Do many people find they successfully bf one and then not the next?

[Again]

I know that this is a very premature question, but I'm just curious. Last time round I refused to even discuss breastfeeding when pregnant in case I couldn't do it. Then DS bfed until 2.4 yrs after a very very shaky (formula fed) start.

Now that I'm pregnant again I am soooo looking forward to breastfeeding a little baby again. I never like to get my hopes up but I've just been assuming it'll be grand. Do many people find that they just can't do it second time round?

I have one DC who I sadly failed to BF (shaky start here after C-section with GA). So can't speak from personal experience.

However, I have a good friend who had the opposite experience to what you are enquiring about (but its relevant I think). She had two DCs who she really tried but didn't manage to BF for long (she expressed for 6 months with both instead). However, she has is BF her 3rd DC and its been a breeze!! She is adamant that this is not because she's doing anything different but because DC 3 is different.

So, maybe there is a chance that your 2nd won't give the same BF experience as your 1st.

Having said that, given that you have done it once sucessfully (despite a challenging start) I think you are in a fantansic position to make it work again.

Wishing you all the best.

In answer, no I don't think so, not many, unless there's a specific problem that makes bf hard second time round (e.g. a friend of mine was separated from her DD2 for a week after birth - she did manage to bf though)

Both amazing stories really. Expressing for 6 months is very very commendable and also establishing after a separation.

I found it much harder the second time. I had thrush and less milk (due to exhaustion perhaps), but I think knowing how nice it can be kept me going. I'm going back to work soon so will be stopping in the next month or so, but am glad to have kept going for 7 months.

I agree about the expressing for 6 months- it was really tough on her and just goes to show how determined she was- despite which the BF just didn't happen for them.

I also had the opposite experience; totally failed to bf ds who continued to lose weight until he was taken back into hospital at 7 weeks. I expressed until 4 months. dd born 18 months later and at 5 months old is still exclusively breastfed and on the 75 centile for weight. The only differing factor was the child; I did everything else the same.

I had the same concerns as you, Again, when I was pregnant with DS2 (now 6 weeks old) as I'd really enjoyed BFing DS1 and was scared to get my hopes up that it would be just as easy second time around.

My experience was that it wasn;t quite as easy - for some reason DS2 didn't latch on as well or as immediately as DS1 did, but I persevered, watched some videos on YouTube at the recommendation of someone on MN, that showed how to get a good latch, and were doing brilliantly by the end of the first week (and still are!).

Based on my own experience and that of 2 friends who've both got 2 DCs (and neither of whom had a happy BFing experience with either) I would say that if you've successfully BF your first child then you're more likely to do the same with your second as you're probably more likely persevere longer and find ways to make it work than someone who's never had a successful / happy experience of BFing. So I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine! Good luck!

I fed DD1 with no problems at all once bf was established and continued until she weaned herself at 18 months. During my second pregnancy I worried about all sorts of things but not the bf as it went so well 1st time round. However, I have found it harder this time round due to several reasons: DD2 having tongue tie, then having to break feeding habits she had learned in first few weeks so she could feed with tt to allow her to feed better once tt was corrected, then thrush, then mastitis . What didn't help me was some MW saying "Oh you won't need any support then with your bf" once they found out I had fed DD1 for so long. Remember every baby is different. However I have stuck with it and now at 6 months, I am starting to enjoy it again. :-)