Breast feeding. Mummies of more than one!!

[mrsdcooper]

How do you do it.

I am going to try but accepting that after the first few weeks bottles are likely. Can't see how I will manage with the school run and nursery run. At least with bottles baby will be in a routine that csn work round 9am drop off. 12 collection of one and 3.30 of the other. Whilst dragging baby and 20month old along to do all this. Also clubs and things for 20month old. I'm really daunted by this.

Any advice and tips greatly received. To me at mo breast feeding is looking unlikely.

 

[Piper84]

I'm planning on succeeding with BFing LO #2. LO #1 will be 22 months old when LO #2 comes along.

I'm planning on getting a sling/wrap which allows discreet BFing anywhere. I am also a lot more confident now than I was first time round. I accept that I will probably be BFing in the car quite a bit what with driving LO #1 to creche and back.

It will be a challenge, especially in the early days, but with help from DH with LO #1 I'm going to succeed.

Think positive thoughts

 

[Mummy_to_be87]

With experience of breast and bottle feeding my little girl I found breast feeding much more handy and efficient, I just whipped out my boob and latched her on, within minutes she would be done (she used to feed for approximately 10 minutes at a time) and that was that...once I changed to the bottles I found it much more work and took longer, the bottles needed washed, sterilised, kettle boiled, cooled, milk made and then the feed itself took a while! Try breast feeding your baby and see how you get on if you want to breast feed, get up and change the routine to suit you, eg you know your baby will need every 3-4 hours so if you know you will be busy between 8-9 feed your baby at 7 then he/she wont need another feed until about 10-ish and if you do need to top up between that Im sure it wont take long...UNLESS you have a baby stuck on the boob night and day like my friends baby in which case I have no advice

 

[special_kala]

I found BF so much more convenient then f2f would have been. You don't have to worry about bottles etc, if bsby gets hungry unexpectedly you can just fees them.

Will definitely be bf this time. Can't imagine the faff of bottles with 2 other kids too

 

[tashalina]

take it as it comes is the best advice I can give you, I only managed to feed my DD who was my second baby for a few weeks mainly because how difficult it was with having my DS to look after too. She was never one to feed every few hours and wanted to feed constantly (maybe my milk supply wasnt great as I could never express much either). I made the decision to switch to formula and she was a different baby, slept longer between feed and we were all so much happier. I know I gave it my best and for my situation BF just wasnt working. Dont feel bad if you cant keep it up

 

[rowleypolie]

Nursing was harder with the 2nd. I had to try and distract dd while doing it, and once baby was 6 months and curious she would unlatch to look at what her sis was doing. I pumped more and started supplementing around 9 months, she was done nursing around 10 months.

 

[Mellie1988]

With DS I BF for the first 10 weeks and tbh yes it was tough but I could of got through it and I regretted not carrying on as I also found FF a pain in the bum because of the bottle washing, sterilising etc....didn't really make life much easier lol! I think at 10 weeks DS was going through a growth spurt and constantly wanted feeding...I think if I had of gave it a few more days we would of been back on track again.
My point is, yes its hard at times but so is FF? Don't give up at the first hurdle.

I plan to BF for as long as I can this time round, luckily with how it falls the kids should be on 2 weeks holiday when baby arrives so we can get a routine going and then not long after is the 6 weeks summer hols so we won't have to dash out much and hopefully BF will be successful!

x

 

[Eleanor ace]

I'm really hoping BF'ing works out this time, I really don't want the hassle of making up bottles, finding somewhere to heat them and stuff while I'm out with DS! I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that LO has a good latch and my supply is OK. I'm also hoping that using my Ergo will make feeding LO whilst chasing after DS (21 months) easier

 

[CatherineK]

I Breastfed both my sons. I found it very convenient to not worry about bottles. I Breastfed anywhere baby was hungry, and never had an issue. Once you get more used to walking around and breastfeeding, you can conquer the world ;-)

 

[lhill630]

I'm really hoping to ebf for as long as possible this time as well! With my first son I stopped around 2 months b/c he was SO fussy, and I thought it was me. Well, he was just plain fussy anyway, formula is expensive, and it was a hassle. I know it will be a challenge, and I'm not going to put as much pressure or guilt on myself, but like someone else said, take it one day at a time. Bottles are just as much a hassle in my opinion.

 

[Annie77]

I have to agree that bottle feeding sounds so much more of a hassle.

Although my kids are older (ie they won't need distracted or supervised whilst feeding etc) I will have school drop off and pick up, swimming lessons, trampolining, singing class, gymnastics, brownies and guides to work around! I work hard to establish a routine in which I feed at 7am & walk to school 8.30am. Then feed at 2.30 and walk to school for 3.25. Most of the evening activities take place between 6&7.30 so I will drop off then go home to bath and feed baby and hubby or friends will collect. Failing that I will pop baby in pram after last feed and collect kids myself. There are cafes at swimming pool and sports centre if required so I can feed baby without the hassle of heating bottles or sterilising anything.

 

[summer rain]

I had to switch to FF with my second youngest starting from 3.5 months old and it was much much harder than BF, my other two got up to all sorts while I was preparing the bottles and feeding him and I ended up getting quite depressed. When I had my youngest I had a 6 year old, a 5 year old and a 3.5 year old and I just found BF my youngest so much easier and he wasn't even a baby who liked being worn. The only drawback was the cluster feeding but that was late into the evening when the others were either in bed or getting ready to go to bed. I am hoping the new baby is into being worn in a carrier then it will hopefully be even easier xx