Honest advice please

[A132429]

I am thinking about breastfeeding my second baby who is due in February, I know about all the pros but want to be fully informed and want to know what all of the cons are too, if anyone could list some out Thanks

 

[MissCurly]

My first wants to sit on my lap when i am trying to feed! not as tricky now though.

first may feel pretty jealous with how long you're holding baby.

even though you do spend some considerable time feeding baby- to be honest you need the rest period just to chill out! i love them as i have soo much to do all day anyway!

I just think you're much busier with more than one child, and you are more pressed for time, but personally i just dont think these negatives are negative enough to not bf! (for me anyway .

 

[Mynxie]

If you don't have good support, it can be very difficult and often doctors first suggestion for anything (here anyway) is "give lo formula!". Breastfed babies are awake a lot and tend to be more clingy. Dummies can hinder breastfeeding. You wear at leat one bra a day! Lol! Baby goes through phases of distraction so accessories are fab! Sometimes I'm lobsoded.Some bf babies won't sleep with mum unless they're feeding. Co sleeping is generally the norm with milky mamas, for some part of the night anyway. Your baby will have a higher IQ so will have better come backs in their teens! Lol!! That's about all really.

 

[IrelandsOwn]

I expected bfing to be challenging but I had no idea it would be so hard and painful (my daughter was tongue tied and still has a shallow latch). But if you're determined and have enough support you can overcome anything, as we did. Do your research in advance. A book I really recommend is The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

 

[TheNewMrs]

Cons?
I honestly don't think there are any. Yes it can be difficult, and tiring, and painful if the latch isn't right, but that's not a con. "This too shall pass". Giving your baby the natural biological perfect food for them far outweighs any hurdles at the start.

Set yourself realistic expectations.
Build a support network of BF supporters and groups.
Make sure you family support you.
If it hurts, its not right, get help to fix it.

Yes you'll be exhausted, and your baby will feed for what seems like forever for the first few weeks but this is normal, and this is how your baby was designed to need you.

 

[A132429]

Thanks everybody, There are 4 new babies in my family and two on the way and nobody else breastfeeds or ever has, my mam did for a few weeks with my brother then stopped and didnt try again with the next two..I dont know of any people at all who breastfeed so I would have to find some around for support

 

[Dream.dream]

There is lactation cobsultants and a ton of breastfeeding moms groups. I suggest joint a group before baby is here you'll learn a lot and eat some good support for after baby's born from other moms who have nursed

 

[Mynxie]

Check out your local sure start for info on groups.

 

[TheNewMrs]

Thanks everybody, There are 4 new babies in my family and two on the way and nobody else breastfeeds or ever has, my mam did for a few weeks with my brother then stopped and didnt try again with the next two..I dont know of any people at all who breastfeed so I would have to find some around for support

Where in Ireland are you? I am a Cuidiu supporter, and can point you in the direction of your local group. Its so lovely to meet real life breastfeeders too. I come from a FFing background too, and it was hard for me to set realistic expectations at the start when everyone wanted to know "is she feeding AGAIN?".....

PM me if you like and I'll hook you up.

 

[IrelandsOwn]

Thanks everybody, There are 4 new babies in my family and two on the way and nobody else breastfeeds or ever has, my mam did for a few weeks with my brother then stopped and didnt try again with the next two..I dont know of any people at all who breastfeed so I would have to find some around for support

I'm Irish too (although living in the US for the moment. Ireland has the lowest bfing rate in the EU - I think that's shocking. Check out mindthebaby.IE and mama.IE for some first hand information about breastfeeding in Ireland. There are some great tips as well as info on tongue ties (which has made my own bfing experience difficult). Feel free to contact me too for support. I haven't been bfing long but will give you all the info and help I can!

 

[Fortune Cooki]

The biggest con for me is having a yeast infection on my nipples. This hurts so much! I really hope to get rid of it soon. Other than that, I'm not experiencing serious cons. My nipples do tend to start dripping randomly and that can be annoying. Also, breastmilk has stained my shirts. Why do I keep going? I really hate synthetic vitamins, additives, and such. Also, there are studies that show breastfed babies are smarter. This makes me feel bad for people who have no other choice but to formula feed though.