Good news breast feeding stories

[cairnterrier]

I'm wondering if anyone has any successful breastfeeding stories out there. I'm pregnant for the first time and was fully expecting to breastfeed my baby. However I've just been reading the 'what do you really want to know about breastfeeding thread?' and it has really, really put me off.

So please, are there any people out there who have had good experiences of breastfeeding as first time mum. Not where people have had a rough time but then got better, experiences where breast feeding has gone well from day 1 for both mum and baby. An experience that I was really looking forward to, now seems to only involve pain, disappointment and an awful lot of heartache :-( It would just be nice to know that some people have had really good experiences. Thanks in advance.

Ah don't be scared cairn!

I think what a lot of people will tell you is that they love breastfeeding and it is fantastic but that you have to be realistic and expect the odd hiccup.

Personally, it was totally fine after around 2 weeks IIRC, but until that stage there were times when it was uncomfy when DS initially latched on. 8 seconds, as my MW promised, and the pain was over. Nothing a few swearwords and a bit of toe-curling couldn't fix!

I'm still feeding 22 months later so it really, really wasn't that bad. Think of it like childbirth tales - nobody will tell you it didn't hurt but they aren't all horror stories

Like others here, I think it's better to know you might have problems but that there's a way through most of them.

I can't offer the sort of story you asked for, I failed to breastfeed ds1 and had quite a lot of problems early on with ds2. I can only that from about 6 weeks it's begun to seem so much easier, no washing and sterilising bottles and mixing feeds and worrying about how on earth to prepare a feed correctly when baby's crying, just stick it in his mouth, very simple.

Thanks everyone who took the time to reply. Am feeling much more reassured now.

I fully expecgt that there will be some problems along the way, it's just that some of the other threads seemed to suggest that there was nothing BUT problems. Seems like some people have had some lovely experiences though. I guess like all things we only ever tend to write in about bad things, not good things that happen. Thanks again everyone x

Quote from SIL2 to me: "sorry I can't advise you, I just stuck my breast at his mouth and it worked" HVs were most impressed with her for 4 months until ds became skinny - now it's obvious he's just tall and skinny and energetic. He's 1 now and still bf.

I had bad problems with thrush from 3-6 weeks, gave up for a couple days, went back and ds is nearly 9mo and bf has been fantastic from 8 weeks onwards. Especially from 6mo when I could do it less!

SIL2 hasn't felt the need to ask MN for advice ever, although she does lurk. I've posted my share of desperate pleas for advice...

OP - I have never had any problems with breastfeedng either of my two. Both latched on perfectly first time and continue(d) to do so. No painful engorgement, no sore nipples and no negative comments. I do consider myself fortunate but I am by no means unusual. It's simply that people tend only to post if they have an issue so you don't hear the positive stories and get a skewed view.
Chances are you will be fine, but if you do need help you are in the right place. Best of luck.

DS and I took a few attempts to get the latch right but after a few hours alone together, we had it sorted. Bar a few supply issues over the first week or so, breastfeeding was a breeze. I don't remember ever being sore and bar from occassionally waking up with huge, hard boobs (which were more amusing than uncomfortable - I looked like Pamela Anderson!!) we didn't have any major problems.

Breastfeeding is amazingly rewarding and I enjoyed it so much that I will definietly be doing it again when DC2 arrives at the end of the year but even with experience, I am not going into it expecting to have no problems at all. It can be tiring and endless and messy but it's so, so worth it.

A breeze from day one with dd. She latched well and fed and fed and fed (which did mean I was knackered, but then I hadn't realised how time-consuming babies can be full stop ).

DS fed well and no pain. But was less breast-obsessed than dd which was good in one respect - more time for me and dd to chill. BUt on the other hand, meant that I couldn't just give him a quick feed to see us through a long car journey for example - he fed on his terms. And only his terms. And only when really properly hungry.

Was fine and dandy both times though. Fed both til just over a year.