BF first baby ok, what about second?

[Poppet45]

So after a fairly traumatic delivery and difficult early days with colic one of my unexpected sources of joy and relief was that DS took to breast feeding very well. It was touch and go at the start because he'd been left on his own for so long without a feed as I was away with the fairies in a high dependency unit... he got very cold and very tired and kept falling asleep when he was finally put to my boob, anyway, he got there and we're still feeding at 17 months and it's lovely.
So I'm thinking about having another but wondering if I'm being presumptuous to think that because I've done it once it'll be just as easy the second time. Any mums found it much harder dealing with the constant BFing of the early days and a rambunctious toddler? Or did the second baby take much less readily to feeds than the first? I'd be really interested to know as all you ever hear are tales of BFing going wrong the frist time but right the next. Thanks.

it was easier the second time, as I knew what I was doing....more relaxed, so DS was more relaxed and fed like a champ. First baby, DD, was a sloooow, frequent feeder...which was OK as I had time to sit on the sofa all day if necessary

I was busy with DD (17 months) so DS fed himself quickly and efficiently! He got very chubby, very quickly!

Although it was easier in the sense that I knew what to expect etc, I found the demands of a 2.4 year old plus trying to breastfeed quite difficult. DD2 fed alot in the evening and I was exhausted by then after a day of looking after both of them, so found the cluster feeding really hard. Although I bf DD1 for 13 months, I stopped at 5 months with DD2 partly to due with my tiredness etc.

However, DS came along when DD2 was 19 months and I found feeding him so much easier even though I had a 19 month old and a 4 year old to look after. I fed him until 18 months.

So I guess it does depend upon the baby as well as the situation in general.

my second is 11 days old today, my first is two and 1/2.dd2 has bf like a duck to water, i was more confident, i knew what to do. she hasnt lost weight in her first week, and feeds easily and contentedly, but it is hard being constantly bfing, every hour on some days every two to three hours most days. my dd1 is jealous, and is want to put things on my lap ie the baby, when i am feeding. but I see it as every feed is a little bit of time with me and dd2 bonding, because aside from feeding i barely get the chance to give her a cuddle because i have my dd1 to give attention to.
But my attitude is if i wasnt bfing constantly id be steriliing and cleaning and feeding her bottles consstantly and i know which id prefer.
oh and fwiw dd2 has taken a dummy since three days old with no nipple confusion and this has made nighttimes amazing. im getting alot more sleep than i did with my 1st, when i avoided giving the dummy for fear of ruining bfing.
anyway good luck im sure youll be brilliant

I worried about that Poppet. Also, I really loved feeding dd so knew what I'd be missing out on if it didn't happen with dc2.

Anyway, feeding dc2 was easier in that I knew what I was doing, didn't get sore nipples, didn't get leaky boobs and of course had MN.

It was harder in that ds is huge so feeds more and I've had mastitis twice. Still loving it though.

I'm sure you'll be fine.

Oh thanks so much for all of your lovely and varied responses. Now I just need to persuade DH that we should have a DC 2, sigh, the trickiest aspect of the whole project I think.

I had terrible problems with DC2, it hurt during every feed and afterwards for the first 10 weeks, I had mastitis, then thrush, then mastitis.... with hindsight, part of the problem was that I knew what I was doing but DC2 didn't. And the last time I had fed had been a lumping great self-latching one year old. I was offering my rather large and engorged breast to a tiny newborn who had no idea about latching or positioning. If DC2 had been DC1, I might well have given up - but I knew it would be easier later on, I knew how it was supposed to work and I knew I could do it, because I had before.

I also knew to keep on going to the baby cafe/breast feeding clinic rather than HV clinic, and to keep on demanding asking for help.

I had similar problems with DC3 (latching, very sore nipples, over supply - milk came in 28 hours after birth) and even with DC4 ("milk flu" on day 2 stayed and turned into mastitis by day 6) and there were many tears even with expecting there to be problems. But I took it one feed at a time and desperately tried to play the long game, to get through the first weeks until about week 12 when I knew it would click.

Also with other children about, the feeding pattern does have to adapt. Dc1 didn't do evening cluster feeds, DC2/3/4 had to as that was the only time I was sitting down long enough. They had more "top up" on the way out of the door type feeds, and less of the "I'm just going to lie on the sofa watching telly all afternoon with my boobs out" type feeds DC1 was rather fond of

Poppet I think its natural to feel anxious about this especially if you've both enjoyed bfing the first time.

I know that I felt anxious about it whilst pg with DC2. I spoke to a friend who is also a trainee bfing counsellor and she said that I knew where to get RL help and support from if I did have difficulties and also, this time around at least one of us would be experienced

Feeding DC2 was very different. DC1 fed for hours. DC2 fed for 10 minutes every 3 hours, bliss.

One thing I did do before having DC2 was find out who all the local bfing counsellors were and take their numbers into hospital with me.

Good luck and I'm sure you'll be fine.

That's a good idea about taking the numbers down! I'm also very encouraged by the number of speedy feeding second babies as DS was more than happy to guzzle for a good 50 minutes at a time, in fact up until around four months most feeds were about 35 minutes! Thanks again all.