2+ moms - BFers

CareBear01 · October 2011

I had a rough first 2 weeks with DS for BFing - we prevailed, though, and made it a good long 8 months. I am hoping the second time will be easier (or at least since I know how hard it can be). Did you find BFing the 2nd (or more) time around harder or easier?

charlotteL · October 2011

Easier the second time. My suggestion is as soon as you push her out let her latch on. It made such a huge difference. Third time was harder but it was not a normal experience.

lilycat · October 2011

I thought this was about feeding at 2+ years. We just made it into that group this morning.

Harder, but we had complications. Being in the hospital NICU derailed our first starts, and then mastitis took its swing. My LC is the only reason we are nursing at the other 2+. She just told me if I kept offering, he might go for it. He did, eventually after a few months of being mostly bottle fed.

With my first, we had typical noobie issues. I was convinced the second time would be so easy...a little disappointed it wasn't.

It all works out, though. I now strongly believe in getting help from really good LCs if you can. Makes a difference when things go off the rails.

TexasPaige · October 2011

For me it was almost exactly the same (good experiences both times), although there was no pain with latching this time. The first go round, I had toe-curling pain for about the first week. I was pleasantly surprised to avoid that this time.

KelleyA · October 2011

I think that every kiddo is different. I was more comfortable nursing with J, but it was more painful in some ways. She was a LAZY nurser and just wanted the milk dropped into her mouth, she couldn't be bothered to actually work for it. Overall I was way more laid back about it, didn't stress as much about if she was eating enough, pooping enough, etc because I knew she'd be ok. It was just easier the second time.

kat.in.the.hat · October 2011

much much much easier the second time because I was more prepared. With all we went through with Marion, I didn't make it past two weeks with her. I was prepared to move heaven and earth to make BFing work this go round.

We did run into some obstacles. Eliza developed a cold at about ten days old and couldn't both suck and breath at the same time, so for a week, we were syringe feeding and pumping which was hellacious. But, as soon as she got better, she was right back on the breast. She was also a slow gainer like Marion was and so we spent a lot of time with a scale in the house, weighing before and after feedings. She was getting adequate amounts of milk, she just gains very slowly. It actually took her a year to even double her birth weight.

This time around, I had a game plan, even in the hospital of what I was going to do if this happened, then I'd call this person. If this happened, then I'd use this resource. That made me feel a lot better and more confident that we'd make it work.

She's twelve months and two weeks old and we're still going strong.

jen5-03 · October 2011

I had a pretty easy time the first time, but the second was easier. It took me a day or two to get my groove, compared to weeks the first time. DD was probably 6mo before I could nurse laying down with her and with DS it was doable from the beginning.

alisa1228 · October 2011

agree with kellya that every baby is different.

DD2 was harder for me. she was not a good latcher, and it took awhile for us to get into the groove.

DD1 had no issues, though, so i was expecting the same with DD2, so her latch issues threw me for a loop.

mrs.littlejeans · October 2011

TexasPaige:
For me it was almost exactly the same (good experiences both times), although there was no pain with latching this time. The first go round, I had toe-curling pain for about the first week. I was pleasantly surprised to avoid that this time.

Same experience for me as well

Weezers · October 2011

Harder. But I was never able to BF DD so it was really my first time around successfully BFing. DD was a preemie and couldn't latch at first. We tried for a month or two, saw a LC and everything, but I gave up and pumped for 9 months. I also had supply issues so we had to supplement with formula. This time around DS did better. It took several weeks to get the hang of it but he latches just fine now. I had the same supply issues this time around so we're supplementing again but I'm ok with that.

So, the actual act of BFing (latch, positioning, etc.) was easier. But the jealous 2.5-year-old big sister made it much much MUCH harder this time around. I wasn't able to go anywhere when he would have to eat because the minute I got him latched on I would have to chase her or take her to the potty or something. I wound up nursing at home when I could, pumping a couple of times a day, and giving him formula too.

But since you've done it before and you already know what you're doing I think you'll do better. Good luck!

rayskit10 · October 2011

mrs.littlejeans:
TexasPaige:
For me it was almost exactly the same (good experiences both times), although there was no pain with latching this time. The first go round, I had toe-curling pain for about the first week. I was pleasantly surprised to avoid that this time.
Same experience for me as well

This was me as well.

ayersfam20 · October 2011

For me, it was a little harder the 2nd time around.

DD I never had any problems with, no pain, no issues, easy breezy. I BF her for 10 months and 8 1/2 of those months I was back at work full time.

DS had latch issues from the beginning which made me blister. Luckily, the LC at the hospital was awesome and showed me how to position him, etc. He would never stick his bottom lip out, so I had to latch him and then pull his lip out to get a good nurse. I never would have figured that one out on my own.

He will be 12 months tomorrow and I am starting to wean. I was able to nurse him longer only because I work from home now. If I had to pump with him I would have stopped long ago.

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