How did breastfeeding your DC2 compare to DC1?

[Sophieandtiger]

Currently pregnant with DC2. Had a great experience feeding DC1. Never had any pain at all, latch was good from the start, so was the supply, DC1 was a very efficient eater and never even lost weight after birth. DC1 also took huge feeds at a time so was then able to go a few hours inbetween which was super handy.

Everything I read says BF is really difficult and painful at the beginning so I feel like I got incredibly lucky and am getting anxious about when DC2 arrive.

I'm guessing like for everything all children are different and this one might not latch/feed as well? Or is there a little bit of your body remembering what to do and it may go smoothly this time again?

Is there anything I can do to prepare? I hear a lot about tongue tie causing issues, and am thinking about finding a consultant locally beforehand so if there are issues in the first few days I don't waste too much time looking for one and can get help quickly.

I know noone can know, but would love to hear about your experiences.

Bumping this for you as I also have this anxiety if I have another

Although all babies are very different, the good news is that because you know what it feels like when things are going well, you will be well equipped to notice/realise if things are not going so well. So you should be able to recognise what is normal and what is not regarding any pain or discomfort, for example.

Some babies do manage a few hours between feeds, whereas others may take a few weeks or even months to get to this point. Either is fine and normal.

Being on the lookout for tongue tie, as you've suggested, is a good idea, as this is one of the common causes of feeding problems and often goes unnoticed, unfortunately, especially posterior ones. I have 4 children, all exclusively breastfed. Two were fantastic, pain free etc, whereas two had TT. One was minor, in that my baby was gaining weight and thriving, but it did cause pain for me. I worked on positions to improve things for me, and by 6 weeks her mouth was large enough and tongue flexible enough to no longer cause pain. My most recent baby had a severe TT, which caused major weight loss problems etc. We had that one snipped and things improved steadily from there (it can take a couple of weeks or so for huge improvements to be felt after a TT snip).

Also, if you had a good supply last time, you should have no problems in that department this time either.

First was a nightmare, I had flat nipples and needed shields, ovesupply, dc1 had a tongue tie, allergies, it was hard, very hard. After a few months it was easier, we got tie snipped, I got used to a restrictive diet, I fed until 2.

Dc2 I knew what I was doing. I immediately called in a private tongue tie practitioner and breastfeeding support woman. I knew what I was doing with latch far more. It was still bloody hard. Dc2 needed three tongue tie divisions and has more allergies than dc1. Feeding has been more painful because of the repeated tongue tie issues but I haven't had oversupply this time
Haven't needed shields this time as my nipples have been sucked out and I'm on course for feeding to 2 again.

So overall dc2 was difficult but I was more prepared. I think in your shoes knowledge (about latch, weight gain, the top up trap etc) is power and if you're confident and persistent and get all the right support you'll be able to deal with most things that arise.

I have 3 DC, all have been tongue tied but despite this have all fed very well, efficiently and with good latches immediately. I did get my last 2 snipped but not the eldest.

Feeding established extremely quickly with my 2nd DC but i suspect a lot of that was because I had continue to feed DC1 while I was pregnant.

In saying that, I think if you have confidently managed to feed one child you will have much more of an idea than with your first. I knew for instance that I don’t really need breast pads or nipple cream, but do need heat/cool pads as I’m prone to blocked ducts/mastitis.

BF has always, thankfully, been easy for me, and although I don’t always enjoy it, I’m always glad I’ve done it!

Best of luck!

My first breastfed ok for 1 year but he refused to feed from the right side. I always thought it was down to me and I ended up very lopsided and expressing from that side for a while. When my second came along he had no problem whatsoever with feeding from both sides so I came to the conclusion my first was just being difficult.

The second was easier, I was more relaxed and not bothered if I couldn't continue to breast feed. That made a tremendous difference and we were a happy little unit with three year old big sister in charge.

Dd1 latched on no issues and no pain, exclusively for 6 wks before mix feeding until 8 months old- dd2 I went back to the hospital on day 3 to see one of the breastfeeding team as I was having trouble with the latch and positioning her, she was also given a bottle on day 2 due to jaundice. Ironically dd2 after a wk started to reject the bottle was exclusively breastfed for 3 months before mix feeding.

What do people do with the first child while the second feeds? My first cluster fed and took ages to feed. I’m wondering how I’d manage that again with another baby

@Marshmon Many women find that the vast majority of cluster feeding often happens in the evenings. Hopefully this will be the case with your new baby whilst (also hopefully) your other child is in bed! Otherwise, you could try feeding with the baby in a sling. How old is your other child? The older, the easier of course.

Huge struggle with dc1, including various bf consultants and finally diagnosing thrush in his mouth and my breast. Finally got the hang of it.

With dc2, stuck breast in mouth and no problems.

I did overproduce and leak milk with both of them - with dc2 I just gave up on the left breast after 5 weeks (permanently leaky and never as comfortable) and used just the right for 2 years.

So helpful, thank you all! I'll stay on the look out for tongue tie but will try to remember that even if this time it is more challenging I'll be well equipped and more prepared.

@Marshmon, exactly, I wondered about that too. Even though DC1 was an efficient feeder it was still time consuming and will be a bit shock to DC1 for mummy to constantly be tending to baby. It is a worry. Cluster feeding did tend to happen in the evening so I think I'll just feed and feed once DC1 is in bed!

@Luckystar1, hopefully I'll get as lucky as you, lovely to hear it can happen (will try to ignore friends telling me that because DC1 was so easy, it's bound to be hell this time eyeroll)

My eldest is 3 so was able to understand that sometimes I had to feed sister and can’t play with her- also prob quite a bit of CBeebies the first month. Puzzles and toys on the floors whilst i breastfed on the couch- I slept a lot on nursery days which helped me survive too.

I had a pretty big age gap so I think I'd forgotten a lot. I needed a bit of support, nipple shields etc both times. But with my second I think because I knew I'd done it once I could probably do it again. My second was a trickier baby with a bit of a dodgy latch, reflux and dairy allergies etc but I ended up ditching the shields early on with her and breastfed until she was 2 1/2. Whereas with my eldest I needed to use shields throughout and fed til 4 months. So I'd say over all I definitely found it easier second time round.

DC2 was much easier because I knew what I was doing and was much more relaxed. And had faith that the pain at the start would go, had a much better idea of what was/wasn’t a good latch, and generally had more confidence that if DC was gaining weight and producing wet nappies, then ipso facto breastfeeding was going fine.

DC1 got through a fair amount of sticker books but when she was around I found I was better off involving her (“time for me to feed DC2, come and have a cuddle too and I’ll read you a story “) rather than “can you play by yourself” goals which frankly never worked 🤣

DC1 had undiagnosed tt and would always be feeding or crying. DC2 was just super efficient and only fed for ten minutes at a time from birth.

The good thing about doing it the second time is that if you do need some support, you've usually figured out where it's available

I have to admit my first thought was sitting on the floor in front of the potty. Because of course my eldest decided to toilet train when her twin sisters were 8 weeks old.

Seriously though they both latched way faster and better than she did. My supply was very similar in when it showed up (day 10 both times) and amount. Which resulted in oversupply with the first and under supply with the twins and having to really work to build it to feed 2. Instead of working to not overwhelm the baby with milk.

I also got way better at walking while feeding and imaginative with what games I could play with the toddler while feeding

Because of course my eldest decided to toilet train when her twin sisters were 8 weeks old. great timing there! I wonder if he had any tips from my DC1 who decided to stop napping completely when I was 8 months PG