Has anyone managed to bf after ff previous dc?

[Besom]

What was helpful to you?

I'm asking this in relation to someone else who I have offered to help when the time comes as I bf dd.

I don't know the details of what happened with her dc#1 except that he was onto the ff fairly quickly.

Does anyone have any tips about what if anything I could do to help her bf dc#2?

Not me but my cousin ff her first 2 and bf her 3rd for over a year.

Think the main thing that helped her is not listening to her Mother anymore

The other thing that helped was that her 3rd has a different Dad. He was very supportive and helped her alot.

I think the NCT and LLL both do leaflets aimed at Dads.

You could also get her to mix with other bfing Mums before the DC is born and also make sure she has the numbers any local bfing counsellors.

HTH.

me.
am bfing ds2 atm, hence no capitals.

mn, brestfeeding group (bfn), reading the politics of breastfeeding, completely changing my view of babies and having more realistic expectations. iron will!

love, love, love bfing ds2.

yy, lots of practical support too - dh/dm bringing food and caring for other kids, doing housework etc.

bfing is thee only job for first 6 wks

I am bfng dc2 after problems with my first.

Main difference for me was the support given by health professionals in the first few days- I got either no or very poor advice with ds even after asking for help, but second time round it's been much better. Need to have numbers, baby cafe times, leaflets all on hand!

Also I have more support from DP this time, and as with nicky, more realistic expectations - MN really helps with this.

Finally I was much more determined to get through the early days this time, having "failed" the first time.

Yes!

DD1 breastfed for 6 weeks although probably started on mixed feeding very early because a) she needed it as she was a big baby b)she was too hungry to go 4 hours between feeds c)awful cracked nipples and thrush d)mixed feeding helped my mother to give me a break

DD2 breastfed for 3 weeks but moved on to formula because a)couldn't latch on without an enormous performance no matter how much I shoved her head at my nipple b)always hungry and not going 4 hours between feeds

........ reads mumsnet....... reads kellmom....... discovers wonderful local breastfeeding support group......

oh!

I don't regret formula feeding my DDs. I am angry at the misinformation I received and the non existent support.

EVERY SINGLE one of those 'problems' listed above has a solution. In fact, some aren't problems at all! Just facts of babylife!!!

So, DS1 - still breastfeeding at 16 months, despite encountering most of the above 'problems'(albeit just first thing, last thing and on the occasions he wakes in the nights. Oh and whenever I want a sure fire way to get him to sleep on the weekend!).

I would ask your froends whether she can identify where it 'all went wrong' last time ie growth spurt, incorrect latch, risk of introducing early mixed feeding without being aware of possible consequences on some mother's supply.

Yes me

Nothing would've helped me bf dc1 cos she was tube fed due to probs with swallowing and breathing. Unlikely that I could've expressed for any longer cos it was painful and I was getting v little for my efforts

Had loads of help with dc2 which kept me going with bf but he was another failure to thrive so ended up mixed feeding. I used supplementary nursing system and lots of time, patience and expertise off fab bf counsellor for that one. And sheer bloody mindedness/ convictions to bat off all the advice to just sack off bf altogether

Am getting on grand ebf dc3 at the mo. Agree that support, patience and realistic expectations re frequency of feeding and sleeping is crucial

Oh and skin to skin immediately after birth.. feed straight away

Me! DD was a monkey for latching on, and i got horrendous deep breast thrush. I'd seen people bf and thought "lift top, put baby on boob" was sum total of bf, so was totally unprepared. From the moment we gave her a bottle at 2 weeks old I never looked back.

With DS I was more determined to bf and much more realistic. By the time I had DS I knew that it takes 6 weeks to establish bf, so I gave myself 6 weeks (DH and mum helped a lot) but in fact we were well established long before that.

Also someone on MN told me about dr jack newman which gave me loads of information about latch. Also learnt about breast compression to rouse a baby who's fallen asleep on the boob to get them to take a fuller feed.

Thanks to you all, very helpful. Yes it's all coming back to me now.

Besom, forgot to say that a friend bf her DC3 after ff the first 2. She says that reading Babycalming by Caroline Deacon, a bfing counsellor, really helped as did sorting out where to get help from before LO arrived.

Yes! BF DD1 for 6 weeks (the last week or so, I was expressing rather than getting her to latch). Have now been bfing DD2 for 20 weeks and it is so much easier.

Things that helped :

• reading websites like MN to inform myself better
• being more relaxed about there being a 'middle way' - with DD1 I thought it was all or nothing, but this time round I have been prepared to offer the odd bottle of formula if necessary without thinking that it's the end of bf altogether (though actually haven't needed to so far )
• having a no-nonsense MW being the one doing the first home visit as she told me that everything I had been told before was cobblers and basically showed me how to get on with it (I have an inverted nipple and had been told to use nipple shields, nipplettes, breast shells etc etc whereas she said it was nonsense and that if I got the latch right it would be fine, and she was right)
• only offering one side at each feed; first time round I was told to always offer both, but that meant I had very little time for healing whereas this time even in the early days each side had at least 4 hours 'off' which helped enormously
• copious amounts of Lansinoh in the early days and not being afraid of using it....