BF succesfully with 2nd baby but not 1st?

[Islas_mummy]

Hi ladies,

I was determined to BF with my first. But unfortunately it didn't work. She wouldn't latch and hadn't fed for about 12 hours (from being born). So my midwife told me to give her a bottle. After 72 hours of labour and not sleeping for a further 12 hours after giving birth, I gave in. But regretted it and it tormented me for 6 months.

Now pregnant with number 2. I really want to BF successfully.

Has anyone had any success with BF one child but not another? Who can give me hope?


Thanks x

 

[daddiesgift]

I wish I could help, I actually stopped with #2 sooner than I did with #1 but I wanted to say and maybe motivate you to keep at it. I felt worse stopping with my second. You don't want to live with that guilt again. No matter what just keep at it, find the support, meet with your lactation consultant before delivery for tips and after delivery for help. Don't let anyone tell you to top off or use a bottle. If new baby has trouble latching maybe try a nipple shield, that helped my second. Take one day at a time and set small goals.

I had lots of trouble with our first and he had allergies it was hard to weed out of my diet to figure out which one, the pain was unbearable for months, I kept getting mastitis, overall nightmare. With our second I wanted to bf so bad but the first couple problems arose and I again landed myself with mastitis I gave up that day because I kept telling myself it would only end how it did with #1. So remember that every baby and ever experience is different Dont give up because of your past experience. I had such horrible guilt I did so much to get my supply back and it never returned. I wish I would've kept at it.

Now I'm expecting our third and I'm DETERMINED to make it work. I just tell myself the above things and try to remember that it's something I really want so I have to really work for it. Breast feeding doesn't come easy for some moms or babies and we really have to try.

I know you can do it!! Don't give up!! Seek support and help!! It's not easy but it will get easier!! Your baby may need help but you can do it!!

 

[Pielette]

I FF my eldest due to a variety of factors. My emotional well being wasn't great after the birth for a couple of reasons, he wasn't a great feeder to start with (although on reflection we could gave pushed through it) and I switched to FF. Not much regret because something had to give for my sanity and that was BF, I did what was right for us at the time. But a determination to give it a real good go second time around.

So my baby is nearly 5 months old and he's never tasted anything other than breastmilk. I'm very proud of us and he's thriving, developing really quickly and very happy. I just took it one day at a time, set myself little goals week by week. Now I'm focusing on getting to 6 months, although hopefully beyond too.

I had better support this time around from midwives and I did my homework beforehand, lots of researching what's normal, what to expect and when. First time I was too naive, this time I made sure I read loads.

 

[Rachel_C]

I didn't BF my first (she was jaundiced and we were told we had to give her formula in a bottle and didn't know to question it, which led to her rejecting the breast by three weeks old) but my 2 year old has never had a bottle of anything and is still going strong with BF.

Honestly, I don't think I could possibly have found BF any easier second time round! Maybe I've just been lucky but I knew SO much more when she was born, both about BF and about babies in general. With my first, I didn't know it was normal for a newborn to want to feed constantly or every 15 minutes and nobody told me otherwise. I didn't know that some weight loss and jaundice is normal, different colour nappies are normal, how to see if she was swallowing milk etc.

I'm sure you will be fine. What I think helped me the most, ultimately, was making friends (online) who had all successfully breastfed babies and who wouldn't make a big deal about anything but really know their stuff when it comes to boobs and babies! This was before my youngest was born - just being around people you pick things up and it becomes almost second nature even if you've never done it before. So I would hang around in the BF section for a while and just read what goes on. Some of the advice isn't perfect but most is good. Maybe follow some Facebook pages - Dr Jack Newman is AMAZING. I worship that man, he just talks so much sense! Kellymom is a good resource too. If you don't have a little community of support (online or offline) I would make contact with a BF supporter/group before you have the baby, just so it's not a scary stranger if you do need help at any point.

 

[bumpbear]

My sister couldn't breast feed her first for long because she wouldn't latch properly and was not gaining any weight (lost way too much weight and was hospitalised at two weeks old), nursing was a nightmare even after several visits with the lactation consultant. My niece did better on a bottle, so after four months their nursing relationship ended, not due to a lack of effort on my sister's part. Her second, after a rocky start (tongue tie, mastitis) all improved dramatically after a tongue tie snip and now she's a bottle refuser at 6 months old! My sis has the opposite problem: wondering how she can get her to take a bottle! It can be done!