Breastfeeding fears.

[campn]

Hello ladies!

I'm pregnant with baby #2 and breastfeeding fears are already hitting me hard, with DS it was such a nightmare (I wrote an old post about it on here) with him not wanting to latch, losing so much weight, tongue tie and I had to exclusively pump for 6 weeks and had 6 lactation consultants appointments to try to get him to latch and after 6 weeks he finally did. I nursed him until he was 19 months so I'm so grateful for that.

However now I'm terrified that it'd happen again with this baby, I don't know if I could go through what I went through with my son again and the fear brings me to overwhelming sadness.

Anyone been through a tough journey with their first then easily breastfed their second? I'm not sure how to prepare for this time.

 

[noon_child]

Can you get some advice now on how to get your new baby assessed for TT ASAP? It can be genetic but getting it sorted sooner will stop some of the cascade of problems where damage and pain lead to a worsening latch etc.

Of course baby number 2 may not have TT and may feed like a champ, but I think for me I'd want to know it was going to be checked and sorted out just in case.

Also have you considered expressing colostrum anti-natally? Having a small stash may give you a bit of breathing space and less worry about weightloss during those early days when you are both still learning and getting to know each other. You may not need to use it, but again planning for the worst while hoping for the best may reduce your stress. The less stress you are under the better bf is likely to go.

 

[RaspberryK]

Nursing my first was not as difficult a journey as you had but it wasn't plain sailing. I had pain for 6 weeks and thought that the midwives and hv's were qualified enough to say nothing was wrong so I just persevered. I later found out he had a lip tie.
My second I felt we needed a little help so I sought breastfeeding support on day 5 and attended a weekly group for 11 months and everything was so much easier.
X

 

[Kelskiii]

We had a very difficult time bf ... R wouldn't latch properly resulting my low milk supply, weight loss & having to top up with formula due to R not gaining weight ... the first few months are a blur & it upsets me sometimes thinking back to R crying out of hunger ........................ we did overcome our problems and bf for 19months.

I am also worried about when we try for another baby BUT speaking to other mothers ... our bodies now know what they are doing, we know more about breastfeeding .. i'm hoping with this it will be a bit smoother next time.

Also I plan to pump milk in the later stages of pregnancy due to my milk taking 3 weeks to come in properly. Saying that I can still express a little milk now & R stopped feeding almost a year ago.

 

[flipporama1]

My first was terrible. She had "colic", I was very uneducated about nursing and I was in so much pain from cracked, bleeding nipples. Breastfeeding only lasted 5 or 6 weeks with her before I was so overwhelmed I was crying with her and driving myself mad. My second baby had NO problems. He latched on perfectly, was a very happy baby, I didn't have any issues with him and he breastfed for 21 months!

 

[campn]

Thank you all ladies! I'll make sure we check her tongue at the hospital before we leave and that I had a good proper latch early on. I was also so naive and had no idea how to do anything and no one told me anything. Everyone around me just shrugged and said give I'm formula when I wanted to breastfeed so bad.

I'm crossing my fingers it goes much much better this time cause it still traumatizes me when I think of how everything went down but I'm hopeful that I'll breastfeed this one for 2 years hopefully since she's my last and I want to savor it all.

 

[lxb]

each baby is different. with first LO, it took 8 weeks for things to get "better". of course, nipple confusion came into play too.

with #2, he seem to latch on better (of course, having breastfed first LO for a year helped too as I know what to expect and know a "bad-latch"). My milk also came in quicker too with #2 compared to the first.

but yes, each baby is different. FX this baby is great at latching!

 

[_Meep_]

I don't have another baby yet, but just wanted to say a big bloody well done for sticking with it and making it work.

We too had awful problems for about six months (constant nursing strikes, undiagnosed tongue tie), but it's all sorted now and we are still going at 21 months. It's something I feel deeply proud of.

However, I often wonder whether I would go through it all again if I had another baby with similar problems. It's so very very hard.

Here's hoping your new LO will do well. Respect for you and what you achieved with your first baby.