Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

When does breastfeeding get easier?

19 replies

esgill · 19/10/2023 15:57

Baby is 2 weeks + 1 day and has been cluster feeding pretty much non-stop since leaving the hospital. My midwife and health visitor have been happy to see a weight increase each week and said baby's latch is good, which I'm glad about but I don't have a life and my nipples hurt. I want to be able to go out with my baby without having to stop every 5 mins to feed her... I hardly sleep at night too.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Sprogonthetyne · 19/10/2023 16:04

For me it was around 6-8 weeks with the first, but only about 1 week with second. Once the have better head control you could try feeding in the sling, then even if the still want to feed all the time, you can do it on the go.

Beginningless · 19/10/2023 16:11

You’re both learning this skill, sounds like she needs to get more efficient at milk transfer. Do you feel like latch is ok? People on outside can feel it looks fine but it may not be, given you have pain. Maybe worth googling around positioning and attachment and really optimising all of that, if you haven’t already. But it is early days.

Almostautumn2023 · 19/10/2023 16:14

6 weeks with my 1st straightaway with my 2nd - it takes determination x

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

0-3 months old Babies & sleep Breast & bottle feeding Families

Ponderingwindow · 19/10/2023 16:20

Week 4 gets a bit easier.

somewhere between weeks 6 and 8 things should just click into place. If you can make it to that point you can likely make it until either you or the child is ready for the breastfeeding relationship
to end.

those first couple of months are supposed to be tiny squishy baby constantly nursing. It’s mostly pressures, and the realities of older children, that tell you otherwise. It helps to remember that what your baby is doing by wanting to nurse all the time right now and it requiring you to focus is normal. This stage doesn’t last forever.

ladybird30 · 19/10/2023 16:42

As PP's have said around 8 weeks I'd say. Stick it out, it really is worth it and once baby gets the swing of things it'll all feel a lot easier and yes, your nipples do get used to it too!

UnravellingTheWorld · 19/10/2023 18:35

Around the 2 week mark for us. It wasn't easy at that point. Just easier.

PicturesOfLily · 19/10/2023 18:40

Around 6 weeks both times. 2 weeks 5 days was my lowest point with my first and I very nearly gave up but it got better very quickly after 5 weeks and I continued until 14 months. 2.5yo dd2 is still going strong!

Cowlover89 · 19/10/2023 18:41

Around 4 weeks or before. Really can't remember. My son had tongue tie so after that.

Swirls346 · 19/10/2023 19:21

I found it got easier after about 3-4 months. Until then it was constant feeding. Relentless ! Still breast feeding at 22 months and trying to wean him off 😅

Lolxe · 19/10/2023 19:29

Quite quickly with us second time round however I was happily feeding on the go. It was easy as I didn't have to faff with bottles and formula and just stuck baby on when she fussed. The first few times feeding in public can be daunting but now it doesn't phase me, just have a muslin to cover yourself while baby latches on.

Nights can be tricky as their tummy can only hold so much and different babies sleep better regardless of beast feeding or formula. To aid night sleep if let baby cluster feed all evening, set yourself up on the sofa with lots of drinks, snacks and a TV shows and let baby feed as much as they want then get a good bedtime routine- sleeping bag, white noise baby massage etc around 10pm and see if that helps

SirVixofVixHall · 19/10/2023 19:35

Around six weeks with first baby, but easy from the start with second. I breastfed all through my pregnancy though.

Torganer · 19/10/2023 19:39

About six months was my limit. It didn’t get any easier for me!!

YouveGotAFastCar · 19/10/2023 19:45

10 weeks for me. It’s now been nearly two years and I’m so proud of us for getting through those early weeks because it hurt so much, everyone kept telling me it shouldn’t and I felt I tried everything but it did and I dreaded feeding him. It’s absolutely fine now. He’s never even bitten me. I think I got all my breastfeeding woes out the way in those early weeks 😅

Moveoverdarlin · 19/10/2023 19:47

I would say with my first it took 8 weeks to not hurt, then it was a breeze and was so pleased I persevered. My second child it took about three days. I think my nipples were used to it by then.

anothernameanotherproblem · 19/10/2023 19:47

My daughter was really slow at gaining the weight she lost after birth. I don't think I was convinced she was feeding properly until she got back to birthweight at 4 weeks old. After that I don't know if it was the lack of pressure (from myself, HV was amazing and supportive and cheered on every oz she gained) or whether she was just bigger and better at it but it quickly fell into place. The stabby nipple feeling when she latched eased off a bit too. With my son it was a bit quicker, maybe 2 weeks. But I was much more open to cluster feeding with him. The first time I was convinced something was wrong and she shouldn't need to feed that often. Second time I just resigned myself to the fact that he'd feed every hour all evening and that was fine. It only lasted a few weeks before getting a good 4hr sleep out of him in the evening.

LiquidGlee · 19/10/2023 19:49

Around 4 weeks for easier and by 6 weeks I felt I’d really cracked it. I kept wondering why people kept telling me breastfeeding was so ‘easy and convenient’ because it felt really hard work in the beginning! Now 10 weeks in and am really enjoying it and am exclusively breastfeeding. I went to a breastfeeding support drop in which was really helpful and I also paid for a breastfeeding consultant to do a home visit as my nipples were so sore and I was struggling. It was absolutely worth the money!

NotToYou · 19/10/2023 19:49

At about 6 weeks, then it was easy

bungletru · 19/10/2023 22:11

It’s shouldn’t hurt! Get some help if it hurts, are you using nipple cream? Lansinoh is great.

cluster feeding is mental. Happens until around 3 months.

it should feel more comfortable around the 4th week. I remember being in so much pain, great latch but PAIN. So my mom helped me a few times. She literally held boob or baby and showed me the best way to sit, latch, hold. I urge you to get some support from someone experienced, maybe a breastfeeding expert.

im 11 months into the breastfeeding journey and I think it’s the best thing I ever did. Makes life so easy, formula and the prep etc just stresses me out reading about it 😳

Original poster

esgill · 20/10/2023 20:39

Thanks so much everyone. This thread and more googling reassure me it's normal, even if generally most websites suggest cluster feeding lasts around 3 hours...

I don't find her latch painful. I just find the constant breastfeeding is painful cumulatively as there's been too much feeding with too few breaks and no time for my nipples to heal. She gets a giant mouthful of the areola and my nipples don't look misshapen – just a bit pink. I use silver cups and nipple balm but during clusters hardly have moment to apply it before she's back on the boob.

OP posts:

Flip