Was your 2nd bf experience similar to your first?

[Tory79]

With ds I was pretty lucky really. Uncomfortable start as he had a tt, but that was sorted quickly. I had a LOT of milk and we did struggle with over supply and leaking all over the place, but nonetheless once we'd settled in to it, it was fine and I fed him until he was 2. He was a very efficient feeder, and even as a newborn never really fed for longer than about 15m.

I'm due anyday with ds2, and I guess I do need to consider the fact that things could not work out this time, or at least that things could be very different. Eg am I likely to produce lots of milk again or is there a possibility I won't? I guess there is no guarantee either that ds2 wont struggle or feed for hours etc...

So just curious really as to how things went for people second time round and if it bore much resemblance to the first?

With DS1 it took a while to establish BF but that was mainly because he had jaundice and I had no idea what I was doing; but once we'd got established and I'd got through the horrendous leaking stage (I had to use those shells to collect as I leaked so much), it was easy and we carried on for 19 months.

DS2 was a breeze, he fed from about 10 minutes after birth and carried on till 26 months. Still had the same huge norks (think H!) and leaking, but knowing what I was doing made it much more straight forward.

For me, second time round was lots easier. My experience is that among my friends, almost everyone who breastfed their first was able to breastfeed subsequent babies despite some pretty severe difficulties because they had good support in place and knew about common problems, what breastfeeding is like, where to find help etc. The people who didn't breastfeed either were completely unable to (chemotherapy, retained placenta stopped lactation) or had a baby who was unable to breastfeed (cleft palate) and expressed for as long as they could.

DD2 is nearly 4 weeks and even though feeding was fairly straightforward with DD1 it's been even easier this time, maybe more that it becomes second nature more quickly. Maybe tmi but your nipples are already toughened up, I've had no bleeding or cracking so far this time. I think given that you found it straightforward last time it's likely to be fine this time too. :)

Feeding DS was a nightmare. I fed him for 7 months until illness meant he needed to have formula and every single feed was agony. I should have had shares in lansinoh and I had bruises from pinching myself to stop me screaming when my milk let down.

I was dreading feeding my DD - scared that I wouldn't be able to and terrified it would hurt. She is nearly three months old now and feeding her is a doddle. No pain, no cracked nipples, no engorgement. Maybe my body knows what to do this time or experience means I can position DD better but I finally love bf the way I wanted to with DS.

Dd1 - bad latch, constant cluster feeding, fear of feeding in public = 8 weeks
Dd2 - easy from the start for latch etc, silent reflux, fed every 90 mins day and night, didn't sleep more than two hours until 9 months = 9 months
Ds - can't latch, currently expressing all bar one feed daily at four weeks

Every baby is different!!!

DC1 - 2lt blood loss for me during birth, baby would latch but not suck, formula top-ups given from day 1, eventually gave up trying to BF at 7 weeks.

DC2 - I lost 1lt of blood during birth, baby latched and fed like a champ from the moment she was put to the breast. Four months on and I'm loving BF like I'd always hoped I would.

A friend of mine BF her first DC with no problems but got all sorts of infections and latching issues second time around and had to give up quite quickly. So it does vary massively between babies.