Breastfeeding positive stories?

[Nicola2182]

Hi all

I would like to breastfeed but everywhere I read are complete horror stories (bleeding nipples/baby losing weight/mastitis etc) and how difficult it is! I'm thinking is it worth the stress?

I’m in the same boat but I am determined to try everything I can but also to not pin every hope on it. I know plenty of people who breastfed successfully for a year + so it’s not all doom and gloom but all of them have said the first 6 weeks is the hardest. Other mums I know that wanted to gave up before this point, and fair play if that suits them but guess I’m prepared for a rough 6 weeks at least.

It isn’t easy at the beginning but once you’ve cracked it, it’s the easiest thing in the world!
I say this as someone who has had cracked nipples/mastitis etc and I would do it all over again. Fed DS until 17mo and DD still going at 11mo.
I would always say try it but obviously if it’s not working for you or you don’t want to then just don’t beat yourself up about it.

It’s HARD initially. I underestimated how hard but it’s so worth it.

I fed my son to 18 months and my daughter is nearly 6 months now and I’m exclusively breastfeeding her.

The latch is obviously the most important thing. Look up exaggerated latch.

Key phrases.
Tummy to mummy.
Chin to skin.

I think only you can make your mind up about that if you try it. It's hard work and a full-time job in the early days but it gets easier. You can buy nipple shields, nipple cream, hot compresses on your breasts to ease discomfort etc. I had trouble BF my DD but she was a lockdown baby and I had absolutely zero support. I'm due with my second on Monday and I am going to get lots of support and advice from the midwives and lactation consultants at the hospital. There's plenty of support out there if you really want to go for it. X

I love it. Still feeding a two year old.

I had an EMCS so it took a few days for my milk to come in but DD did fine on colostrum, I never bled, she was sleepy for a while but I saw a lactation consultant on postnatal and we both took to it brilliantly.

People are far more likely to post when they’re having a hard time!

The most useful thing I did while pregnant was to watch some videos on YouTube on getting a good latch and different feeding positions. I knew to ask for help in hospital if it wasn’t going well straight away. I also looked up the nearest help near my home in case I needed it but luckily didn’t.

My mum and nearly all of my friends bf so it was something I expected to go to plan, I expect that helps. And I read plenty of threads on here which explained cluster feeding etc.

I think the big problem is we as women DON’T really see other women doing it and so we don’t really have any visual experience of it.

It’s natural but you need to learn how to do it.

With the exception of the first 3 days where I went to get support from the infant feeding team at my hospital, I have had a really positive experience.

DS gained weight really well through ebf, jumping centiles & although we both got thrush that was quickly treated, I never really suffered from sore nipples or mastitis.

All in all, we’ve found it very easy & it’s worked for us as a family. I did have an excess of milk so donated to the local milk bank at the NICU for a number of months.

DS Is 9 months, is at nursery taking expressed breast milk from a bottle and we are continuing successfully at the time he isn’t there. I’d like us to continue past 1 if possible.

To be perfectly honest the first two weeks were hell for me. And i wish someone had told me that because i was so close to giving up.

However if you can push through it its lovely when you and your body gets the hang of it and soooo much easier than ff in the long run. No making bottles at night, no carting them wherever you go.

I loved it but it really isnt for everyone. In the chaos of having a tiny baby the time quietly feeding is so calming and something you will never get to repeat i suppose.

Good luck!

Honestly... I didn't find it that hard. And I don't think it's inevitable that you will. I watched Jane The Virgin in pre-baby mat leave and there's an episode where she's learning to breastfeed and keeps talking about "shoving as much of her boob in the babies mouth as possible, like a burger" and that was my general tactic. I also did a bit of reading about how to do it, and my prenatal classes talked us through it. I asked the MW to help while I was in hospital too. It does hurt a bit in the beginning, but I was told to count through the pain. I never got dramatically cracked nipples, and they never bled.

Just do what you can to learn technique beforehand (things like "nipple to nose"), and get your partner to also so that he can help.

Fed for two years in the end; it wasn't without it's hard bits (couldn't ever leave DS being the biggest) but on the whole I loved it. Breastfeeding was an amazing tool in my parenting toolkit for a variety of things.

Hello,

I was always of the very laidback approach when I was pregnant and always said I would give it a go but, not put pressure on myself if she couldn't latch etc and just bottle feed. Luckily for me DD (now 2yo) latched straight away in the hospital.

Don't get me wrong... you get sore but, mine wasn't a horror story. I loved breastfeeding but, always knew I wanted to combi feed and so, we introduced some bottle feeds after about 4 months. It helped so much with the lack of sleep and my mood when DH could share the feeds with me.

I actually didn't realise but, DD had a very slight tongue tie which meant, the HVs and midwives kept telling me she wasn't latching properly. She was feeding fine and gaining weight but, I do remember feeling very stressed about not getting the approach cock-on at the time. Looking back, it was only resulting in my own discomfort which, after a few weeks of having your boobs gnawed at, you get used to it.

I would like to believe that my laid back approach meant that baby latched straight away and we avoided any great complications but, I know that would be incredibly naive. I do think it helped with my mindset towards it though!

Oh and luckily for me, never got mastitis! And Lanolin cream is the bees for cracked nipples.

Good luck OP :) X

There is a learning curve for you and the baby when first starting breastfeeding. This is the first few weeks. But after that, it was very easy to keep doing. The same with pumping, I had a learning curve but then did alright pumping at work.

Latch is extremely important. I’m allergic to nipple creams and such, so I just was careful to air dry after feeding to prevent cracked nipples.

It was hard for me at first but finding the right support (and a glass of wine with evening feed) got me through those difficult first few weeks. Once I’d figured it out it was definitely so much easier, so it’s a balance of a few weeks work, admittedly when you are at your lowest, and then months of freedom and ease.

Breastfeeding also meant more sleep long term as baby becomes big enough to latch on without waking mum.

I am still bf my 21m old, apart from the first few weeks its been really easy. in the beginning it was hard, I didnt have bleeding, just some minor nipple trauma which lanolin sorted out. I also had a painful letdown for a few days which was agony but it was ok after that. I used to spend a lot of time lying in bed with my baby, letting him feed and sleep as he wanted while I slept or watched TV. I loved it and am gutted I won't be able to do that as much if we have a 2nd!

Second time around was bliss! I wish I'd known first time around what I knew second time - that cluster feeding in the evening is OK and actually helps you make more milk, that after 6 weeks it gets so much easier, that if you are prescribed gaviscon for reflux it can be given in a calpol syringe not just a bottle, and that it's important to warn your partner in advance that there may be some crying, hormones, and latching pain, so they can be supportive and not just suggest a bottle. Also knew how to contact my local BF peer supporters.
My second baby fed instantly, effectively and amazingly. She was settled and slept pretty well. Having the magic ability to settle her instantly was amazing. At just turned 2 we are still feeding morning and night, she's never bitten, always been OK with me saying no to a feed if she asks and it's not convenient.

I only Breastfed for 4 weeks so I can't talk for long term, we had to stop due to reflux. I found feeding amazing and had no issues with latch or pain DS found latching very easy (possibly because he was starving due to delayed feeding because of complications in my surgery) it can be tiring so find something that works for you. I used Lucozade sport at night as I cant tolerate eating in the early hours, I also had milk at home so made sure there was no pressure on myself think this helped mentally. I loved it and if it wasn't for his sickness I would have carried on I loved how close I felt to him. Be prepared for it not to be easy but not everyone has a horrendous journey xx

Some really positive stories here, thanks 😊

Thanks for all of the positive replies - it's good to know that the first 6 weeks are the hardest and to try and stick to it. My issue is none of my family my side or my partners side breastfed so I know they will tell me to just give her a bottle when it becomes hard. I will have to gently tell them all to keep their noses out

The theory goes that supplementing with formula can affect your supply coming in and make it harder, but the odd formula feed for the greater good isn't going to be the end of the world. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. I'd recommend pumping lots in those first few days to get your supply going, plus it's really motivating to see the milk actually coming out. The hospital should have really good pumps you can borrow.

Would echo the 6 weeks thing. The first 6 weeks of feeding my first were crazy but I fed her for 2 years and her brother for 3 years in the end. This was not my plan but once established I found it easier to continue than stop.

Things that help:
A supportive partner who will do everything around the house and feed you while you get started
Not too many visits/only short visits in the first month
Netflix etc and a massive drinks bottle

First one I had loads of trouble getting the latch but once we did, at about day 2 it was plain sailing. With DC2 she was 15 minutes old and latched on right away. I had a bit of pain for the first few seconds of each feed for maybe the first fortnight or so. Never really had cluster feeding. When people talk about establishing breastfeeding I don't really know what they mean, both of mine were happily feeding very quickly and that was that.

We spent ages getting DC1 to take a bottle of expressed milk so I could go to a hen do at 5 months for the day. That was a massive hassle. With DC2 I had no plans so had zero impetus to try and introduce a bottle so never bothered.

It can be hard. It can be monstrously hard, but it can also be really easy if you are lucky. And I've never had to work out how to make up a bottle or do much sterilising or do anything in the middle of the night other than roll over and pop out a nipple.

It's hard at the start and you need to be realistic, but after a while it's easy and very sweet.
Still bf 13 month old and when she's sick she just wants me and to nuzzle in and feed, it always sends her off to sleep. It's lovely.

It's also isolating at times and tiring. I'd do it again though!

Knowledge is power, OP.

I bf my first because I thought I'd give it a go, see how it went. It was pretty horrible to start with due to an undiagnosed lip tie, but it settled and I could never face sterilising bottles and carrying all the paraphernalia my ff friends seemed to. Too lazy. Hoiked DD into bed with me, fed her unconscious, went back to sleep.

I was extremely lucky though because at that time our hospital had an extensive peer supported program and I had round the clock support, in my home, from mums like me. They lost funding not long after and I know rates dropped significantly, because the knowledge and support just isn't there.

2 more babies later and I'm in something like my 7th year of breastfeeding (not consecutive!) and it's like breathing. Done and dusted. None have ever taken a bottle, or needed one. It doesn't have to be hard. Sometimes it is, but if you can figure out why, and look for the solution, and bear with it, often enough all is just fine.

Like you I had heard a lot of negative stories about breastfeeding and expected the first few months of it to be awful.

I had a very positive experience and always found it relatively easy. I had some issues early on with baby being too sleepy to feed and then a couple of days of sore (but not unbearably so) nipples. Other than that it was pain free and convenient and nice bonding time with my DS.

I think for most people the difficult stage is only a few weeks (for me it was even less than that) and after that it becomes a lot easier than bottle feeding in many ways. Obviously some people have bigger issues but they can often be solved with early specialist help.

Clearly I was lucky but I suspect that the people for whom it works with little difficulty don't generally post so much about it.

I absolutely loved it breastfeeding. I breastfed for 6 years in total between my 3 children 💕

With my first child I had some issues to start with but went to a breastfeeding support groups which was really helpful.
One of my nipples is a bit wonky and all 3 of them preferred the unwonky side which caused some supply issues and engorgement on that side but it sorted itself out.

It wasn’t always perfect but mine is definitely a positive story overall and it got easier with each subsequent child.

Toe curling uncomfort when you first get the latch when both you (and your baby) are learning but it is really the easiest thing in the World when you both get the hang of it.
Ideally limit visitors for the first few days to really get the hang of it. Also try different positions - I am big busted so the rugby ball hold suited me and it took a while for me to realise this. I was determined to breast feed and I told my DH and my best friend not to let me give up, Fed my first until over 12 months and if my youngest hadn't got thrush at 18 months I may have been the subject of a documentary. It is the best thing to comfort your baby - Good Luck