Breastfeeding second babies, Experiences? Options

[Boolissy]

Firsty, apologies for all the baby questions. I think I am having the 'pre birth' panic .

This is for all our second (or third or more) Mummies. I'm planning on BF this bub and I'm wondering what everyones experiences were the second time around if you successfully BF your first baby. I BF for a year with Alyssa until she self weaned (I would have gone longer if I could) and we picked it up relatively easy; second attempt and no major attachment issues.

So should I be expecting the same or am I right in thinking that it varies between babies? I feel pretty confident that I know what I am doing, I only hope bub will too!

Oh and did your milk come in around about the same time? Mine came in at day 3 and I am hoping to leave the hospital before then this time. I could always ask a lactatation consultant for advice though right?

[bella~ad]

although I only fed my baby #1 for 1mnth I was pretty worried how I would go this time for BF as I really wanted it to work..
To my surprise, it was so much easier this time around.. I had no attachment issues at all, and I didn't even get sore nipples or anything.. it was like Indianna had been here done it all before she did it that well.. (I think she was here to teach me haha)

I do believe that everybaby is different and that what will be will be.. I did however second guess myself at every chance I got.. but 4mnths on and still going strong...

with DS my milk came in on day 3 and did again this time...

hope I have been of some help to you, although probably not..

[-Megs-]

I don't have any actual experience but I'm pretty sure it's different from bub to bub. I also think going into bub #2 or more you have more knowledge and experience behind you and I think you understand better that it won't necessarily work straight away. We had issues breastfeeding last time so this time I am doing everything I can to prepare myself before Lewis is born so that I have the resources at hand to make it work.

[mummy2jake]

Well first time round it didn't work-jake just refused to latch on, lac consults, etc just didn't get it. Before leaving hospital with Josh I saw the lac consult-same one as last time!! She asked how it turned out, etc & said she just been working with a mum, who just like me had probs, but 2nd time round it was sucessful, so I had my fingers & toes crossed. It was hard, because i had a 22mth old who as his brother was born decided to walk, which meant getting into EVERYTHING! But we did it 1 day at a time & we are now 9mths along. Anytime someone would say at least u gave it ur best, etc, I'd take it as they didn't believe i could do it & made me even more determined to do it. I don't know if anyone really wanted me 2, coz hes not as "sharable" as with formula, but dh & I are extremely happy it worked out

[~MG~]

I BF Noah until 4 months and up until 3 months we were going great guns - no attachment issues - all was going great He ended up with reflux and refused to feed from me

With Mitch - I had a few attachment issues as my milk was fast flowing and he couldn't handle it so was fussing...and also we picked up reflux and so I had to learn to feed him more upright

Both my boys are very different with BF...Noah was alot easier...and now that I know what Mitch is doing we are going really well So yeah I guess with every bub it is different...cause even though I had experience I still had to seek help from a LC - which is probably a good thing that I had 'experience' and could pick up on the things that were not right IYKWIM..

[Boolissy]

With Mitch - I had a few attachment issues as my milk was fast flowing and he couldn't handle it so was fussing...and also we picked up reflux and so I had to learn to feed him more upright

Mandy you have completely opened up my eyes with this comment! I had very fast flowing milk and Alyssa was always 'colicky' (burping, windy, crying after feeding etc.). Not once was I told to feed her more upright, we just had to wait it out until my milk settled down. Thankyou so much, I will be giving this a try if we have the same situation .

[~MG~]

There are lots of things you can do if you have 'fast' milk flow problem again - express (hand or pump) before a feed...and I just had to take him off the breast let him gather his breathe and put him back on - but in the mean time milk sprays everywhere - but better than having a baby that is struggling with the milk flow...

And no worries You need to thank my LC - she helped me get the milk problem under control

[shelly1170]

With Penny I had no attachment issues and fed until 5 months. Supply was never great so she had 1-2 bottles of formula a day to top her up.

Abi, on the other hand, has been a nightmare! I struggled with cracked/bleeding nipples. She would fuss, struggle and grab. I had a private LC come out and she said it was my low supply. Basically Abi was hungry and the let down wasn't happening so she would fuss and carry on.

I struggled through for 2 weeks, tried motilium and nursing tea but it didn't help. I ended up switching to formula and all is good now.

[MelB]

Every baby is so different. I think you could have 20 and number 21 would still surprise you with new challenges.
My experience -

1 - Riley had chronic reflux and didn't latch well so was comp'd from birth.
2 - Second time around I was much more determined to exclusively breastfeed. Eliza latched on within minutes of being born and fed beautifully from the first (40 minute) feed.
3 - Immy was very uneventful in her feeding. Took us a few attempts and by day 2 we'd mastered it.
4 - Abbi was premmie and was tube fed for a week. Expressing enough to keep up was hard by the end of the week. On day 8 she had her first sucking feed by bottle. The next day she had 2 breastfeeds and on day 10 breastfed for 24 hours and was allowed to come home.

All of them latched differently. Some I could hardly feel, Eliza hurt like hell all the time.
My milk came in on day 4 the first time, then day 3 for the others (though with Ab was much slower flow and lower volume because I was exclusively pumping).

I think once you know what you're doing its much easier to get started but certainly don't assume all will be easy from the word go. Some babies take a little while to work it out. And some just aren't as hungry in the first few days. Immy was very disinterested while Ellie was starving.

If you can stay relaxed through your exhaustion I think it usually comes together.

[Emma]

although I only fed my baby #1 for 1mnth I was pretty worried how I would go this time for BF as I really wanted it to work..
To my surprise, it was so much easier this time around.. I had no attachment issues at all, and I didn't even get sore nipples or anything.. it was like Indianna had been here done it all before she did it that well.. (I think she was here to teach me haha)

I do believe that everybaby is different and that what will be will be.. I did however second guess myself at every chance I got.. but 4mnths on and still going strong...

with DS my milk came in on day 3 and did again this time...

hope I have been of some help to you, although probably not..

I'm just going to say ditto to Bella. My BF experiece with my boys is very very similar to hers. #1 was a nightmare and stopped around 6 weeks old, but #2 is still going strong at 8 months old. Very different babes but also a very different mummy. I am much more relaxed and confident in my ability to care for Jack. With Brock I was always second guessing myself and was very easily swayed expecially when it came to offering a bottle. This time I've stuck to my guns and just at the "just give him a bottle" advice lol

[scuttlebutt]

With Austin I fed him exclusively to 4 months, then comp fed to 6 months when he weaned.

That said he only gained 200g between 2 and 4 months (by 4 months he had only gained 1.8kg since birth) - hence the comp feeding.


With Elliott, we are at 4.5 months and going strong he has gained 3.8kg since birth.

[Raelene]

It has definitely been a vastly different experience for me. G latched on within minutes of birth. She was attached (correctly) by the time my obs arrived and has been a brilliant feeder since. He actually kept commenting on how well she was feeding every time he came in

A had been terrible at the start. She was lazy at opening her mouth to latch on so we had a lot of problems. She then went on to feed until she weaned at 15 months

I believe its all up to the baby. It really depends on their style as to how easy it is to get BFing established

[*****030812]

I am really loving hearing that all bubs are different, as I am hoping when/if we have #2 that he/she is a champion feeder, unlike Taylor