Did anyone BF #1, but then have problems BFing #2?
I've got just over two weeks until baby arrives so of course I'm at the stage of worrying about anything and everything.My latest paranoia has come from reading the thread about why people choose to bf/ff. A few ladies on there have said about how they couldn't produce milk properly and so that's why they switched to ff.
I BF #1 and had no problems ( except the usual, painful nips etc). I'm planing to BF#2 when she arrives but am wondering if anyone had difficulties feeding second time round after having no problems first time?
my boobs have not grown that much in this pregnancy ( but then again I've got a much smaller bump than last time too), but its got me over thinking things. I know obviously my milk hasn't come in yet as baby hasn't arrived, but at the moment they feel quite soft and empty like when you lose weight etc. im sure when I was pregnant last tima they felt a lot more heavy and much firmer. Is this any indication I that I might end up with a poor milk supply and struggle to BF?
I think what I'm asking is, in regards to not producing enough milk, is it a problem that some women will always have and some will never have, and if I didn't have the problem last time it means my body is good at producing milk so I will be fine again, or could it be that even though I had good supply last time I might not this time?
i really can't face the idea of sterilising bottles at 2am and spending a fortune on formula!
Replies
I had the opposite. No1 wouldn't latch on. I tried for weeks and expressed and formula fed until 12 weeks when I stopped expressing and solely ff.
no2 latched on straight away and we had no bf problems whatsoever.
Thanks CK. I hope I don't have to go down the expressing route. I will try if need be but not sure how practical it will be timewise with having a toddler as well as a newborn
I spoke about this with a mw (admittedly a BFC may have a better idea) and the consensus was that if you've successfully bf before with no milk supply issues it's only a problem, such as tongue tie, with baby that is likely to hinder you.
I had no problems feeding A bar an oversupply of milk which eventually settled at 9 weeks, this time has been just as easy if not more so as I have an idea what I'm doing. I have the oversupply problem again but am better at managing it this time so it doesn't seem as bad.
Not me (yet!) but my friend happily BF her first 3 babies problem free and then had a nightmare with baby#4. Poor latch / shredded nipples etc etc. Friend was in tears and saying she finally understood why some Mums found it difficult / switched to formula etc. I dragged her to the local SureStart support BF group (that had helped me with problems during 1st week) and they were so helpful.... the BF councilor worked wonders and they went on to BF for over a year successfully.
Do you have a local support group - be it SureStart, La Leche League, NCT etc? You are more than welcome to go when you are pregnant to meetings ..... otherwise get the phone numbers of said support groups written down. Or find out if you hospital / maternity unit have a Lactation Consultant on their staff. These are the top notch experts!!
I successfully BF'd both my girls but I had the same latching problems early on with both of them which resulted in very sore nipples and pain until the let down came. It didn't last very long but I would be much more aware of latching problems and getting them looked at sooner this time.
Thanks ladies.
BG I was hoping that would be the answer re supply. That reassures me at least about that problem.
I know obviously every baby is different so the baby might have problems with latch, tt etc, but I'm hoping that as I've already bf before I'll hopefully find it easier to notice a problem earlier this time to get it sorted.
HF I haven't got any numbers yet of bf supporters but I know there is a drop in thing in the next town to me so I can go along there if need be or if I call them maybe they might do a home visit.
I'm glad you posted this as I've been thinking about it already. I fed p to 7 months and hope ondo the same, If not longer this time. we struggled a bit with position etc and latch to begin with but did have fab help. I'm not as close to the clinics I used last one now so I must find out the info on this. I'm glad to hear people have generally been ok second time. I think I'll be more confident with position and latch this time, I'm also hoping the early ouch-ness will be more bareable because I'll know that bit doesn't last long!
I thought I'd find it easier 2nd time around as fed my 1st for about 6 months. Actually had more problems this time around (in the beginning) and ended up going to a clinic 3 times. In the end we got it sorted but I remember saying to them how I managed fine before and I was surprised I'd had problems 2nd time. Ended up feeding til 8 months so definitely was sorted in the end.
Trayloub- good to know you got it sorted and managed to continue feeding.
AR- I agree about the ouchy ness in the early days. When I had W a friend told me the first three weeks of BF are really hard and so painful, but if you can make it past that point you will be fine. Every time I was gritting my teeth as she latched in the early days I was chanting its only 3 weeks to myself. And for me it was true I was fine by then.
We are 6 weeks in now and things are good for us. I was worried how we would get on as # 1 fed for 13 months. Going back to day 0 was a bit of a shock as my last memories of bf were it being so easy. But, I have to say, despite near mastitus episode and some soreness and general ouchieness it was all ok. I think it's better when you have had the experience of doing it before, so you know how much and how long it hurts. It's a justkeepswimming type attitude you need!