If you are still feeding a toddler when the next child is born, does that make bf more likely to succeed?

[aamia]

Just wondering - milk supply already there, toddler to help boost supply etc?

Sorry to hijack but building from this - do you still get colostrum if a toddler is still feeding and if so, what does the toddler do? If not, is the new baby missing out?

Just one of those things I find myself pondering during night feeds of my 5 month old!

I am BFing DD who is 2 (& an asdixt, been down to twice a day since 15 months bur she won't give it up!) and DS who is 7 weeks. Definitely boosts supply although in my case too much! I'm leaking all the time. Breast milk has all but dried up in pregnancy and yes I has colostrum which then turned to milk as normal. DS is BFing well and probably gets what he needs quicker than otherwise because of the supply. He is fed in 5-10 mins max (which is very helpful when running round after a toddler too)

I found that my milk supply died around 24 weeks, despite my toddlers best efforts, everyone is different though. It did go to colostrum before stopping; I think I read somewhere that it was a good booster for toddler's immune system and would help newborn as older sibling wouldn't catch/ share loads of bugs. I can't remember where so it may be nonsense though

my milk pretty much dried up by 24 weeks but DS didn't want to stop..I thought it'd be weird breastfeeding with no milk and said I wouldn't do it but it wasn't and I did (plus he's a total addict) - by 26 weeks the colostrum came through and he carried on having that until DD was born but cut right back to one feed a day. My milk came in about 2 or 3 days later in abundance and subsequently DS got very fat and healthy for a month or so and fed like a flipping newborn! If I ever have twins I won't be afraid to try breastfeeding them!

so yes it definitely helped. but that may have been that I was more confident second time around.

It seemed to be that way in our case, I had loads of milk with ds2 and no problems feeding him compared with DS1.

BUT, I didn't know at the time that ds1 was tongue tied, so I am not really comparing like with like.

DS1 was very handy for relieving engorgement though

We were same as nicecupoftea - toddler was a godsend for dealing with engorgement!

Enjoyed reading that about toddlers - engorgement. Hope to have DS ready and willing at that point if/ when we have dc2

Sorry to Add into this but did any of you have ridiculously painful feeds when pregnant? My once/twice a week 23 month old nurseling is still feeding a bit but I really have to bite my tongue to not pull off. I've never had this much pain in nearly two years of feeding and don't really want to wean him completely because if it! Thanks.

I had no problems feeding dd (was still feeding ds) but I didnt have it too bad with him either

That's good you were ok. I really feel bad that it's got so unpleasant for me as it was such a lovely experience. I'd looked into tandem nursing and want him to wean himself. I know he isn't feeding much at all but I don't think e is ready to loose it yet. I've tried purelan cream but I've read it's my hormones?!

Your body will prioritise the youngest and therefore most vulnerable and will change the milk back to colostrum. How clever is that? Amazing bodies doing amazing things we're unaware of

Lots of toddlers/older children will self wean at the point the milk changes because it doesn't taste as nice but there will always be those who aren't willing to give up. Ever.

I have no personal experience of tandem feeding (there are almost 11 years between my children, I'm all for extending feeding/natural term weaning but that would be too much for me!) but I'm guessing it would make it easier in more ways than it would hamper it.