Was breast feeding a second baby easier than the first?

[kenandbarbie]

Ie did it come more easily second time around?

In a way establishing breastfeeding was not easy as ds2 took a while to ‘get it’ however I knew who to ask for help, I was more confident and I was more relaxed so it wasn’t as difficult!

Was easier the second time but more to do with the temperament of the baby than anything I did!

Easier second time round for me. Dd2 was feeding almost as soon as she came out. She never seemed to cluster feed like her sister did either.

I remember with dd1 being sat from 5pm feeding her, dh feeding me over her head being stuck until about 2am on more than one occasion.

Easier for me second time too. I knew what I was doing, and second baby was much more focused. DD1 just wouldn't bother trying again if I needed to unlatch her, but DD2 would be happy to have several attempts so I could be sure we were getting it right.

Yep, SO much easier.

2nd baby latched straight off.
As soon as my nips started dropping off I paid to get DS2 tongue tie snipped straight away.
Got medication for agonising blanching nipples - hallelujah!
I knew it would be ok whatever happened, rather than feeling desperate and sad.

I still had a bottle refuser but happy, happy days compared to poor DS1.

Good luck!

My DD2 latched before the cord was cut... and didn’t let go until I was taken to intensive care in an ambulance when she was 9 days old as I had mastitis and sepsis! I knew what I was doing in theory (had only just finished feeding DD1 when DD2 was born) but DD2 had other ideas.
She wasn’t even weighed until 2 hours after she was born as she wouldn’t stop feeding!

In many ways absolutely yes.

I knew what to expect.
I knew how to recognise a good latch and had the confidence to stop him and re-latch if it wasn't right, whereas with my first I was just glad he'd attached to me.
I could breastfeed in different positions and wasn't anxious about doing it in public, or walking around with him latched on (!)

But we had other challenges with DS2 which has led to totally different difficulties this time relating to supply and latch, which is a bit of a pain.

Hi Ladies,

I am currently completing my Masters degree in Product Design at Strathclyde University in Glasgow and my dissertation is on aiding new mothers breastfeeding in public. I was wondering if anyone could spare 5 minutes to answer a few quick questions. I don't have any children yet myself so I thought I would seek the help of the experts! I have attached a link to the survey below.

Thank you in advance. (ps it is completely anonymous),

Lauren.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdd0z0738M7xeLGLm6heR4bLDEtillIiRHQR1HfD9KDyLed8A/viewform?usp=sf_link

For me it was just as hard both times! I think even the second time was harder as she had tongue tie and despite it being cut breastfeeding was painful for two months and uncomfortable for another month after. And then, once it stopped being uncomfortable she started getting distracted while nursing and it has been infuriating ever since!! (except at night)
I felt like a first time mum again with my second! They are 4 years apart.

No, not really. I only seem to produce babies who are rubbish at breastfeeding. DC2 ended up losing too much weight and having to be topped up with formula and EBM for weeks. The benefits were that the second time round I already knew about nipple shields for inverted nipples and knew about the amazing breastfeeding support group. I fed both DC for over 2 years in the end but wouldn't have got through the first couple of weeks without the people who run that group. With DC2 I insisted that her feeding had improved enough on the Thursday for us to be discharged from the postnatal ward so I could get to the group on the Friday. The hospital wasn't doing anything I couldn't do at home and couldn't offer any support with why she wasn't feeding properly so it was lucky that I knew where to find the people who could.

It was easier as I knew what to do, but honestly, my first was t that into it and my second is really into it. I feel it just totally depends on the baby themselves.

Yes, I think a lot because I was confident to start feeding straight away rather than wait long for someone to show me how. Was so much easier all round.

Yes. Birth was easier, I knew what I was doing, wasn’t too long between babies to have forgotten and it didn’t hurt at all, unlike the first time.

No!
Bf the first was a dream- textbook and easy. Few weeks of sore nipples but that's it.

This time I've had blocked milk ducts, problems latching, and my supply is up and down all over the place.

Yes and no.

Yes, in terms of feeding itself. I had terrible trouble with my first - tongue tie, supplementation, supply problems, pumping etc, even though I went on to feed her to 18 months. This time, although I had a very tricky start, he settled into it after a few weeks and is mostly fine now at 7 weeks.

No, in that establishing feeding with a toddler to deal with as well has been, and continues to be, quite hard. It’s much more difficult to just sit on the sofa with the baby and the Netflix remote and really just give everything over to feeding. The intensity of the first few weeks with long and frequent feeds has been hard on both me and my toddler, who’s been a bit neglected to be honest (of attention, I mean!).