Anything I can do to make bf easier this time round?

[Makqueen2]

I am currently pregnant and just musing on this.

When I had ds, he was very ill and spent his first few weeks in scbu and as tube fed my expressed milk. Tried to fb him after ten days when the tube was removed and it didn't work out.

Mainly because I had flat nipples, there was literally nothing for him to latch onto, and he was tiny and had never had to suck before due to being fed via tube, so it was so difficult for him. Needed him to gain weight so he could get strong enough to come home so formula fed and after a few days he got the hang of sucking from a bottle (bf isn't the be all and end all to me, so I was fine with ff, just wanted him strong and home!).

Expressing was hard too, due to my nipples being adhered, it hurt far to much to carry on. I tried nipple shields too, but I have very large breasts so I couldn't even see if I was holding them in the right place. It would have been a nightmare feeding with those (didn't work anyway).

However, that was many years ago, and through the years my breasts seem to have changed and my nipples are not so flat. They are often errect (especially since I became pregnant).

I may want to try to bf this baby, is there anything I can do to help?

Sorry for typos, on phone!

Sounds like it would be definitely worth while having a go, Makqueen. Have the adhesions on your nipples broken down now (it sounds as if they are, as you say they can be erect)? Maybe get the midwife at your next antenatal appointment to have a look?

There has been some research into how to improve flat nipples, but none of the studies I know of showed that any pregnancy prep made any difference, and mothers who tried to 'do something' were no more or less likely to have a good bf experience than mothers who did nothing.

So much is on your side this time round - lets assume this baby won't need tube feeding or time in scbu, for a start, which is never a help with getting bf going.

Hope it works out for you :)

I am seeing the midwife for my 16 week appointment on friday, so will have a chat then.

I didn't think about adhesions breaking down, but they must have done over the years.

Number 1 for me (also with big boobs) is finding the right hold. I use a kind of modified rugby hold (I put one knee up, and kinda sit him almost upright on a cushion with his legs down to my side. One hand under his head, one hand holding boob - hard to explain) to feed mine - in the traditional, across the body I can't support baby/boob and see what I'm doing.

Remember too that every baby is different, and you had a tough start with your first.

I've just had my second, and in contrast to my first, this one seemed to know exactly what he was doing from the off, my milk came in faster so he never had to be hungry, and he's just generally been easier than my first was.

See how you go. Good luck.