier to give up than to keep trying. My second one came almost 2yrs later. I was more determined to make breastfeeding work. Even pumped for an outing we (my husband and I) went on that was no kids allowed, just so she wouldn't have to have formula. I succeeded!!! Got through the worst and most painful part of it and things were going great! Then I got pneumonia. I was given two choices (after a few rounds of antibiotics that didn't work) either go in the hospital and get meds via IV till I was better OR pump and dump while on a medicine that isn't safe to take while nursing. Well being that I had #1 at home, I chose option #2, thinking I could make it work with the pumping. It was a long 3 weeks, and by the time the meds were done, so was my milk supply. My little one refused to latch as well to try to up it again. I cried for nearly a week after. She nursed till she was 10 weeks, and I gave it up for good around 14 weeks. Along comes baby #3. I wasn't giving up this time, no way no how. And I didn't. I nursed and pumped at the same time for months, "just in case". She ended up weaning around 10 months on her own, and I had enough stored milk that she never got a drop of formula. #4 came in December 2008. I had such a positive experience with her. She was the best nurser ever!!! We had some ups and downs don't get me wrong. She had a week long stay in the hospital at 5 weeks b/c she had RSV. We quit nursing at 14 months, b/c I wanted to try to have another baby, and I wasn't having a cycle. Baby #5 is 8 weeks (tomorrow) and he's getting better and better at nursing every day. We have had some problems here, ranging from the meds I was on from a csection making him drowsy, to allergic reaction forcing me to take benedryl for a week (caused a dip in my production) to the common cold a few times.

Anyway, the reason for the book above is to tell you that yes, at first it sucks, and its hard. But I did the formula feeding thing and at night, its so much easier to just whip out a boob a nurse.