Are you planning to breastfeed?

[kaye]

Hi.

I am hoping to breast feed. I feel nervous about it though. Will it work? Should I wait to buy a breastpump after a few weeks when I know it's working just incase?

Is it easy? I have big boobs and gravity is not on my side. Does this even matter?.

Will it hurt?

So.many questions!

 

[lewood88]

Hi hun brestfeed as soon as baby is born baby will latch on, i struggled with both my girls as i have flat nipples its my mission to get this baby to latch and ill be using a nipple shield, i have big boobs but that wont matter, and it doesnt hurt just feels abit weird lol xxx

 

[kaye]

Oh good. I really want to try it.
I am feeling a bit apprehensive about being out and about but sure I will get used to doing it discreetly.

Don't get.me wrong I know you don't have to hide it and I'm all for mums being able to breastfeed where ever they need to but I am self concious about showing off my boobs lol.

 

[lewood88]

Aww hun dont be u can get covers my cousin swore by her covers she has just stopped breast feeding her son and hes 11 months old, if you get nervous about feeding in public just pump before you go out xxx

 

[apreslaube]

Insurance in the US now covers breast pumps (Affordable Care Act). I plan to get mine after the birth. I don't plan on pumping until about 2 months if all goes well.

I'm a FTM so I have no idea what to expect. Every person is different. I'm lactose intolerant and was allergic to my mom's milk at birth so I'm hoping that doesn't translate to Edison.

I know that it is supposed to hurt but not like crazy with a proper latch and it shouldn't hurt too much after a few weeks and your nipples get used to it.

 

[Bevziibubble]

I'm planning to breastfeed again although hopefully for not so long next time!
I found a breast pump quite useful last time.
I did have sore nipples at first while the baby gets used to latching, but it improved within a few weeks.

 

[Willow82]

I'm going to try but I'm very apprehensive about it as I had a horrible time trying to breastfeed my first. He wouldn't latch, my milk never came in as I was so stressed out and then when I expressed round the clock, it only came in enough for me to get 1 bottle a day for him. Then I got mastitis twice! I hope I have better luck this time.

 

[Pielette]

I absoluely cannot wait to breastfeed again

I formula fed my first and breastfed my second for a year and I loved it, in fact I wish he would have fed for longer but he just wasn't interested after about 13 months. I wouldn't bother buying a breast pump for about a month after birth - your supply needs to settle anyway and if you pump too early you're telling your breasts to make too much milk.

As for being discreet I found that quite easy. I would wear a vest top underneath my main top, pull one up and the other down, latch baby and you couldn't see a thing

It was painful for about 3 weeks but that was only my nipples adjusting and it only lasted for the first 20 seconds or so of a feed.

I had it really easy with mine, he was a great feeder, having said that it's not always easy for people so just relax, take it a day at a time and don't put pressure on yourself

 

[LoraLoo]

I think the key is to get it right at the start- the midwives will offer lots of help, it may take a bit of practice but getting it right in those first days is crucial. It's not painful, just makes you curl your toes a bit at the beginning! 😃

 

[Mrs_Bump]

Everyone's experience of breastfeeding is different. I would recommend doing as much research as you can before hand, and bringing pictorial instructions to hospital with you. If possible get someone to check your latch on the ward before you leave hospital. I would recommend buying everything before baby is born for feeding. As long as you keep the receipts you can return what you don't use. There is just no way to know how things will go.
I really wanted to bf ds but he was born hugely underweight and with low blood sugars. So he ended up on a forced formula feeding regime and I had to pump as well as try to bf. all made harder because he had to have bottles and low blood sugars meant he was falling asleep. Not having bottles, formula or a pump was a nightmare. My son went to the supermarket before he went home and it took 5 days for the pump to arrive. I never saw this coming. This time I will have everything, and receipts.

 

[kmr1763]

I'm breastfeeding my second child while pregnant with my third and my first nursed til he was two. Take a class if you can, get educated. And go into it with the mindset that you will succeed. It can be challenging at first, you may want to give up. Don't be hard on yourself. Make sure everyone around you knows that breastfeeding is a totally separate challenge from having a newborn and you will need as much support as you can get.

It is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I will never look back and wish I had done it differently. It's a bond between my babies and me, a comfort to them when nothing else does. It's always ready, always the perfect temperature, and always available.

I was very shy with my first and would go to my car to breastfeed and always used a cover. I learned how to double shirt wear so I nevet exposed more than necessary (which is a trick a highly recommend!)... But the longer you nurse the more comfortable you become, and eventually you stop worrying about what people will think and instead worry about feeding/quieting/comforting your baby.

I am one hundred percent a breastfeeding advocate and looking into lactation consulting

 

[lewood88]

I agree with mrs bump im going in fully prepared this time round ill take a breast pump to try and pull my nipple out

 

[lau86]

I'm hoping to breastfeed again, I did with my other two so it's all I know really.

 

[kaye]

Thanks everyone for your help. Got to get researching.

You have all made me feel good about it...

 

[lau86]

It's really good! I can't imagine night feeds having to get up and make bottles in the freezing cold. I don't really like nursing in public but most places I go have a feeding room or sometimes I would do it in a breastfeeding friendly cafe.

 

[IsabellaJayne]

I'm not going to breastfeed this time. My DD wouldn't latch and I had a terrible time
Of it coming round from a general anaesthetic. I felt bullied and pressured and solely pumped for 9 days. I exhausted myself and my DD lost weight. I finally gave into formula feeding and the pressure was lifted and DD gained weight. This time around, I don't want to be bullied and after I've pumped for the first day or so so that the baby will get the colostrum. I'll be formula feeding. I don't want to endure a horrible experience like I did last time.

But I know lots of women who've had great BF experiences. Don't let mine put you off. After all, breast is best if it's working for you and baby! PS, the medella electric is a great pump

 

[MummyKP]

I'm really hoping to breastfeed. We've booked NCT classes and one of the reasons I wanted to do them was because of the support with breastfeeding. I'm quite worried about it I won't lie, and I keep telling myself not to pressure myself as so many women struggle/ff their babies, and I have no issue whatsoever with FF, it's just a preference I have. I've spent a lot of time looking at the positions and latching etc so fingers crossed!

 

[m nonie]

I breastfed DS for just over a year, and tbh I wouldn't swap that time for anything. I won't say it was easy because it wasn't, growth spurts meant he fed a lot but I never had to worry about making bottles, night feeds were so easy, I had a excuse to cuddle him when the family wanted him to themselves (yes I do know that's slightly selfish but it could be 2 weeks with DH's family and it meant I still got mummy time which I needed). He was involved in a accident at 8 months which meant he had to have 3 skin grafts, but because he was breastfed I was able o comfit him the whole way through the hospital stay. I found when my milk came in it did really hurt however within a week it had disappeared to nothing, I know I was lucky with him as although he was premature and small he still had a latch. Its best to be prepared foreach situation but I know I found it a amazing experience (DH was very supportive as well, which is a must).

 

[2have4kids]

I'd like to try to bf, I have a pump and got a bra that holds the pump in place. BF-ing has so many functions - strengthen the immune system of baby, bond, and help you lose the extra weight = all good!

 

[Snoopee]

I would recommend buying a breast pump before baby arrives. With my DD I struggled to get her to latch at first so I needed to pump to keep up my supply and so I was able to keep giving her breast milk even though she wouldn't latch. By week 6 or 7 the problems with her latch were sorted but kept pumping so that my dh could feed her if I wasn't around. I breastfed her until she was just over 2 and couldn't imagine doing it any differently this time.