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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Anyone find it harder breastfeeding baby number 2 than their first child?

13 replies

oliveoil · 07/10/2004 15:25

I am and am finding it soooooo much harder than with dd1. I fed her for about 5 months but with dd2 am ready to give up at 6 weeks.

She fusses and faffs at the boob and I am worried she is not getting enough even though she is putting on around 7oz a week. At least with formula there is the bonus of knowing what she has and you can rule out hunger if she cries.

Anyone else found it harder the second time around, is it just cos you are more knackered??

OP posts:

Socci · 07/10/2004 15:36

Message withdrawn

bundle · 07/10/2004 15:36

at times, yes, oliveoil, but it's easy peesy now (at 17mths!!!!) and got easier much earlier than with dd1 (around 12 weeks of difficulties compared with only 3 or 4 with dd2). some of them are just faffers and yes, you forget to eat properly/rest (haha) and drink when you have two to look after. apart from that are things ok?

Clayhead · 07/10/2004 15:39

oo, if she's putting on that anount per week it sounds as if she's getting plenty.

With formula you also kow what they haven't had, just worrying about something different that's all.

Just chant, 'Think Long Term'!!

Good luck and I hope it starts to get better soon. x

Clayhead · 07/10/2004 15:39

'know' even!!

Original poster

oliveoil · 07/10/2004 15:45

Clayhead - good point about knowing what they haven't had, didn't think of that one.

Bundle - have good day/shit day at the moment, no real pattern but the nights are loads better but the evenings can be a pain. She is gorgeous though (if I say so myself) v bonny little thing.

Think I will persevere for a bit longer and then drop a feed a week and see how we go.

OP posts:

bundle · 07/10/2004 15:53

would you like to bf for longer if you didn't have these problems? or is this as far as you'd like to go? sound like you're doing a terrific job to me, with her putting on weight and nights getting better, x

Yorkiegirl · 07/10/2004 16:49

Message withdrawn

mears · 08/10/2004 00:45

It's not just you oliveoil. Have a look here . Thankfully thins seem to be settling down now. HTH.

hermykne · 09/10/2004 18:16

oo i am knackered too with ds 10wks and dd 2yrs and do find the b/f harder, you just dont have the time to allow a feed take whatever length and then you worry they didnt get enough. my ds wont take the bottle of ebm, he consistently refuses it. so yes its harder but i am going to try and keep going.
i know at your stage 6wks, i too was ready to quit, just seemed like i never stopped feeding.

i think it'll settle! ;)

hewlettsdaughter · 11/10/2004 13:06

oliveoil - how's it going? I found it difficult establishing breastfeeding with both ds and dd. Nearly gave up with dd (now nearly 6 months), but glad I didn't (wouldn't judge anyone who had given up!).
Hang on in there, if you can (it does get better!). If you can't - move on, and don't feel guilty.

Aero · 11/10/2004 13:43

Me too with dd and even worse with ds2. Was pretty diasappointed about it after finding it so easy with ds1. Have had no end of problems with ds2 between his colic/wind pain and my (refusing to clear up) mastitis - and endless blocked ducts! However, I'm pretty stubborn by nature and just felt I couldn't let this beat me. I wanted to stop breastfeeding by choice, not by force - so - I forced myself to carry on despite the problems and tiredness as I knew I'd feel worse emotionally if I stopped before I really wanted to. I got throughit and ds2 is 9mths old now and I'm still bfing him 2-3 times a day. It's much easier now, though I've accepted it'll never be as easy as it was with ds1, but I'm happy in myself and ever so glad I stuck with it. Of course, it's not like this for everyone, and some feel they want to stop when things get to be too much and there's no shame in that at all - I just knew that it's easier for me to deal with the physical problems of bfing than the emotional ones if I'd given up! hth

Original poster

oliveoil · 14/10/2004 14:14

Still stuggling on with it but it is really getting on my nerves (or tits ho ho ho). Am giving her a bottle of formula at night and occasionally in the morning so will wean her on to bottles in about a month I think.

Don't feel a failure but just no idea why it is so hard this time round. Also, she hates feeding off my left boob but has no problems with my right, what on earth is that all about?

OP posts:

NotQuiteCockney · 15/10/2004 10:31

oliveoil, I'm feeding my second baby now, and although I'm not finding it harder, I am finding it very different. Ds1 would faff, had problems latching, took ages, and never gained more than a few ounces per week (and is still skinny now, at the age of 3). Ds2 latches very very hard, feeds very efficiently and quickly, and is gaining weight beautifully, close to 1lb per week.

Your dd2 is probably just different from dd1.

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