D.C. Area Babies
BFing #2 vs #1
was BFing #2 as hard as the 1st time around? I know each baby may have different latch issues, etc. but I'm just wondering in general.
We had a lot of problems in the beginning, it's crazy what I went thru to BF. DD also had jaundice. I anticipated a hard 1st 3 weeks and resolved to stick to it but it was hell!!
Just wondering if I should expect the same 2nd time around. I am preparing myself for another difficult baby but wanted to know others' experiences.
FWIW, after a very rough start, I went on to eBF for 14 mos so I know that I can do it.
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Re: BFing #2 vs #1
curious what others have to say too!
remember how BFing would cause uterine cramps (since BFing stimulates the uterus to contract)? i've heard that BFing subsequent babies causes much more significant cramping.
i'm hoping that the nipple soreness isn't as bad the second time around. gosh i think i cried at every session for a couple of weeks. that sucked!
For me, it was just as hard with #2 though I did manage to go longer (4 mos. then 6 mos.). With both, though, I had to turn to EP-ing about halfway through.
I think of you as a BF-ing superstar, so don't give it a second thought!
It was a little easier, but mostly because I knew what I was doing. The nipple soreness and pain when my milk came in were exactly the same. And getting DS to learn how to latch was harder than it was with DD. I guess each baby is different.
But I knew what to expect and how to do the different holds, and most importantly I knew that all the pain and leaking would go away eventually. I think that was the biggest help for me.
Now DS is 8 months and gets incredibly distracted, which was never a problem for DD. So I guess now it's harder than it was at this stage with DD.
GL, hopefully it's easier this time around for you!
I didn't really have any issues with DD#1--she was a good eater from the start and DD#2 has followed in her sister's footsteps in that regard. The nipple discomfort was much less the second time around--either that or I had different expectations;)
Now, sleep, that was a whole different story--DD#2 has already slept through the night on mulitiple occasions and is much mellower in general as a baby than DD#1 was...DD#1 used to cry inconsolably for 1-2 hours every night for the first couple of months. DD#2 is totally different.
I think preparing yourself for the worst is probably a good idea, but for me the second has been much easier than the first...a combo of the uniqueness of each kid and a much calmer set of parents is my guess!
aw, thank you, artslvr!
I don't think I'll ever forget, as long as I live, this: I was pumping and it hurt so bad but I kept doing it and all of a sudden, I could see some drops at the bottom of the bottle, OMG I was so excited and then I looked closely and realized they were pink. DD had bit me so much, I was bleeding out of my nipple (thus the pain) and I had to throw it all out, it was maybe 1/2oz but damn it I worked so hard for it!!
this time around, I'm bringing lanolin and breast pads to the hospital
I found feeding #2 to be much easier than #1. Part of it was that he was an easier baby overall than she was. #1 - for her first six months - was challenging, to put it nicely. But #2 was a great baby...so you may be lucky as well!
I BFed #2 right after birth and just hung out with him (literally...haha...) like that for a few hours...maybe that made a big impression on his just-born brain. Also, with #1, I assumed the nurses were the experts, so I supplemented with bottles / formula for the first few days per their suggestions. I think that set us up for the BFing trouble for a few weeks. I avoided the bottle at the beginning with #2, and that might have made a difference. He has always latched perfectly without any pain for me, had a good appetite, and no gas or spit-up issues like his sister.
I mostly attribute it to having already been there, done that...I was much more laid-back. Anxiety over whether I was doing it right or often enough or whatever wasn't there (I got chastised by the nurses for not diligently filling out the input/output spreadsheet). I think #2 sensed that, which made him more relaxed, and the whole newborn stage was much easier. I didn't have much nipple soreness with #1, and I had none with #2. I was engorged more often at the beginning with #1 and therefore in more pain, but that regulated itself after a while. However, I had more clogged ducts with #2. The postpartum cramping seemed worse with #2 but lasted less than a week.
I EBFed DD for 14 months with little/no problems, not even at the beginning. DS was a disaster. My flow was heavy from BF DD so long. He was probably never going to be a champion nurser under any circumstances, but the flow thing really killed it. He refused nursing altogether after a few weeks. I pumped until about 6 months. Now he's EFF.
The post partum cramping is worse with #2. The nurse explained it to me as your uterus being like a balloon - the second time you stretch it out like that, it's even harder to get back in all the way, so the muscles have to contract harder. They didn't last too long, though. Fun times! ;-)
It was pretty equal for me both times. Both of my boys were very easy nursers - I feel actually very lucky about it.
But, my girlfriend had a really hard time with her first to the point where after three weeks she gave up and switched fully to formula. With her second who is now 7 months she has been strictly breastfeeding and it has been much much easier this time around.
I think that each baby is different, just remember not to get to frustrated if you have a hard time because babies can sense that.
BFing wasn't very difficult for me the 1st time....i did have crazy oversupply and lots of clogged ducts, but never had any latch issues so in the grand scheme of themes, i guess i had an easy time.
this time it's a total breezes, no issues whatsoever. i am sure now that i say that, i will wake up with a clog. : )
as for the uterine cramping, my god, it was HORRENDOUS. i took motrin AND tylenol with codeine and it hurt like B!TCH nonetheless. it subsided after about 72 hours for me though.
BFing #1 was so easy.
BFing #2 was not as easy at first. DS had to stay in the hospital for an extra day for jaundice and got the bottle. He was also a very slow nurser with a lazy latch at first. Now, he is extremely efficient.
The uterine cramps were AWFUL with #2. I had to deep breathe through the first few days of BFing because they were painful.
With #2, I also had issues with my supply regulating. I leaked all the time the first 3 months. Not harmful, but embarassing in public. I recently stopped leaking because I now pump three times a day at work.