Breastfeeding 3rd DC after 2 unsuccessful attempts, is it possible?!

[Celia76]

I have 2 DCs - thought bf would be easy and I didn't expect to have the trouble I did which really shocked me! Expecting DC3 in 3 weeks and I really want to succeed this time!

DC 1 - had reflux and vomited constantly from birth. He was also jaundiced and would feed for hours at a time which completely destroyed my nipples (bits actually fell off and I was in agony, sorry if TMI!), he still hadn't gained his birth weight at 2 weeks so we introduced formula and life became so much easier.

DC 2 - had a tongue tie which was deemed to be not that bad, but I knew he wasn't latching on properly and every feed was agony. He gained his birth weight by 2 weeks (just), but the pain was overwhelming so I gave up. His tongue tie was cut when he was six weeks old.

I tried expressing but literally nothing would come out, so I think I need the actually stimulus of a baby to get the let down.

I really want things to work this time. Any advice very gratefully received!!

Can you toughen up your nipples pre-birth?? Can I do anything at all now to improve my chances??

Yes it is, without a doubt. I did it for a year for dc3 and am so glad.

You can't toughen up your nipples, but get Lansinoh and get lots of help with latching. If your latch is good, your nipples won't fall apart no matter how long you feed (assuming no issues like tongue tie).

I think that realising it will be tough up front helps tbh.

Expressing can take a while to get used to fwiw.

Don't have experience of this myself but just wanted to say that my neighbour could not BF her two older children. She fell pregnant with her third son and has been able to BF successfully this time around so it's totally possible! Good luck :)

There's a lady on here (tots2ten, i think) who breastfed her DC6 after FF her other children. It's absolutely possible, as long as you have the right support.

Thanks for the positive responses!

The hospital I'm booked into has breastfeeding support now whereas the service didn't exist before so I'll make a point of getting someone to check out baby's latch before we leave hospital.

Yes it is possible.

You may have been able to bfeed your first two had you been given the right support and advice, it sounds like you hadn't :(
Tongue tie can be treated very early on, the earlier the better as a poor latch can really hammer your nipples, as you found out!

I second the Lansinoh as well. Keep getting your latch checked as well, go to bfing groups and ask lots of questions!

Congrats and good luck!

try and check out a breastfeeding support group now or which local health visitor takes a special interest in feeding, if you run into to any problems you'll know exactly who to contact. Best of luck

hi i have 4dcs and bottlefed the first three but breastfed the fourth. I tried breastfeeding my third but she ended up back in hospital with jaundice and i did mixed feeding (90% formula though) for a week or so but by two weeks she was totally formula fed.

My fourth (who is 6 months now and still bfing :) ) The main thing i did differently was took the advice of a lady I know who said "stop faffing with pillows, relax, lean back and wave her at your boob". I also got some tv on the laptop (4od) and just relaxed with my baby as much as possible. fingers crossed no jaundice, no soreness at any point, no problems at all(so far). I cant pump nothing comes out but there is loads of milk when my baby feeds.

Oh I did use a dummy practically from birth though - I really had to with three older children I just needed time to see to them, it only bought me a time because if she was actually hungry she would not accept ther dummy but it helped with the constant comfort sucking without interfering with feeding.

"stop faffing with pillows, relax, lean back and wave her at your boob"....Great advice from Fernie3's lady.

The official term for this is biological nurturing and was coined by Dr Suzanne Colson. You can read about it here.
It's basically a very relaxed way of getting a baby to latch on. The baby uses its instinctive feeding reflexes to find the breast and latch on if it is placed (skin to skin) on the mother's breast after birth.

You might find it useful to try.

DC1 BF for 1 week then FF

DC2 mixed fed for 3 months

DC3 EBF for 5 months.

Yes. Was rubbish with my first three for variety of reasons including reflux and shredded nipples and mastitis.. DD is 12 weeks and am still bf. With nipple shields. They have saved me. Dd also has reflux but we're coping.

Sure it's possible. It's about getting the support, the right support and doing a bit of research and trying to figure out the myths from the truth.
Support can be in the hospital, midwives, HCA's (if your going into hospital that is).
Peer supporters
Trained staff at your local Childrens Centre. Commnunity m.wives. Seek out the infant feeding team at your hospital too if you're having difficulties whether inpatient or when you've gone home.
La Leche / NCT. Get the numbers for the helplines handy, just in case....and of course, anyone you know who has had a sucessful b.feeding experience themselves {like when pregnant though, loads of people will offer advice and their horror stories - take them with a pinch of salt}
Every b,feeding experience is different whether that is different mums, different babies, different times.
Good luck

UPDATE!

Thank you for the positive messages.

DS3 is now a gorgeous 4 week old who is exclusively breastfed!

There have been some very tough times, like the cluster feeding every night for 5+ hours, and the nipple pain and mastitis but I think things have suddenly fallen into place and we're doing ok.

What I did differently this time was expect it to be hard, and expect it to hurt until my nipples toughened up. I also sought professional help early on - a lactation specialist midwife came to see us at home when DS was 1 week old and watched his latch which made a big difference! I also wrote off the last month and just concentrated on him (a challenge with a 3 1/2 and 6 year old).

I feel a huge sense of achievement as I've never bf for this long, so it is possible to breastfeed third child having ff older siblings!

Well done - and congratulations! :)

It does get easier (and faster) too.

Hey, thanks for the update!

That's so good to hear- sounds like you had a really good plan this time around. Managing expectations are, I think one of the key things in sticking with breastfeeding.

It's not easy with two other children I know, but as AngelDog says, things will get easier in the next few weeks.

Wow!! What a heartening thread!! Well done!!

It just goes to show that every baby is different.. And that wisdom and patience must come with age!!!!

Hey, brilliant! Thanks for the update.

Missed this thread first time around. Just wanted to say a huge well done :)