Breastfeeding
xp: BFing 2nd time around
Also posted this on my main board, Dec 2010.
If you are BFing #2, did you also with #1? I didn't have much luck at all with BFing Mackenzie and would really like to be able to do it with #2, whenever that is. I'm wondering what the success rate would be for those that weren't able to do it with the first LO, but could with the second, and also what would contribute to that success.
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Re: xp: BFing 2nd time around
I did BF DS1. It was a huge struggle since he was a preemie and had terrible reflux issues. I pumped a lot for him and supplemented starting at 4 months or so. I was able to do a few feedings a day till 9 months.
With DS2 it was so much easier. He was a champ from day 1. I was more comfortable and didn't doubt myself as much. He is still BFed at 10 months. I think it is going to be hard to wean him it is going so well.
I did BF #1 but only for about 7.5 months. I weaned him when I got pregnant with DD. I had a lot of latch issues with #1 in the beginning, problems with engorgement and overactive let down, etc. I kept going but I questioned myself many many times and my ability to continue.
I would say it is much easier the 2nd time around. I think most of that comes from the confidence I had this time. I didn't have the same problems this time that I had with #1.
It is definitely worth a try. I think you will surprise yourself
GL!
I had the worst time with DD#1. We had latching issues and it was a constant fight. I gave up. With DD#2 it was the total opposite. I fully BF'd her for the first 4 weeks. Had to start giving her bottle of pumped milk because I went back to work but nursed with know problems when we were home. She is now 9 months old and I just switched to fully EPing, easier on me with how active she and DD#1 is.
I truely believe the difference was in the hospital. With DD#1 they took her from me and had to do all the stuff they do. I think I only held her for a couple of min. before they took her. I was so over whelmed by everything going on in the room and all the nurses and just everything I was to frustrated to even think about BFing till the next day. With DD#2 the hospital changed the policy with deliveries. The only people in the room are the DR., my nurse and baby nurse (of course DH was there). As soon as I deliver DD was put on my chest for at least 30 min. Nobody else was allowed to hold her not even daddy. After 30 min its was my choice if I wanted to BF'd her at that time. DD latched on for 30 min with no problems. They did not take her from me for over an hour after delivery. Thats when they finally weighed and measured her. I believe that made all the difference in the world.
DD2 and I are about to hit a year, and I BF'd DD1 for 15 months.
It was both easier and harder with #2. Easier, b/c I only got slightly sore nips this time instead of horrible pain for six weeks. But I never had supply issues with DD1, and I did with DD2 and had to do a ton of pumping from about 4-9 months. So that was a whole different obstacle.
But we're still going strong, we'll definitely make it past a year, and then we'll just play it by ear.
DD1, 1/5/2008 ~~~ DD2, 3/17/2010
BFing with #1 was HORRENDOUS (I have PCOS- and had a MAJOR oversupply, overactive letdown and a VERY impatient nurser)- my milk was so abundant and so strong she wouldn't latch once my milk came in. No matter how hard/long I tried. Saw so many LCs. I wound up EPing for a year with her.
DS- was MUCH MUCH easier. I still have an oversupply and overactive letdown but he handled it much much better. He was very easy. Now nursing with a preschooler running around- is a whole new ballgame- and quite the challenge- but manageable.
I tried to BF with my first, but it didn't work out. I think there were several factors-- I wasn't as educated on BFing as I was the second time around, and my first l&d experience was nightmarish, resulting in a much longer recovery time, which made dealing with those first few weeks of BFing much harder. My first was also bigger, my milk came in *very* late and we nearly ended up with him submitted to the hospital for dehydration when he was only about a week old, causing us to start supplementing with formula. And once you start supplementing... the writing is generally on the wall. By 5 weeks he was completely formula fed.
With my second, BFing has worked very well. Had a much easier l&d, a much faster recovery time, and had taken the time to really educate myself well. It was hard the first few weeks, but something that I think really helped was actually giving myself "permission" to fail. I had really beat myself up over failing with my son. Telling myself that I knew formula wasn't evil and that if it didn't work I knew we'd be okay helped me relax and enter into a new BFing experience with an open mind. He's almost 4 months and we are still BFing. I love it, wouldn't trade it for the world, and am amazed at how easy it's been this time around, once past the first few weeks of nipple soreness, etc.
So give it a try. You can totally do it.