Q? re: BFing #2.

MellyMelB · May 2010

My question is kind of broad and I guess I am just doing some research and looking for feedback. I BF Sophie for the first 3 months of her life but due to stress/constraints at work I decided against continuing to pump or BF after I started work. This worked out fine, Sophie took to bottles and formula as if nothing had changed.

A part of me is considering giving the new baby for a longer period of time. Or at least giving it a go. But I am wondering how feasible it will be with Sophie, time constraints/stress at work, etc.

How "easy" did you find it to BF #2 while balancing paying attention to #1?

How did your first child react to the whole nursing thing? I plan to also pump and bottle feed if only to get Sophie/DH involved and I am hoping this helps smooth any rough edges over.

I hope you know what I am asking. Just overall...how did it go BF #2 or #3 while raising #1/working? Did you BF#2 for a shorter period of time/longer....etc?

Snshine · May 2010

For the short time I did BF I didn't have any more or less issues than the first time. My only anxiety was BFing in public when alone with both kids. At the mall we were walking around and Kate needed to eat. Noah was not a stroller kid and was known to run around and play carelessly (ie - he would wander off). I had such a fear of managing a stroller, while nursing a baby, and chasing a toddler. He was very well snacked on these occasions because of that. He didn't care though if I fed her by nursing or by bottle.

mrsjessnjorge · May 2010

I obviously don't have any personal experience, but I can share the experiences of 2 close friends of mine that have multiple kids and BF.

-Friend A: 2 kids. BF baby #1 for 8 months, Baby #2 born 4 years later. BF baby #2 for 3 months. She was/is a working mom.

-Friend B: 4 kids. BF baby #1 for 3 months and baby #4 for over 1 year. I'm not sure how long she BF baby #2 and 3. Baby #4 was born when the other boys were ages 8, 7 and 4 (I think, maybe off a year). She was a SAHM at the time. She just recently started working again. Baby #4 will be 2 next month.

I was around many times when they were nursing the younger babies and I never noticed the older kids saying anything. Interestingly enough, all of the kids above are boys. Maybe they just care less than girls?

melly&jimmy · May 2010

Hey Mel - I've BFall three kids and am still BF B. I haven't had any issues BF B with Chelsea/Eli around. Naturally, they were both curious as to what I was doing and I just simply explained that mommy is giving the baby milk. They get it. When it is time to nurse - C will run and get the Boppy pillow and burp cloth for me. And when she wants my attention, I sit her next to me and we sing songs, count, give hugs and kisses, etc. I pump at work 3 times a day (10a, 1pm, 4p) for when he is in the daycare. I nurse when at home and on the weekends.

There are ways to get the kids involved with the new baby like I mentioned above. They also like to help get the pampers, wipes, and blankets. They like to entertain B as well showing him different toys and singing to him. MH bathes B and almost every night, he and the kids go for a stroll while I workout on the treadmill The kids ride their bikes/trikes and he carries B in his arms.

I hope that helps..

ETA: E was exclusively BF for six months and then BF/FF until he was 1. C exclusively BF for five months then FF, B is EBF - I plan to wean to formula by July.

southmiamiwifejen · May 2010

My aunt has three kids who are ages 7, 5, and 14 months. She BF all three exclusively for the first four or five months and then supplemented with formula after that (she works). While supplementing with formula, she still continued to BF. The oldest was weaned when he was a year old, the 5 year old was weaned when he was about 16 months, and she is still nursing the 14 month old (when she's not at work obviously).

Each older sibling in that family was a little older than Sophie will be when her baby sister was born, so that might change what you can expect...not to mention that I know it differs from child to child. But I know in my aunt's case she was pretty open about it and the kids saw her nurse their younger siblings. They were of course curious about it (especially now the two oldest, who are boys, and are starting to notice things like the fact that girls have boobs whereas guys don't), but I don't think she ever experienced any jealousy or issues with them being upset or confused as a reaction.

I think that since Sophie was weaned pretty early, she doesn't have any concious memories of being nursed and therefore shouldn't react negatively. I think if you just explain to her that it's one of the many things that only babies do, but not big girls, she will understand It would probably be a lot harder if she were younger and had nursed longer and actually remembered it.

Albah · May 2010

I'm a bit nervous about this as well and hope I can BF this time as long as I did with E!

taxbride · May 2010

Cedric nursed for almost 19 months and weaned on his own while I was pg with #2. He reacted fine while I nursed Graciela, although there was that week in the beginning when he would hit or spit at me while I nursed her, but he got over that real quick (some positive discipline helped--"go spit in the sink if you want to spit"). After that, he was very helpful, getting me her diaper or wipes (he still does), or sitting next to me while I nursed her on the couch and read him a book that he got from the shelf. Or if necessary, I would turn on a tv show to distract him if she was being fussy and needed extra attention. That was at home. While we were out? Hmm. I don't remember it being a problem, but I wasn't out alone with both of them very often in the beginning.

He was in school during the day while I was on maternity leave so I would have more time with her and so he would have consistency in his schedule and not have to fight for my attention. That helped a LOT. Highly recommend if you can swing it.

I'm still nursing her at 14 (almost 15) months, and it's never been a problem with him. He has expressed interest, and I have explained that I'm giving the baby her milk and that his milk comes in a cup. He accepts that. A few times early on, he wanted to nurse her ("my turn! my turn!") and I put her to his chest/belly and he was satisfied with that (no, she didn't latch on to him!). And once or twice, he found my pump horns and proudly put them to his nipples. It was so funny I took a picture. But I didn't make a big deal and neither did he.

As for work, well, it took some effort on my part to keep pumping until she was a year old (then she started cow's milk during my work days). I still nurse her whenever she wants on the days that I am home.

I haven't nursed her longer (yet) b/c she is not yet as old as Cedric was when he weaned, but I guess we'll go until she is done or until I don't want to do it anymore. But I still love the closeness and sometimes I honestly feel like it's the only thing I've done right all day, so I'm not in a hurry.

Sorry so long! Hard to make this concise.

Tania

MellyMelB · May 2010

Thank you so much for all the feedback! It was very helpful.

wrenr · May 2010

Sorry a bit late on this one, but this has been a major stress causer for me too. Had no problem with DD1 adjusting to it. She seemed curious at first, asked me what I was doing, but didn't seem to mind. I had to pump a lot though b/c DD2 wouldn't latch on and the main problem with that was that usually one or the other was upset that I couldn't do something other than pump. It's really tough to find a time to pump when both of them are calm or entertained. Sometimes the little one starts to cry, or the big one wants to play and tells me "no leche" (no milk). So that is definitely stressful. But I can say that it can definitely be done cause here we are at 4 months and I'm still doing it, even if some days I would rather be doing something else, lol.

Want a personalized experience?

Q? re: BFing #2.

Re: Q? re: BFing #2.

Choose Another Board

Search Boards