What will you do different this time? BF/EP?!

callaann27 · February 2014

I breastfed my first for about 4 months, but my supply drastically dwindled going back to work. I would nurse, sometimes pump(not consistently) What are you hoping to do differently this time? I think this time, I'm going to dedicate more time to pumping so that I'm not a human pacifier constantly and can let DH feed baby.

ungraceful13 · February 2014

I'm going to try to do it the same way I did with DD: BF and pump for 9.5 months and then feed her from my freezer stash. It will be harder this time bc for the first 7 months I was home with DD and I will only be home 6-8 weeks with this one.

Raclla · February 2014

I'm hoping BF will go better for me this time. I also don't plan on doing anything in the first few weeks. NOTHING! Last time I would stay in the living room and chat with family, return calls/emails, open gifts, etc. All of that will wait this time around. I will be sleeping when baby sleeps and taking better care of myself. I'm also hoping that will help with my supply. Last time I wasn't sleeping or eating.

blushingbride_08 · February 2014

I'm going to try to clean my LO mouth more often especially during night feedings. My LO got a cavity at 1 year old bc of nursing around the clock and not brushing thoroughly. I believed the hype when ppl said breastmilk can't cause cavities but that's not true.

tamarar5 · February 2014

I really want to pump more to put stock in the freezer. Last time I had 60ish oz in the freezer (not a lot) when I discovered my pump had been contaminated and everything spoiled.

I had to toss everything.

This time I would love to have enough for a stash but to also donate to the milk bank here. Other than that though, I like my parenting choices.

sarahinthecity10 · February 2014

I breastfed DS for 3 months and then went back to work. This time I'm working from home for the rest of the year so I can breastfeed longer, hopefully 5 months, and build up more of a freezer stash. Also going to have DH give a bottle of breast milk before bed while I pump. We will also limit visitors the first few weeks. It was way too busy at our house last time which was exhausting.

shevaCC · February 2014

ninthgirl said:

snowflake91011 said:

I am going to do a better job of pumping while on maternity leave this time so I can boost my supply and have a nice freezer stash.

This is what I hope to do differently too. BF was pretty easy for us after the first 6 weeks, though not my favorite thing. But I didn't get my pump or how to trigger letdown with it until about my return to work. It will be nice to know how to actually use the darned thing this time!

Hopefully this kid will be the fantastic nurser DD was. Having a good nurser really helps.

All of this. Also I second what @Raclla said about taking better care of myself in the weeks after baby #2 arrives. I gave myself a 102+ fever twice in that time from pushing too hard too soon.

belle785 · February 2014

I don't plan on doing things much different this time around. I started pumping around 2-3 weeks to help build up a stash. At one point, my whole freezer was just BM. I hope to be able to do the same this time around because I don't know if I'm going to have the opportunity to pump as much at work as I did last time. My goal was to make it to 6 months BF, I made it to 8 then started to wean and was done at 9. My goal this time is 6 months and we will take it from there.

I also hope to let me husband do a little more bottle feeding when I need fresh air and to get out of the house. I stayed in too much and drove myself a little batty the first few months.

micaela421 · February 2014

I'm going to BF until Baby 2.0 weans itself. I bf DD until she was 15 mos. I pumped for 9 mos. I want to start pumping at 1 month

Jennyfahh · February 2014

I hope to do everything the same. I exclusively bf ds until 17mo, and yeah it sucked sometimes early on being exhausted and the only one who could feed him, but I was so proud of myself for getting so far! My original bf goal was 3mo. I knew nothing about BFing and now in so exited about BFing again. I don't know if it's realistic as I'll be starting my next internship before #2 is 1 but I'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Bethbilz · February 2014

This time, I will do everything possible to make my goal of ebfing until 12 months! It was the same goal I set with my other two, but made it to 7 and 8 months respectively. Along those lines, I would love to be able to donate to a milk bank this time around.

Erin0303 · February 2014

Overpumping so I can stash it for when I go back to work and cut down on pumping when Im at work and traveling. I made it 4 months last time but mastitis and postpartum which shut down my milk supply like water on a fire.

mrscutforth · February 2014

EP for me here.
I had latch problems with LO1. Plus, his 11 stint in NICU and not getting to hold him for the 1st week was a problem. I tried and tried. When we finally brought him home I pumped and still tried at my breast but ended up just pumping for as long as my body would allow. I'll try with this LO if everything goes well but I will be recovering from not only a csec but having my tubes tied. But DH and I talked about it and we thought it would be easier on me to just go ahead and pump.

exhibitv · February 2014

I'm going to obsesses less about my supply too. I BF for 14 months and went to work FT at 3 months so I was obviously doing ok. I would do all sorts of crazy things like not sleep enough so i would have extra time to pump.

audreylaine510 · February 2014

I don't really plan on doing anything different this time. I exclusively breast fred DD for 16 months and my only goal then and now is to breast feed as long as my little one wants to. I actually don't think I will take it as easy the first few weeks this time as I did last time because now I have an active toddler who needs me!

jdowns85 · February 2014

I plan on trying to breastfeed this one. I struggled with DD and then they put me on a strict diet for fear she was allergic to milk protein and it became too much. I hope to have the ability to push through any challenges this time. Although my fear is being successful with this one and guilt that I wasn't with DD.

abirdd9 · February 2014

I plan to EBF. Last time I pumped from day one AND nursed. I created a terrible over supply issue which was great for peace of mind after I returned to work, but this time I'm not going back to work. I'll have a pump and bottles on hand, but I'm hoping to never use it.

tabaskoa · February 2014

Last time I had a really hard start with BFing...lots of pain and crying (for me). After 4 weeks of that, I "gave up" and EP for a month and then slowly re-introduced BFing. By the time I went back to work at 12w I hated the pump, and was bitter about the way everything played out. I ended up pumping at work until 6 months and BFing in the morning and at night until he was 8 months old.

Next time I plan to be a lot more prepared for just how hard BFing could be (hopefully it won't be as hard this time around to begin with though), and have a good support system of LCs in place immediately. I'm hoping to start pumping at about 4-6 weeks so that I can have an occasional bottle so I can get out, but I'm not going to bother with having a huge freezer stash or put stress on myself to pump if I don't feel like it. I'm really hoping to be able to BF until 12 months this time. That's my goal!

rockyrollgirl · February 2014

I am going to introduce a bottle earlier. Kaiser made me overly paranoid about nipple confusion and since I was SAH, I was lazy about pumping. C ended up refusing a bottle until she was 6 months, it was a pain.

MandMLeona · February 2014

I'd like to have baby take a pacifier and occasional bottle. For each of my girls I have been their end all be all until they are 6 months old and we can skip to a sippy. The pressure to be their pacifier as well as their only source of food is hard.

MC03 · February 2014

Last time I stressed so hard in the first few months over my supply - but I actually had a very low supply due to a medication I had to take at the time. I no longer take that medication and I am hoping I have no supply issues this time. I am actually glad I struggled and stressed, because in the end I was successful and BF for 14 months, but I hope my journey is easier this time. I would love to enjoy those first few months more this time.

pmpkn219 · February 2014

I wouldn't mind giving myself an over supply again and stock up my freezer some for BTW. My goal with J was to bf at least 12 months, never formula, and we did 2 years. But because of my work schedule he burned through a 1000+ oz stash, which killed me! I pumped every day until his birthday which some days majorly stressed me out.

It would be amazing if I could stop pumping at 9 or 10 months or something!! Loved BFing but pumping is such a hassle! I give EP mamas much credit!!

BeachM · February 2014

I would just like to actually somewhat of a milk supply this time. But if I don't, the #1 thing I'll do differently is not let myself feel like a huge failure.

kimberlybethh · February 2014

I would like to bf this time. I EPed last time do to latching issues. Since this will be my last I'm hoping that nursing works better this time. If it doesn't though I will try not to beat myself up. I felt like such a failure last time when it didn't work.

Russiandea12 · February 2014

I would start pumping ASAP. With my DS he had an attached tounge, so had difficulty latching & nursing. I didn't pump in the beginning beacuse of how sore & how often I was nursing, but his issues seriously effected my supply. I wish I would have been pumping like crazy from the beginning and stock piling all that milk & maintaining my supply.