Breastfeeding #2 - Is it less painful?

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I'm pregnant with DC#2 and still somehow breastfeeding DC#1 (15mo).

The first few months feeding DC#1 were very painful and the first few weeks were horrific (nipples shredded, scabs, glass shard pains). He had a tongue tie cut at maybe 10 days old which helped but a lower level of pain went on for months. I went to a lot of breastfeeding clinics and read lots. His latch seemed fine but I always had lipstick shaped nipples after feeding and blanching (I still have the blanching now). Basically it was awful and I only stuck with it because I'm incredibly stubborn .

Question is, will it be the same this time around or will DC#1 have kindly re-shaped my nipples and destroyed all the nerve endings? They definitely feel as though they're less securely attached than they used to be. I'm making light of it but I am horrified at the thought of going through it all again. Help

Am interested in any responses you get as in the same situation! My nipples definitely look a lot more breastfeeding friendly now so fingers crossed it will be easier this time! Plus we aren't novices this time so know more getting a good latch etc?

Yes. Much less. I was in agony for weeks with DD1, thrush in my ducts, general adjusting to bf. I fed all through my pregnancy with DD2, then DD1 chose to stop right at the end, and feeding dd2 was totally fine. Although as I had plenty of milk from only stopping a few weeks earlier, she put on loads of weight, 8oz in her first five days....

With dd1 i had lots of problems and it took about 4 months for some if those to be resolved. It was a bit grim and affected how i felt about being a new morning. Once those problems ended - we fed until she was 2.

dd2 - had a tough few weeks at very start but now all is great at 3 months.
i think this time i knew what to expect and maybe my body / nipples did too.

Apparently the body 'remembers' how to breast feed..and so second time in, adjusts the machinery really quickly! Second time was really easy for me too!

I'm in a similar boat OP. I conceived while bf and fed DD until 14 months. I'll have had 6 months off when the new baby is born.

I want to believe that second time around you don't put up with the bad latches that cause the damage, or that you understand the required religious application of lansinoh ...

I still had pain the second time (7weeks in) but it latest a fraction of the time compared to first time round. At this point last time it was still toe crunchingly painful, but this time it was resolved in 3 weeks.

Saying that, I had a 2 and half year break in feeding. As you are still feeding, your nipples might not need breaking in again. So if you do get pain it will probably be down to latch or tiny mouth issues rather than being used and abused as it were.

Good luck! And congratulations

Thank you That sounds fairly positive. I'm feeling more optimistic now with my broken-in nipples

It was much easier for me too. BF my eldest until 18m and the early days were hard; shredded nipple, mastitis and thrush. This time I had the initial nipple and letdown pain but it was easy after one week, as opposed to about 4 months with my eldest.

When bf number 2, the initial after pains were unbearable for the first 3-4 days. My nipples were fine but I was crying in pain from after pains. I took paracetamol and ibuprofen regularly.