Anyone restated BF after a week.

[helsybells]

Had my second baby a week ago and just like my first I had agony feeding her in first 24 hours, nipples were bleeding by end of day 1 and just found it incredibly painful. I gave myself so much guilt for "failing" with my first but hoped it would work out better with number 2 but was also determined not to beat myself up this time if it didn't work out. I'm now feeling a lot better and toying with the idea of trying to start BF up again. Has anyone else done this and had success? If so any tips?

Congratulations on your new baby! I didn't want to leave you unanswered and wondered if you might get more replies if you ask this to be moved infant feeding?

I don't have personal experience of restarting feeding after a week, but one of my friends did after she felt like she wanted to stop but changed her mind after a week. She too was struggling with tiredness and also problems with latch. She was a few weeks into feeding but I don't know if this makes a difference.

I hope someone with more experience will be able to give you more helpful advice, but whatever you decide on terms of feeding your baby, I hope you enjoy your baby!

It took a week to get my son to latch when he was born so it's definitely possible. The advice I was given was A LOT of pumping in between feeds - every two to three hours even through the night. I can't say I stuck to it rigorously as, one he got started he fed for 90 mins at a time, but I did pump and my supply got nicely established despite the delay.

I contacted my local breast feeding network and they put me on to someone who loaned out hospital grade double pumps, which really helped.

Oh, and if you get latching issues after bottle feeding, nipple shields worked for me!

Hope that helps.

I restarted after 4 days. I had stopped for the same reason as you. I just tried to express as much as I could to keep the supply going, on the days I wasn't breast feeding. Expressed by hand to let everything recover. Gradually phased in one side before the other, gradually and phased out formula. It worked just fine. I'm glad I didn't follow the advice of the health visitor, who told me to keep breastfeeding through the pain and bleeding! Good luck :)

I restarted after 4 days. I had stopped for the same reason as you. I just tried to express as much as I could to keep the supply going, on the days I wasn't breast feeding. Expressed by hand to let everything recover. Gradually phased in one side before the other, gradually and phased out formula. It worked just fine. I'm glad I didn't follow the advice of the health visitor, who told me to keep breastfeeding through the pain and bleeding! Good luck :)

I restarted after 4 days. I had stopped for the same reason as you. I just tried to express as much as I could to keep the supply going, on the days I wasn't breast feeding. Expressed by hand to let everything recover. Gradually phased in one side before the other, gradually and phased out formula. It worked just fine. I'm glad I didn't follow the advice of the health visitor, who told me to keep breastfeeding through the pain and bleeding! Good luck :)

Thanks Onelittlepiglet - argh I couldn't find infant feeding or anything similar so thought I'd post here - will try to move!

Thanks Tropic and Fairy - v helpful tips!

Whoops... wasnt even aware I'd put this in the PND section! 😳