So can anyone help me understand what is normal so I can prepare for DC2?

[FoxyRevenger]

I'm pregnant with DC2 and thinking about BFing but I feel I need to sort some things out in my mind about when DD was born so I can understand what my options are.

Does anyone mind if I have a ramble?

I was diagnosed with GD at 34 weeks and induced at 39 (allegedly the baby was huge but was in fact 7lb13 )

Once she was born it was a real struggle to feed her. She would vaguely latch on but didn't seem to know how to suck. I ended up hand expressing to get about 4 drips of colostrum, which took me, a MW, an HCA and some advice from the sandwich lady.

There was also the suggestion that I use a pump, but it was handed to me at 4am by a clueless MW, all of the component parts in a big jug of Milton, and I was supposed to figure that out after a 3 day labour with a screaming newborn next to me. My DH was furious about that the next day.

They were heel pricking her every day to check blood sugar and I seem to remember it was fine each time apart from one check.

I felt under real pressure to either establish BFing or choose Formula and in the end they didn't let me out until she was 4 days old and I went with Formula (in tears of defeat).

The thing is, I don't understand what the right course would have been (was in a post-labour painkiller haze). From what I've read on here it can be normal for the baby to not take much milk until day 3/4.

If the same happens again I'm not sure I'll be able to fight my BF corner without understanding a bit more the consequences of my choices.

Please can some lovely ladies help me to see the possibilities?

Read this website for a start www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/index.html, lot's of good info on what is normal for a BF baby.

Do you have GD this time round?

It's prefectly fine to just give BM to baby's who are born to mums with GD, often no need to add formula unless medicaly indicated. If you do then it could also be worth looking into pumping colotrum while still PG so you have an additional supply before baby is born.

Using a breast pump before your milk has come in is often a bit fruetless, there isn't much volume to colotrum (highly packed supper food) so it often get's lost in the pumping meconisum. Hand expressing into a syring then feeding baby from the syring is a better way to go.

Make sure you find out about your local BF support groups and feeding cordinator at the hospital to before you have the baby.

Hi Mig I'm only 7 or so weeks just now but I've been told that even if I don't develop it they'll 'treat me as if I do have it'

We'll see, I thought

Thanks for the link

Bizarre that they'll treat you as if you have it Foxy- you may have a completely different experience this time round and you'll certainly have a completely different baby so hopefully things will be a lot better.

Migril has made good suggestions esp about antenatal colostrum harvesting and getting the support in place before you give birth. If you need to use the colostrum then fine, if the baby feeds directly from you then that's even better.

Have a google of biological nurturing when you've a chance for an interesting approach which aims to nurture the baby's natural feeding reflexes.

Any of the breastfeeding helplines will also be able to chat things through with you.