Breastfeeding sling

[Mindisboggled]

Any one using /used a breastfeeding sling and have recommendations?
I will be due dc2 when dc1 is 17months old and have a dh who works shifts meaning if I'm not going solo from waking til mid afternoon I'm doing lunchtime til past bedtime solo so could do with being able to handsfree feed from time to time mainly the evening cluster/dc1 bedtime.

[BananaBlaps]

You can breastfeeed in any stretchy wrap style sling. There are videos on YouTube. I managed it once with DC1 but it wasn’t really necessary. Gonna try this again when DC2 turns up for similar reasons to you!

Have you used a wrap sling before? They take a bit of getting used to but are easy once you get the hang of it. Again, YouTube videos help.

[Mindisboggled]

I have a nct sling from when my first was newborn but can't figure out how I'd position baby, but will give you tube videos a go see if it works. I'm hoping I don't need it but thought I'd be ready just incase

[User0ne]

Hmm, from personal experience I think that you're unlikely to be able to feed a newborn hands free (nevermind in a sling). Ds2 is 12 weeks today and I can just about feed him handsfree lying down, no way in a sling. I can feed him using 1 hand in a connecta.

If you're talking about your toddler then they should be fine feeding handsfree (might take a little practice but ds1 could manage from about 10m).

Remember that lo will need to learn to feed, control their neck etc and that this takes ta while.

Not sure on your bedtime routine (and tbf it will probably change anyway) but I tend to either feed ds2 lying back next to ds1 - I can then read him a book/cuddle or have ds2 in a sling top (vija designs) doing skin to skin which will normally keep ds2 quiet for a bit

[Mindisboggled]

Thanks for your reply @User0ne
When I was in hospital after having dc1 the midwife told me about a breastfeeding sling but didn't need one then. Dc1 no longer bf.
Bedtime routine for dc1 involves bath, into pj's then downstairs for a drink of milk and a cuddle then upstairs for teeth, story and bed.
Guess I'm nervous about baby wanting to cluster feed during this time. I don't want dc1to feel put aside.

[ChiefSpoon]

By 16 weeks I could feed him in a buckle carrier

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

Do you have a local sling library? They taught me how to bf in a sling. Under about 4 months it's more of a feeding support than a hands free technique because they don't have the neck strength yet, but once DD got to about 5 months I was able to feed her hands free.

[User0ne]

You'll manage. You might find that bedtime takes a bit longer. I'd probably switch round a little so that teeth happen before bath and then try to feed no2 while No1 is in the bath so that I had a chance to do story. Everyone's order will be different though.

I second the sling library idea, the one near me is about £10 a month so quite affordable.

Go easy on yourself when no2 arrives; no one tells you how much harder 2 are than 1.