Your second baby

[Serene123]

Did anyone breastfeed their first, but not their second, and feel guilty?

Personal stories, and no arguing please???

I just don't know what I want to do next time, and want to know how people felt.

 

[leedsforever]

I would like to know too cos I was unsuccesful the first time... Im not sure whether to even try the 2nd time..!! Knocks your confidence abit

 

[Serene123]

 

[princess_bump]

well i started to bf maddi but had no milk, for 4 days we went like this, her screaming, and no wet nappies, i was so upset, and found out it because of my silly hormonal imbalance. i no mu case is kinda different but i'll think i'll go straight to ff-ing next time, especially if i have to have another c-section x

 

[ryder]

Leeanne bf her first 2 and ff chase I believe!

I tried bfing for 2 weeks and switched to ff and I dont feel guilty at all... I have no idea if I will try next time... Depends on alot of things I think. Maybe if I have more suppot next time I will try again.

 

[sam#3]

I bf and ff with anais, then ff dylan because it hurt so much i didnt want to carry on with it, im bf harry and im not sure what i will do next time i think i will just see how things are at the time, im not sure i will be able to be anchored to the sofa for the first few weeks with 3 others running around!! x

 

[Ratty]

I was determined to breastfeed my first, but around 6 weeks old I was really struggling to produce enough milk for him and hated seeing my baby hungry so I ended up switching to formula. His colic got better, he wasn't hungry all the time and in general a much happier baby. I don't see why anyone should feel guilty giving their baby formula!

For my next one I'll do exactly the same (if possible). I'll breastfeed for the first 6 weeks when its better for their immune system etc and then I'll slowly faze out the BF and introduce bottles.

The nursing sister reckoned that my milk dried up because I was so stressed about going back to work and having to express milk in the bathrooms there. I'm glad I never had to do that!

 

[coccyx]

I breastfed my first 3 and briefly thought about ff my fourth as I had a 20 month old at the time he was born. But managed to bf him lying on the bed most of the time!
My sister ff her first and then bf her next 2, she said she wished she had tried longer with her first.
But hey lifes full of decisions, some we regret later, but cannot change, so no point in beating ourselves up! Can only do what you feel is right at that time

 

[Whisper]

I have only b/f but i would imagine if you have the freedom of ff your first, then it would be harder to bf the second child?

But then those mummies that tried it first time and then switched over to ff you will sorta know what to expect if you do try with no.2(next baby), i think every experience will be different but you will know the signs that might indicate whether you want to switch to ff or continue bf......

 

[x-amy-x]

I'm not sure, i intended to BF this time round but didn't. But i enjoy FF. I'll just have to wait and see!!

 

[Dizzy321]

with my first baby i bf for 2 and half weeks but it was so hard and he still was not latching on after all that time, tried nipple sheilds and they were so fiddily in the end I gave up I was very upset and felt like I failed and got down over it, I did not want to feel like that again so i decided to ff from begining this time

 

[danni2609]

i didnt breastfeed 1st child but did this time for a few days

 

[Sovereign]

I tried my hardest to BF Charlie and it broke my heart when I stopped because I love doing it so would definately try it again with my next one.

 

[Tiff]

I BF for 3 weeks with Claire, but she was so stubborn and wouldn't take the one side. She was also a biter. Never knew that something without teeth could hurt so freaking bad!

I'd probably try to BF if I ever have another one, but I wouldn't feel as guilty if I couldn't do it and chose to go back to FF.

 

[1st_baby]

I may try to BF again but wont struggle for too long as it made me an emotional wreck .

 

[Tasha]

Hi Toria,

Slightly different as I didnt bf my first, or second, it was my fourth I bf, and I really enjoyed it but it was much more demanding (time wise) for me than ff, even the community mw was shocked that I was bf Kaysie when I had a 2 and 3 year old. If/when I have baby number 5 I will bf for 2 weeks or so,then express for as long as possible but if I need to ff straight away or early I wont feel guilty, and neither should you, plenty of people manage to have a toddler and bf, but plenty of people cant, just do what is right for you, baby and Caitlyn whenever it happens. x

 

[Amanda]

I BF Kayleigh for 6 weeks and it was awful. I wasn't producing enough milk, and after 6 weeks of having a screaming hungry baby, I made the decision to switch to FF and she immediately changed into a happy contented baby. I was made to feel so guilty at the time for giving up so easily, although it didn't feel easy to me at all, and hv's didn't help with that feeling at all.

But now I'm older and wiser, and feel more confident with my decision making, I FF both Charlie and Ben without an ounce of guilt. Charlie was such a contented little baby, and Ben is the same.

 

[suzan]

BF for me was hard. I did enjoy having my son so near my heart, but supply issues stressed me out!!!

I breastfed my son for 2months and 3 weeks. I was VERY pressured to breastfeed, so it became something I MUST do instead of enjoying it and let things flow. I started stressing out and my supply was not that good. DS was gaining weight normally but that was bec I was supplementing with formula. My MIL gave me a HARD time, and since I was staying at their house OMG she was interfering so much in BF that I completely stopped enjoying it.

I was adviced to start eating fat to have supply stronger, and I did. I gained weight, a lot, and it made things worse bec when I started eating healthier it went down again and I started stressing!!!!!!!!!! I am sure stress affected it even more!!

I was told to keep on breastfeeding and it was ok to add on top of it formula. It just didnt make sense to me. He was just latching for a couple of mins and having a whole bottle of formula after it. So slowly I weaned him from the boob.

I felt HORRIBLE afterwards, but it got easier. Sometimes I wish I could have waited a little, and said to myself maybe with solids coming in a few months it would be easier, but I couldnt!!!

Formula has been ok, he is happy and satisfied.

With my second baby, I will again try to breastfeed, and if things dont work out, I wont stress and will change to formula. I just hope things work out and will be able to breastfeed.

 

[pennysbored]

I would like to know too cos I was unsuccesful the first time... Im not sure whether to even try the 2nd time..!! Knocks your confidence abit

I hear ya...

 

[suzan]

Hugs to everyone!