Breastfeeding with baby no 3 after difficulties before

[peachybums]

Ive only got about 6 weeks to go before baby no 3 comes and im getting worried about feeding.
DS was breastfed for about 6 days but he just spat out milk, got to the point where his stomach was rumbling and he was crying all the time with hunger so i gave him formula and never looked back.
DD just wasnt interested in BF at all she wouldnt latch on and i was suffering from PND so i gave in after day 2 and gave her a bottle.

Now im having another i really want to make a go of it this time, not only for me and the baby but budget is tighter this time so need a way of saving cash (hoping this will keep me going too)Is this possible really? Anybody have any tips on how i can make it easier for myself? I know getting worried will only put baby off even more so im trying to get as many tips as possible. I didnt have much support before so that maybe a reason why i gave up. TIA

Now is a good time to line up local support. Visit the local BF support groups, and talk through your previous problems, and talk about strategies for this time. Find out about what support you can get in the early days. Talk to a breastfeeding person about the best ways to ensure your baby gets a good latch.

Good luck!

I had a very similar experience to you - I didn't manage it third time around but I think that I could have done with the right support.

On day three of baby number three I phoned a helpline, she told me to go to bed, naked from the waist up with baby just wearing a nappy and stay there. I couldn't believe the difference it made to my milk supply but it also highlighted why I had 'failed' before. I had always believed in the line that they only need to feed every 3/4 hours - now I realise that in order to get breastfeeding established, I would have needed a couple of weeks of proper demand feeding. I felt unable to lie in bed (especially with two other children) and I have always wanted to get out and about quickly.

You really can make a go of this but you need to work out how much you want it and get both breastfeeding support and lots of help with your other to. Very best of luck

peachy I had a mare with my first 2 (DS1 4mish of bf + ff bottles, DD 3 1/2 month bf + ff bottles) but DS2 (my 3rd DC) is still bf at 8 1/2 months. The first 6 1/2m were excl bf too! I had a ton of trouble but got through it. I have posted my story - back in January if you fancy a read. The moral is it can be successful 3rd time. I am proof.

I failed to feed my DS1, but am now 13 weeks into a lovely BF realtionship with DS2.
Where did it go wrong / right? I agree with littledawley, just get your baby on the boob and keep him / her there for 2-3 weeks! This really gets the practice in and the milk flowing. I was luckly that my DS2 came over Christmas when I was surrounded by family and friends who wanted to help look after DS1 and me.
Remember that 'you are not meant to do it on your own', traditionally your would spend the first few weeks resting to recover from the birth, and your mum / sister / MIL etc would rally round you. It's sad that in this day and age we feel we have to be superwomen and in Sainsburys a few days after giving birth!
Best of luck, and keep asking for help

You will already know from experience that all babies are different - some will 'take' to BF easily, others need more work and sometimes despite your best efforts it doesn't always work!

After a very difficult experience BF'ing DD1, DD2 took straight to it like a dream - and I think this is partly because, like other posters, I let her lead the way. With DD1 I tried to tell her when she was going to have a feed and that's where we went wrong. After a couple of weeks dd settled into a routine of her making, which maybe I could have forced on her earlier, but we probably would have gone straight to bottle feeds..

Good luck

Thank you all for your great replies! I really am determined to give it a go this time and i know DP will try anything for it to work as hes a big believer in breastfeeding and was a little sad i gave up before, so il just have to say i need more rest ;). Would any of you recommend expressing milk or will this create more of a problem than a help??

Hi,

Had similar problems as you with first DD and TTC no2 and I'm already swotting up for help!! (fast let down a prob, refused feeding at night just screamed all not helped with a shoulder distopia injury)

I'd defo get help beforehand but think its about the right kind of help. We saw a breasfeeding councillor several times but she was useless and so unsupportive when I turned to expressing and formula and dropped me like a hot potato.

What I would stress (and I will need to take my own advice!) is If it doesn't work out don't give yourself the big guilt trip that all us mums do when it doesn't work out. I still have a hang up about stopping and that can be more of a hindrance. Good luck!

biological nurturing

here

sit back and relax while you baby latches

your baby

Not sure about expressing - with DD1 I beat myself up about the not BF'ing thing, so was almost constantly expressing...with DD2 I was determined that I wasn't going to do all that again, so I haven't expressed at all but did switch the 7pm feed to formula after about 6 weeks so DH could have a turn!

It was hard work - feed, then pump, really eats into the time between feeds that you could be spending with your other DC's.

Someone told me a few weeks ago that breastmilk contains wakeywakey hormones in the morning, and go to sleep hormones in the evening - so if you give a baby EBM you might be giving them sleepy drops when you want them to be awake and vice versa. I'd like to know if this is true?

Having had a difficult start with BF, and my DD losing more than 10% of birth weight, I had to express to get her weight up, which was very hard work in between bfeeds!
If you don't have to, I would suggest not to think about expressing before 4-6 weeks, then maybe think about it so DP can help out with giving a bottle if it suits you.
Agree with other posters that knowing where to access help is very important and can make a difference between succeeding or not.
HTH

I'm just after abit of advice have got 7wk old twins and struggling to b/f them,dont seem to have enough for one baby let alone 2 and even if b/f one and give other bottle the b/f one one still needs topping up,am trying to express as often as time commits and am takin fenugreek,oatmeal and guiness without much sucess also have 3.5,8 and 9 yr old - would love any advice just feel like a failure as struggled to produce enough with baby no3 and got v..depressed about it!