Pregnant with DC2 & really want to bf longer than with ds. Any advice?

[Claire236]

I had real problems bf ds & would like to be better prepared this time round. ds was prem & was in SCBU with severe jaundice which I now know was a huge factor in our struggles but I'm determined to bf for as long as possible this time & would appreciate any advice. I would also like to be able to use bottles of expressed milk basically for convenience so I can go out but I've read some distinctly negative things about combining the 2. Is it better to introduce baby to bottle straight away to get them used to both bottle & bf, should I exclusively bf for a while or is it best just to exclusively bf. Am confused as you can probably tell.

Not an expert on the mechanics of it, but bf Ds for 18 months and Dd is still going at nearly 2.5yrs.

Establish your bfing first. Some babies are reluctant to take the breast once they've had the easy life of bottles...my Ds was fine with mixed breast/bottles of EBM from fairly young(around 10/12 weeks)as I went back to work, but Dd point blank refused a bottle.
I personally wouldn't try a bottle too soon if you want to bf, but there are other wise MNetters who can tell you more.

Some babies decide they don't want to bf any longer and others wont stop ~ like my Dd. She loves it(and so do I)and will not give it up. So if your baby is happy to bf, just keep going...

I'm envious that you've managed to bf for such a long time. Unfortunately I didn't get any support with ds & didn't even realize at the time that a lot of our problems were because of him being prem & having jaundice.

I am in the process of feeding my ds who is 8 weeks old exclusively with the breast, but I have just invested in an electric breast pump from e bay for £23 and bought a travel steriliser with free tomee tipee back to nature bottle and I plan to express once a day and give ds a bottle of EBM so that I can be away from him occaisionally

I did the same with dd at 8 weeks old- I gave plenty of time for milk to come and get bf established, before introducing a bottle.

I think its prob a good idea to get someone other than yourself to give lo the bottle so they dont smell your milk and you etc.

I only bf dd for 17 weeks, and as soon as i was pregnant with No2, I was determined to feed for at least 6 months, and I think my mind set is different this time around.

I will let you know how the expressing goes when the breast pump arrives

Claire, look forward, not back. You can't change what has gone, but it does teach you for the future I find

I am finding it MUCH easier this time with DC3. The thing I have done differently this time is NOT trying to express or introduce a bottle at all. I think this has helped mean my supply is right and I haven't got sore nipples from expressing or baby sucking hard to get milk that isn't there yet. Both my first 2dc took to bottles no problem but I think it taught them to suck differently and then it was more painful when breastfeeding. I'm going to try and avoid a dummy this time as well as suspect in my case this had a similiar effect.

Exclusively breastfeeding does of course mean I can't escape apart from odd hour after a feed but since this will be my last baby I am not finding that to much of an issue (yet!).

In addition to all the above I've also not had issues with tongue-tie, mastitis etc that I've had previously...I think it is always useful to have a bit of an open mind regarding unforseen problems, you can only do the best you can! Good luck!

But you can often work and feed through the problems dilbertina can't you. I've had internal breast thrush 10/11 times with Dd and the start of mastitis(which I massaged out)and cracked nipples once. Must admit though, I think my pain threshold is quite high and I'm fairly stubborn too...

With Ds I had the start of mastitis twice which again, I massaged out.

Problems can usually be overcome. Get help early I would say

Absolutely you can often get through problems, especially with prompt advice and treatment where possible - but it is undoubtedly far easier to breastfeed without the pain element!

and just to add I do wonder if I inadvertently caused some of the pain in my case by trying to express and introducing bottles and dummies too soon...hence messing up supply and latch...

I have found it more convenient this time round to just take dd2 with me where ever I went rather than expressing milk for someone else to give her in a bottle.

Expressing takes time: expressing itself (I use a double electric pump) plus the washing up (I never bothered to sterilise) and then keeping milk in the freezer, then having to make the brain space to defrost properly. Having 2 (no 1 is now 4yo so easier to get on caring for than a younger child) means that no 2 has to have a more flexible schedule and putting her in the sling/carseat etc right after topping her up straight from the tap made life a whole let more 'get up and go'.

Tiny babies I have found are very portable and for me I have found changing some of my expectations with caring for my children made life more easy than trying to fit into a mould that baby books or magazines and the wider social construct tells us we ought to do.

And if you do decide to introduce a bottle anyway, be aware that some tinkers will take it early on then refuse to take it at all. DD1 refused a bottle from 9 wks.

Good luck with bfing no 2. Mumsnet is always here to support new mums to breastfeeding, even at half 3 in the morning when everyone else in the world seems to be asleep.

I expressed like a wild thing with Ds, no problems at all...but with Dd, I expressed so little because I just couldn't. It was painful and I got very little milk out. I was very disappointed, but I've been lucky enough to continue ~ as foxytocin says ~ from the tap.

I hope it all works out for you OP.

Thanks for the advice. I live somewhere different to when I had ds so hopefully there will be some sort of support if I do have problems.

Talk to your midwife about how important it is that when your baby arrives you get support with breastfeeding this time. - she may be able to tell you about local groups etc you can contact.

I failed to bf first time round and struggled this time round but have established exclusive breastfeeding after a few weeks of topping up under pressure from the hospital. I've found it useful to go out to breastfeeding support groups and other baby groups. I think foxy's advice about taking the baby with you is quite a good idea.