When does breastfeeding get easier?

[Summermeadowflowers]

Ten days in, endless latch problems, stress about how much she’s getting, unpredictability, chained to the bed/sofa, no sleep … give me some hope!

It took me a few weeks but once we got the Knack of it, it made life easier than bottle feeding which I had done with my previous children. I bought clothes that made it easy to feed and still be covered so that I could do it when I was out and about as well. I found having a pillow on my lap and a pillow behind my back made it easier when they are really little, once they get bigger you don't need to prop them up.

Agree with the above for my first - honestly found it the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in those early weeks. I think it was a combination of her just not latching correctly (due to her lack of strength and practice) which freaked me out plus those long feeding sessions - nightmare

but as pp said- I think there were turning points at 4 weeks and then 6 weeks. And then I would feed during very quick sessions about 5/6 times a day. Super super convenient - never needed to take bottles and I was able to go anywhere with baby. I ended up bf for about 10 months in the end

But honestly I didn’t think I would get past the first few days/weeks as found it so stressful in those early days

interestingly with my 2nd - the second she was put on me after birth she took it instantly - and hates bottles which has its own issues

A few months, when their mouths got bigger and they took more in! You’re in the trenches, it does get better and then breastfeeding when you’re out and about is wayyyyy easier than bottle feeding.
just give in to it for now - sit on the sofa, eat snacks, watch TV. Accept breastfeeding all the time is currently a thing. It will slow down and you will go out again. I promise

At two weeks we had a little ah . . . We've got this

At six weeks, really in the swing of it.

People may advise (safe) co sleeping to get more sleep. It worked for one of my babies, not for the other.

Hi OP it sounds like you are at the peak of it right now. It really does get easier. I'm sure the first 2/3 weeks were the worst for me with my first. Do you have much in terms of support? I had a bf clinic in my area and also a support team who could come out and help if needed.

You really are doing great it is so hard I genuinely thought my nipples might fall off at one point. However I do remember after those first few weeks thinking how much easier it was and how I could just feed without having to prepare bottles/wash/sterilise especially in a sleep deprived state.

Have you seen a BF nurse? Advice from an expert was really helpful and showed me where I was going wrong

Six weeks then it was easiest thing in the world...until then agony

I love breastfeeding and just finished weaning my 16month old because of work and trying for no.2. I really had the best experience breastfeeding and hope to do it again with my next.

That said, the beginning was literal hell. I got through the whole birth and recovery with a single paracetamol and that was grand but breastfeeding, i was popping painkillers like candy. I have a crystal clear memory of my husband handing me the baby to feed and just bursting into floods because I couldnt do it, it was too painful.

I had watched all the videos, got the book, the midwife said the latch was grand but something I was wrong so I got a single session with a lactation consultant over zoom as there are none where I live. She immediately diagnosed that he was tight on one side. I went to an osteopath and swear to god it was a miracle.

Also as he approached 3/4 weeks, his mouth got a big bigger and i think it made it easier to latch. I got more confident in myself. The routine bedded in. I loved cuddling on the sofa and allowed myself to ignore the mess and catch up on tele. It was great.

Sorry essay there and it comes with the unquestionable disclaimer that if it doesnt work for you then thats fine. Many of my mum friends didnt and you would not be able to tell which babies were feed how.

It gets ridiculously easy, but it does take time. If your baby is sleeping okay then they are getting enough, just keep going, I promise that it’s worth it.
However, if things are really awful there is nothing wrong with going to bed and letting your partner give a last feed as expressed milk or formula. That was a life saver for me with my first.

Thanks - I have been using expressed milk for her sometimes as she isn’t 100% reliable with latching on. From time to time she just won’t. Also if we need to be somewhere! It wouldn’t be too bad if she was my first but I also have a toddler so I do need to give him some consideration too!

We have seen a lactation consultant and she was helpful but it’s still hard going, mostly because I think DD is still so sleepy.

Few weeks. Co-slept to get sleep, and fed on demand so no worries if getting enough. Yes they are v attached to you during this period but at some point you look back and feel like it went by in a flash. Well done and good luck.

It got quite a bit easier (less painful) at 3-4 weeks and then became actually very easy - easier than sterilising a bottle - from 4m. Then it continued being very easy for years.

It's well worth keeping up with, even just to give yourself an easy life

For me, things improved after 3days (when milk came in) then 3 weeks in (when nipple pain stopped)

Hi @Summermeadowflowers just wanted to say I'm in the exact same boat right now, baby was born on the 19th July and in the midst of trying to establish breastfeeding. I also have a 24 month old. I express when my nipples are too sore but I'm kinda worried that not much actually comes out 😳

Thinking of you and hoping things get easier x

Yes, I was coming to say something very similar. One piece of advice I was given was to mark two weeks, four weeks and six weeks in the diary as targets to aim for. After each of these it seemed a little easier but I needed to be really determined to not give up during that first couple of months before it got a lot easier.

After two weeks I was remember chucking him on and thinking "this isn't so hard after all". It only gets easier, but those first two weeks... 😩

A few days in and I remember feeling there was no way I could do it for a year. But we did. My mentallity was "okay I just need to try it for a few weeks. If it's no good, formula it is". And I kept thinking "one more week and I'll see how it's going" until soon I didn't even think about it at all

Although we only managed Combi feeding a found the nipple shields you can buy an absolute god send in the first 2 weeks x

Thank you! Congratulations @Lwizzer , it’s exhausting but lovely with two it just does mean I don’t always have the luxury of sitting down for ages while she feeds!

We have been managing with nipple shields and expressed breast milk, but I’m just worried she isn’t getting enough.

Better at 2 weeks, better again at 6 weeks and then really really easy from 3 months with all 3 of mine. Hoping DC4 is the same!

I MUCH prefer it to bottle feeding in the long run, but the first couple of weeks seem endless..... ohhhhh the evening cluster feeds!

As long as you're getting wet nappies at reasonable frequency they are getting enough. It's hard to believe sometimes.

It took about six weeks for me with DC2.

You could adding one formula feed a day. That way you get a rest and baby definitely gets calories. And keep using nipple shields when the pain is too bad. I was doing this for the first six weeks until we got the hang of it and now we're exclusively breastfeeding.

It helps to know that for most women and babies breastfeeding takes time to get right, and despite what some midwives will tell you it probably will hurt for a few weeks even if the match is good because your nipples aren't used to being sucked on 12 times a day!

I think maybe around 6 weeks. I'm still breastfeeding now (as I type too!) 18 months later. It was painful at the beginning and lots of cluster feeding, felt endless. But so glad I pushed through and we're still going. Now wondering how he'll ever stop! It's his comfort.

My nipples aren’t too painful, probably because of the shields, it’s more the fact i struggle to latch her on. She does take expressed milk but obviously expressing is a lot of work as well! Today she won’t wake up so she’s had to have milk expressed for her.

I know this probably not what you want to hear but latching is generally much harder with a shield. It changes the texture and shape of the surface.

(I'm not a fan of shields!)

If you're getting nipple injuries without shields, that is usually because of positioning. I can explain more about specific troubleshooting for each location of injury if you're interested and if it's applicable to you but I won't type it all out unless you'd like me to.

You can’t imagine it but it does get easier. I promise. Can’t rememebr when but it really does. I rememebr crying my first few weeks so much.

It’s impossible without @Mummy08m , honestly. I’m not using them to protect me, I’m using them so she can latch on.

Thanks @Beachwaves127 . Just stressed she isn’t getting much. She spends forever feeding and I don’t know how I’m going to care for toddler as well.