How do you cope B/f when you already have one child under 3

[enrg123]

Hiya

Just wondering if you guys can share your experiences of breastfeeding when you already have young child/children. i just remember b/f being so time consuming with dd 1 I cant imagine how i'll cope when no 2 comes along. GF theory is they sit alongside you!!!!Hmmm please inspire and encourage me.

I actually didn't find it too much of a problem - I was wondering too.

This is why God invented CBeebies.

enrg123 - you cope! I B/F with 2 children under 3. Ds2 was 15 months old when I had DS3. Since he was still a baby himself he slept in the morning and in the afternoon. If he was upo he was happy to play with toys, sit with me or watch telly. You also find that with younger children you are on the go taking them to playgroup/nursery. New babies get fed when you can fit it in at times. My 4th baby spent most of her time getiing carted about in a carseat as I took her brothers to playgroup/nursery/school. Thank goodness for breastfeeding then - no need to make up and heat feeds. She got a boob when I got time to give her it
You will realise when you have another baby just how much time you actually had when you only had one. You will also be a more confident parent and not need to spend hours sitting feeding and settling a baby. You will also be confident to know that your baby will have had enough milk at a feed to discontinue it when you have other things to do. When you have the time to sit is when you do prolonged feeds. Subsequent babies are not so demanding as first ones because you call the shots a bit more. Enjoy

I dunno, enrg123 -- I just did it!

It helps if you can get a sling (like the Maya-wrap) to let you feed baby one-handed while you chase the toddler around.
I have a theory that most 2nd-time breastfed babies are more efficient or your breasts let down milk more quickly or both. Or maybe you're more settled and confident and the 2nd baby is the same as a result... and then usually happier to be left alone for a bit longer (or being crawled upon by big brother ...).

Hi enrg123
Don't want to discourage you, just point out a few danger areas: I had terrible trouble feeding both mine, and though I managed with number 1 for 24 weeks, I gave up with number 2 after 2 weeks. I thought it was going to be much easier second time around because I knew all the pitfalls, had learned so much, etc. etc., but I had all the same problems (and more), plus this time round I was on my own and had moved health authority areas, so had less support from my HV and no evangelical BF counsellor based within walking distance (and no DP to help).
Just be aware that just because you've been through it all before, it doesn't mean it's any easier - you still need as much support as you did first time round. Also, this is a good time for Child 1 to spend quality time with father/ grandmother/ auntie/ whoever is around to take him/ her off your hands while you BF. Also agree with motherinferior, CBeebies is a total lifesaver, and remember that bottle-feeding a very young baby is almost as time consuming as breastfeeding - so when the going gets tough, remember that giving up and switching to bottle might not necessarily save you that much time. Good luck, hope it all works out well for you and the new one!

I agree with the others, you do cope and the next baby is more accomadating. In the end when I was trying to stop feeding and my DD wasn't keen on the bottle her brother said to me 'G' doesn't like bottles she wants mummies milk! He knew it was an easier option.

I have a 2 year gap and I have found the following strategies useful - feeding while ds1 is eating; setting up a sitting down activity (drawing or playdough or puzzle) that I can talk to him about while I feed, but know he is not going to run riot; getting out to other people's houses or mums and toddlers at feed time. The main problem for me in the early weeks was that ds1 would invariably start to play up while feeding - hence the strategies to keep him contained and occupied!
I agree that it isn't necessarily a breeze second time around - I did find it easier, but it still took a few weeks for me to relearn and ds2 to learn how to do it properly. Don't feel embarrassed to ask for help - don't feel you 'ought' to be able to do it easily this time round. Its well worth perservering though as the flexibility and convenience is even more of a godsend with two!

20 month gap between mine and I remember sitting on the toilet (seat down) and feeding dd while ds was in the bath. Also cosy feeds on the bed or sofa with a big pile of books to keep ds happy. Happy days!

Thanks for all your inspiration and ideas I like the one about sitting on the loo while child in bath as I do that now sometimes if I'm tired! I know you need to keep reminding yourself that its a bit of a myth that its any easier bottle feeding as I was reminded of this with dd1 I manged it for 6 months and hopefully it will be longer next time.

don't forget, all babies feed differently. My ds 1 fed in 10 - 15 mins max at all times - just hope d?2 (coming in 2 weeks) is as efficient

enrg123, just wanted to share my experience with you. My ds was only 18 months when dd was born and she bf for 11 months...I can't pretend that it wasn't hard..at the time I felt useless as thought I was the only mum in the world who couldn't sit there bf one baby whilst giving the other older baby food in his highchair..I often would leave dd in her cot when she first woke up as sometimes couldn't do both...However, it is possible to do this with a bit of help from dh/dp and anyone else who can sometimes look after your toddler/baby so you can do the feeding without freaking out...Ds used to sit besides me on the sofa whilst dd had her milk, would last for 45 minutes, he'd read a book I would chat to him...only thing I can say is not to worry too much and just do the best you can, you don't have to be a supermum, your house can be left if need be, I wish you all the best and please let us know about your new arrival

get a little plastic table for older child which you can put right next to you wherever you are, so s/he can draw/playdough/stickers whatever & you can reach over & lend a hand. the lighter the table the better so you can pull it over to you with one foot if necessary. Try to think about 'containment' strategies, eg remember to shut the door to the kitchen before you start feeding (or wherever else you don't want him/her to run off to when you are marooned). Actually I've found the hardest place has been the park,my dd is a bit unconfident & accidents just seem to happen when I've got shirt up & ds plugged in - go with a friend! I totally agree about including your older child. So far all oldrer children who have seen me bf have been fascinated and most have asked for a closer look! HTH

After the first week or two I had no problem feeding dd on the sofa while reading with ds. The trick I found was to put a cushion on his lap so that he held the book on the cushion and I had a hand free to cuddle, adjust dd, turn pages, whatever. Once dd turned into a thrasher and non longer lay fairly still while feeding, then it became harder! But by that time ds was feeling less 'abandoned' and was generally quite happy to entertain himself during feeds in exactly the same way as he would at other times.

I borrowed a Hugababy sling which allowed me to bfeed dd while feeding ds.

At times when I needed to feed dd away from ds then the TV was invaluable. I don't use Cbeebies, but I have - or rather, ds has - a stack of videos which hold him rapt for exactly a feed+burp+nappychange.

hiya enrg123
I've got an 18 month old and a 6 week old so only just starting out but it can be done - if you can though I'd try and get someone to be around the first few weeks for feed times to amuse your firstborn, otherwise, stock up on new videos or get cbeebies if you haven't already (great for late pregnancy times too). Today I fed ds2 standing up while pushing ds1 on the swings - soemthing i never thought I'd find myself doing!!! motherhood - doesn't it widen your experiences

Many good messages and helpful ideas here, esp Mears, what a wise woman you always are...yes, I found that when I had two, I realised what a lot of time I had had with one! 2yrs between DS1 and DD, a bit less between dd and ds2, and it was fine...took them out to groups etc and sat and fed baby while they played; fed while DD napped; fed while they ate their breakfast etc. Yes, echo Mears again, you will be confident and hopefully find it easier, so baby may well feed for less time, that's what I found. And yes, hurrah for boobs, so easy and simple. I got so that I could walk about, answer phone, pick up toys, help toddlers etc while feeding! Best not to go to answer the door like this tho, it may be the postman!

ditto cbeebies... though very lucky that ds is such a quick feeder and dd can be completely absorbed by Sid & co!!!

Mears - dunno about 2nd babies being less demanding! Ds still feeds a lot, but I think that has to do with him having had one cold after another since he was 3 weeks old.

But anyway it's not a problem. I have used it as an opportunity to teach dd about delayed gratification! Admittedly there have been mixed results, but I find that having a pile of books in the living room, a baby doll so dd can copy me (she sits with it and pulls her top up, bless her) and the TV remote handy all help enormously.