HELP!! Can someone tell me how long it takes for breast milk to replenish itself? tandem feeding?

[joymaker]

I have a newborn (8 days old) that I'm bfing and a toddler of 26 months who has decided he wants milk at certain times very close/at the time the baby should be fed. I'm concerned that the baby may not be getting enough milk even though I always try to feed him first (I'm also trying to spare my toddlers feelings by not always overtly bfing him second) .

I would appreciate any help/tips on how to make sure there is enough for the baby and generally how those who have/are tandem feeding practically go about it.

Thanks in advance

BM doesn't ever run out. As and when the demand is made, your body will just keep making it.

I think the most helpful way to think of it is how it was written on another thread here which is that boobs aren't buckets that can ever be drained, they're more like rivers.

As for tandem feeding, I think there's a pretty big thread on it somewhere if you search for it.

Oh and congrats on the new one! :)

Hi Joymaker, congrats on your new DS :)

What do you mean by 'replenish itself'? You don't have to wait for your breasts to refill, you can just keep on feeding.

I never really had a system for who went first, it was just who asked for it. Sometimes I would get DD1 to have a go first because I had a really fast let-down and I didn't want to blow DD2's head off After a bit of practice I just fed them both together if DD1 asked for it. They have a similar age gap to your DSs.

If you haven't read this book then you might find it helpful. This page has some good info too.

Oh so it doesn't matter who goes first, I thought there were two different types of milk being produced. Thank you both for your reassurance, it will make life much easier

I tandem fed mine really haphazardly, I could never remember who had been on which boob and when, and it all worked out fine! There is always enough milk, don't worry about running out!

DS1 was insanely jealous of ds2, so I usually did them both at the same time. I will admit that sometimes I wanted to chuck both of them off and run away screaming when they fed together, but it was preferable to ds1 kicking off. And it meant I knew exactly where ds1 was and what he was doing!

I am 5 weeks in to tandem feeding, and was worried DD wouldn't gain well if DS was feeding too. She has gained 3lb in a month... I try to feed her first, but sometimes letdown is too strong so DS will calm it down for her :o sometimes feed them together too.

my HV has put DD's awesome growth down to tandem feeding, as my milk came in so rapidly.

there's a support thread here