Preparing to breastfeed again

[1Bambino]

Looking for advice, sorry it's a long one!

Last time I was pregnant I really wanted to breastfeed, I was determined! I read anything and everything I could find to prepare before baby. In the first hour after birth we did skin to skin and baby latched but by the end of day one my nipples were sore and cracked. I relentlessly applied lanolin and accepted any and all advice from the lovely midwives in the ward. My nipples only got gradually worse. As the weeks went by cracked became an understatement, by the end they were torn to bits with flaps of broken skin hanging off them!

I tried hand, manual pump and electric pump expressing, breast massage, cabbage leaves, nipple shields, bathing together and every position I could google! I had very frequent supportive visits from the community midwives them my health visitor and was referred to ARI to check baby for tongue tie, treated for thrush (both for me and baby), baby was treated for silent reflux and then referred to a feeding specialist at the hospital too who told me the latch was ok but baby wasn't extracting the milk effectively. I really feel like I tried everything and I have no idea where I went wrong. After 5 weeks I gave up.

I'm 32 weeks pregnant now and I want to try again. The further along I get the more I realise just how much I really want it to work! I feel like I'm preparing for a huge exam or something! I just saw a breastfeeding cartoon on Facebook showing the mothers love flowing from her heart through her breast to her baby and I burst into tears.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated xx

[FurryTurnip]

It sounds like you had an incredibly hard time Breastfeeding the first time round, but you tried very hard so well done for that.

No specific advice, but as a Breastfeeding peer supporter having seen many mums, I can tell you that there is no reason at all with your second baby that you will have any of these problems. All babies are different, and women can have dramatically different experiences from one child to the next.

Please try not to worry about this for the next few weeks as you will become really anxious which won't help. Just try to relax (I know, a ludicrous suggestion!!) and take this as you would a first time Breastfeeding experience, take your time, relax, get support when needed, but don't focus on the last time round.

You has every problem thrown at you last time, so I wish you and your new baby a lovely and successful Breastfeeding experience. And it really can happen!

Ps annoyingly my phone keeps capitalising Breastfeeding, can't change it!

[1Bambino]

Thank you furryturnip :)

[milpool]

If I were you I'd find out what breastfeeding support is available in your area (face to face groups if possible). You could even visit before you have the baby - certainly the ones I go to are welcoming to pregnant women.