Questions for tandem feeders

[EauRouge]

I'm due DC2 on Friday and have a couple of questions for those who tandem feed-

Did you BF your DC while you were in the early stages of labour? If so, how was it?

How soon after the birth did you tandem feed or did you feed DC1 separately? How did your DC1 react?

Any other tips gratefully received, I'm starting to worry how I'll cope!

I have tandem fed twice now inc. through to month 8 of DD3's pg!

I haven't nursed in early labour simply due to timings of the start of labour (both times started middle of the night) so DDs have been packed off with in-laws after breakfast and not bf.

DD1 had her first tandem feed with DD2 when she was about 36hr old. I fed them together for about 8 weeks though at times DD1 had seperate feeds as she wanted feeding over and above what DD2 wanted . At 2 weeks I was ebfing both of them as DD1 got a cold and gave up food for a few days. It was lovely at first tandem feeding them as DD1 would hold DD2's hand and stroke her

I grew to hate tandem feeding them as it made my flesh crawl after a few weeks and I made the decision to feed them separately so that I could continue to bf DD1 as she wanted. Looking back I think it may have been down to me being pushed over the edge back into PND-OCD by a 'helpful' psychiatrist who was very anti-bfing rather than an inevitable progression of tandem feeding.

I have never fed DD2 & DD3 together and I think I rather regret not doing so as they aren't as close as DD1 & DD2 are but then again who knows. I made the choice not to feed together so I could carry on feeding DD2 if she wanted it rather than get freaked out and wean her.

The funny thing is I still can't stand bfing lying down and having a child cuddled up on the other arm/side if I can't move. It makes me want to run away and gets me irrationally snappy. So I think for me I made the right choice to make them take turns .

DD1 was so keen to nurse as she had missed her milk and loved feeding with (or even with out) DD2, DD2 wasn't such a milk monster so was a bit more relaxed about having to wait her turn but we still had to use distraction at times.

Good luck with the up-coming birth and hope everything works out - however you chose to feed.

Thanks TruthSweet, nice to hear other people's experiences! I've never met anyone IRL who tandem feeds so I'm boldly going etc

Me again! DD2 was born 6 days ago and things are going really well, I've managed to feed them both at the same time and hold the TV remote in one hand- that's some pretty good multi-tasking .

I think DD1 is doing the same kind of regression thing, she's barely eaten any solid food for the last few days and wants BF all the time. She's pretty good at letting DD2 go first but it's a bit tiring and DH was unimpressed by the contents of her nappy this morning How long did it go on for with your DD1?