breastfeeding advice please!

[chan321]

I'm 25 weeks pregnant with my second child and starting to think about breast feeding and what's right or wrong. I tried to breast feed my first but failed miserably. The milk well and truly came in but by the time that happened I was so sore I couldn't put her to the breast so expressed what I could and combi fed for a few weeks and then dried up and went to formula.

I remember feeling like my milk wasn't enough for her and that she wasn't satisfied as she would cry and cry.....

What's normal? What's not? Do formula fed babies really sleep better than breast fed?

I'm going to try and go to a support group prior to the birth this time and educate myself as best I can.....

Give me your tips and advice!

Hi, definitely not an expert but I would just say it's different for each baby- ds1 everything fell into place fine for me but I've had to work harder to build my supply this time with my 9week old ds2. However, he is going through the night already 8 or 9 hours so for me bf seems fine for night feeds-I was going to try a late night bottle this time round but haven't needed it!

I agree with above that every baby is different. DS1 would feed every few hours and was quite content between feeds. DS2 wanted to be attached all the time. If he wasn't on the boob he was normally crying. He would only go about 20 minutes between feeds for the first few weeks. Luckily there is a 12 year gap so DS1 could do his own thing while I basically fed DS2 all the time! I spent a lot of the first few weeks on the settee watching box sets with DS2 latched on. My advice would be go with what your baby wants. Lots of cuddles and feed whenever they want it. DS2 is almost 8 months now and will go 4/5 hours between feeds. I miss the first few weeks already.
Comfy clothes, a pillow, bottles of water and snacks you can eat with one hand are also useful
I'm not sure about sleep. I've co slept with both of mine. They haven't been the best or worst sleepers I've heard of. Bf has worked for us at night as a quick way to get them back off to sleep.

Hi Chan,
All babies are different and newborns like to change patterns from one day to the next too just to confuse us😉

Great idea to go to support group beforehand-you can chat through questions about previous experience and pick up some tools for when lo arrives.

I will say that frequent feeding is normal for many newborn babies and for some it continues beyond the immediate newborn period. Normal is really what works for your baby and best way of telling that certainly in early days is a combination of adequate weight gain , good amounts of wet and dirty nappies and whether you're nipples are comfortable during and after feed.

If anything is a bit amiss with those markers there is usually a lot that can be done by going to the support groups you mentioned, getting your midwife to help, seeing a bf counsellor (there are private ones also who will come to you) and coming to forums like this one!

Good sites to look at are kellymom.com/

and www.laleche.org.uk/

I also failed at BFing my first baby. Now very successfully BFing my 14 week old second baby.

Things I did to help...

Watch YouTube vids to help learn about deep latching (flipple is a good technique)

HOURS of skin to skin after birth and when you get home

Lansinoh and multi mam compresses

I booked a lactation consultant to come to my home just after the birth

Feed, feed and feed some more.

Each baby is different. Personally I believe the 'formula babies sleep better' argument is total bullshit. DS2 is EBF and only wakes up once a night at 14 weeks.

Good luck, you'll be fine

Babies can be quite different. DD had a poor latch so feeding was agony until 9 weeks when I learnt about the exaggerated latch, she fed all the time and for very long periods. I had oversupply issues including 3x mastitis and a nipple blister. Feeding DS was completely pain free from the start. He is a fast and efficient feeder.

DD was a terrible sleeper, DS is a good sleeper. I don't think ff makes babies sleep better just that some babies sleep and some don't.