Second child....

[Serene123]

Sorry for the rant, and this is kind of a retorical question but I'm getting myself down about it.. Is it wrong to breast feed one but not the other, when the reasons are so completely and utterly selfish........ I mean, maybe not selfish, just.... I'm going to get kicked for saying this but FF seems so much easier.. FF babies do seem to sleep better, and FF mums don't need to spend hours glued to the sofa ect...

I find breastfeeding easy with Caitlyn but when you've got a toddler and a baby.... and what if I don't stop breast feeding Caitlyn but don't want to breast feed the next baby....

Not even pregnant and already worrying about it!

 

[Blah11]

Its not selfish as such but would you not even consider BFing for the 1st couple of weeks just so LO gets the antibodies etc etc from you and so you have to take the time to bond?

remember lots of people have breastfed a newborn with a toddler so it must be somewhat managable once you get into a routine.

I dunno, its your choice afterall but if I was in your situation then I think I'd give BF another go, even if only for a few weeks.

 

[Pyrrhic]

No I don't think its selfish. Go with with you're happy with.

However, for me at ldeast FF wasn't easier and Id much rather be a full time BFer, especially at this stage when feeds take about 20 mins.

I hate having to wash, stearlise and make up bottles and formula always made Niamh's reflux and wind much worse. So for us, not great.

I think you should just see how it goes at the time and then make a decision

 

[Always&4ever]

Personally, I wouldn't do one and not the other unless I had to. I'm going to do Tandem feeding, but Jasmine was combine fed and so will this one. But no its not selfish. I'm proud to be a breast and bottled feeding mum

 

[Blob]

If you think that even if you do get pregnant like now, Caitlyn will be nearly 2? Not saying that you will stop by then but Caitlyn may have stopped herself.

In my opinion, maybe you should just worry about it when your LO arrives, you didnt think you would ever feed Caitlyn but you did, so whats not to say that will happen this time around??

Dont stress things in life have a way of figuring themselves out, even if you do decide to FF then you made the choice thats right for your baby and you. If you make yourself miserable by trying to BF two because you think you 'have' to then its not going to benefit anyone.

 

[Serene123]

I was so depressed when I was struggling with Caitlyn. I was so determined from that moment on to never have another one of my kids have formula. Not because formula is bad but because my body wanted to breast feed to the point it was killing me inside every time I sterilised a bottle.

Now I don't know.. The unknown is scarey. I said I would tandem feed but what if that isn't possible? I'm still unsure about how your body knows which baby it's feeding ect..

Never know, the next one might be satisfied on my milk and actually sleep!

 

[lorrilou]

You need to do whats best for you and your baby. ff babies arent always better sleepers than bf babies, nicole NEVER slept well and she was ff, whereas callum was an excellent sleeper when he was bf.

 

[Alexas Mommy]

No, it is definitely not selfish! It's good that you have a realistic approach to this, in thinking "what if I don't have the time to put into it etc" that way, you won't be let down, if things don't go as planned! I say go into it with an open mind, and if you find it is taking too much out of you, then don't stress over it-you do what is best for you and your family

 

[Logiebear]

I have 3 and 2 yr olds and still manage to bf a very demanding baby. I wouldn't say it is being selfish but more like realising what you want. Personally I don't think I could feed one and not the 2nd one infront of her. I'd feel soooo mean. I've also had 3 ff babies and they all were diff and not one slept loads xxx

 

[Brockie]

i think you have to wait and see how you feel when you have another baby hon, wouldn't worry about it now xx either way however you feed your baby the main thing is he or she is loved xxx

i personally would like to try and bfeed next time too, i have really enjoyed this time and altough it may be harder having 2 babies i would def try and see how it goes xx I combine feed now but bfed Fred exclusively till 4 months and he has always slept well, I think its just luck of the draw when it comes to sleep!! xx

 

[mommyof3co]

But look at what you've done with/for Caitlin! You always post how happy you are you stuck with it and all that. Yes it's hard at first, but since you've been through it all now you know what to watch for, what to do, now it's more of teaching the baby, not both of you. Though you might still have problems, it's much easier and you KNOW you can do it, so you just have to think that way. You know it's normal and going to pass.

I think your just looking at the pos of FF...yeah others can feed so it's not just you stuck there doing it. Some FF sleep better. But you also have to deal with bottles, listening to them cry while you get one made or warmed up enough, packing all the stuff to go out somewhere with them, finding a formula that works well for them. You could cosleep if you wanted then getting up with them at night isn't bad at all, Hayden did wake up until 15mo and really it wasn't as bad as it may seem, I just rolled over and he would nurse and we'd both fall back asleep.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[ryder]

Its definately not selfish at all...

I am going to attempt to bf number 2, at least for a bit, but uit is is too hard, or I find that #2 isn't sleeping as well as Jasmine, or we are having other issues, I will not have a problem switching to FF again.

I really dont know if BF or FF is easier... I did try and BF Jasmine but it was so hard and frustrating and I felt like crap all the time... She also did sleep better once I switched to FF only... and was less cranky... Soo... I dunno... Jasmine had anti-bodies, but even though she's been mostly ff, she is completely happy and healthy.

All babies are different, you never know, BF #2 may be easier? You will know what to do, and you can just put the baby in a sling and take Caitlin out etc...

I would just see how you feel once you get there... Remember that being happy and enjoying your family is the main thing.

 

[Mervs Mum]

I only managed 6 weeks with #1 and I dont feel bad at all. You do what's right for you at the time. If we have another and I'm still BFing I'll tandem and if I'm not I'll still BF so I dont have to get the blasted steriliser back out!

 

[Serene123]

I do want to breastfeed I'm just scared of failing like I did this time (at first)

 

[Mervs Mum]

Failure or success cant be measured until you are finished. I think most would generally consider BFing for 12 months + as success. Just because some of the time was combined doesnt make it a failure.

 

[bubbles]

I don't think it's selfish at all hun but I will say FFand BF are as difficult as each other. BF is difficult as it takes alot out of your body and it can be very time consuming and you can't pass on the resposibility as easily, FF is very time consuming coz you have to make the bottles up, sterilise them warm them and make sure you have enough bottles every day. You will know whats the right path for you when it happens until then all you can do is prepare for both