If you had a difficult time with Breastfeeding the first time around...

[allfurcoatnoknickers]

...was it easier or harder with baby #2?

I really struggled with breastfeeding DS - he had a tongue and lip tie, but even when that was fixed, he lost tons of weight and almost fell off the weight chart because my supply was so low.

I tried loads of skin to skin, having him in a carrier almost all the time, days in bed just snuggling and feeding, lactation teas, lactation cookies, mountains of oats, power pumping, triple feeding for weeks, upping my calories and fat in my diet. Absolutely every recommended by my very expensive lactation consultant and absolutely NOTHING worked.

I ended up mixed feeding until 6 months when I switched to formula. DS and I both got HFM when he was 6 moths old and my milk literally dried up overnight. I never had engorgement or anything I missed a feed and a pumping session and that was it. Gone.

Anyway, I'm pregnant with #2 and I'm wondering if it's even worth trying to breastfeed? Or if I clearly just don't have any milk supply and I should just not bother.

Did anyone have a low supply with baby #1 and successfully breastfeed further children? Or if you have low supply once, is that just it?

I managed 10 days with DD1 EBF.

5 and a half years (6 months EBF) with DD2. She just seemed to know what to do!

I guess you don’t know until baby is here. DD1 was breastfed until 6 months DS2 who is now 12 weeks I stopped at 10weeks due to the same as you tongue tie with faltering weight

Easier with baby 2. I persisted with baby 1 despite a tongue tie but it was always difficult, constant blocks etc. With the second there was a bit of pinching at first but within a couple of days I thought "ohhhh! This is how this supposed to be!" Still feeding her at 2y 3m

Struggled a LOT with DS (first born) and persevered to the detriment of my mental health as we were moving back to Sub-Saharan Africa when he was 11 weeks and I was terrified of the water quality.

Anyway it was a bloody nightmare. DD came along 2 years later and just latched on (and then didn’t stop for 3 years!!). Give it a go and don’t tense up, just try it. You might be pleasantly surprised. I sent DH out the room the first time I tried to latch DD on as he was stressing me out so much as he was so anxious after the last time!

Thanks so much! These insights are really helpful. I suppose I won't know until the baby is here, but nice to know that giving it a try isn't a totally pointless exercise.

Just to add I had a horrible time with breastfeeding and also hated formula feeding - not for any anti-formula ideological reason, but because I found the constant cleaning and sterilizing and making sure you don't run out of formula/clean bottles and taking enough with you when you go out, travel etc. completely exhausting and overwhelming. It's the sheer logistics putting me off going straight to FF.

Baby 2 took to it like a champion compared to DS1 who was on the verge of losing too much weight before he got the hang, but then DS2 also gave up way earlier than DS1 (like 2 years earlier!), because once he'd tasted real food he just wasn't interested any more - but like the others say, it is going to depend on the baby as much as anything else/

I would say on the whole, most women find the second child much easier. You know what to expect so are less nervous/uptight which might help. It can't help to give it a go, at least you get the first antibodies in and if it starts to go pear shaped again, you'll recognise the signs quicker.

Loads of trouble with DC1 - I had supply issies, she lost loads of weight, had reflux. I was clueless and not feeding often enough, eg had never heard of cluster feeding. I ended up topping up, then mixed feeding before giving it up at 3 months. DC diagnosed with CMPI at 5 months and had to have neocate formula.

DC2 I really wanted to breast feed, mainly because I thought it would be easier for me to cut out dairy if she also had CMPI than to wait for a diagnosis and try to get special formula on prescription. Things didn't start promisingly as she also had reflux as well as a tongue tie. However, it all ended up working out and I fed her for 18 months.

Things I felt helped: feeding whenever she so much as whimpered; co-sleeping to male night feeds easier, pumping after feeds as often as I could; lots of fennel tea (no idea if this actually helped but I certainly had a very good supply.

Good luck, hope things work out in a way that works for you all.

My first was a month premature and took a month to breastfeed. Tried nipple shields before that but it was still very difficult. My second latched on with no problems, it was like she knew what to do.

Your first baby could have stopped feeding at 6 months due to a feeding strike rather than you didn't have enough milk.

I found UK Breastfeeding Support on Facebook really helpful when I was having issues with my first.

First dc didn’t want to know so I went in to hospital with my bag stuffed full of formula for dc2’s arrival but dc2 instantly BF. I couldn’t believe how easy it was.

DS1 - missed tongue tie, plus I had retained membranes/infection so milk supply didn't kick in properly. Barely made it to 6 wks before we had to stop because he was losing so much weight.

DS2 - posterior tongue tie, fixed by week 2, still a slog to get going but nowhere near as traumatic as DS1, exclusively bfed him till his first bday.

Be mindful that if you do manage to feed the second you might feel guilty for not managing to feed the first. Nonsense, obvs, but hormones etc.

Good luck!

@SunThroughTheCloudsAt6am My DS also tasted real food and totally lost interest in breast and bottles. He used to absolutely lose his shit if he thought we were going to give him a bottle and also give him real food. He also never drank cows milk, so sometimes I sort of wonder if he just didn't like the taste of any milk...

@AnnieFarmer That's really nice to hear!

DS1 I lasted less than a week. He had bad tongue tie (that was cut early) and severe silent reflux. I think if I'd known it was the reflux he was crying about (and not the lack of milk) I would've persevered.

DS2 I planned on doing breast and formula but he latched on straight away and then wouldn't take a bottle at all (expressed or formula) when I or DH offered it. He's just turned 3 and still feeds at bedtime most nights. I never had engorgement or leaking but apparently had a good supply as he was a pretty huge baby.

I do think every breastfeeding experience with each subsequent baby is different.

With DC1 I lasted 6 weeks. I had a violent letdown and huge oversupply, and despite lots of help and advice, it was just relentlessly hard and painful and DS would latch only for short periods and seemed to choke and splutter a lot. I had constant mastitis and was unwell for that whole six weeks, ending up in an abscess and hospital stay which led to me finally giving up.

I really wanted to try again with DC2. She latched much better, I wasn’t in any pain and things seemed to be going well until the mastitis and abscess came back at 3 weeks post birth and I got sepsis. I threw the towel in at that point.

Im too old for anymore children, but I’d still give it another shot! Even just to get that couple of weeks of my milk and colostrum into them felt better than nothing.

wishing you a better experience this time around .

Yep, struggled and struggled with bleeding nipples with tongue tied DC1. Eventually gave in, tried to exclusively express but had to use formula due to low supply.

Breastfed DC2 (for 11 months) DC3 (17 months) and DC4 (14 months) with no difficulties at all.

Good luck if you are giving it a go!

Baby 1 - tongue tie and I had a huge pph during my emcs and consequently, my milk literally never came in. I was so upset for a long time.

Baby 2 - currently 4 weeks old. Latched easily after birth and is so far a real boob monster. I'd say the journey to us both learning to bf has been easy.