Barb - thank you for your post DD's birth was a 9.5hr labour, vaginal, no drugs (not even gas), DD put on my chest immediately skin to skin and not taken off... HOWEVER she was posterior, perhaps that was traumatic for her??? I know it didn't make labour easy for me LOL!!!! AND....I tore badly 3rd degree internal which needed quite a bit of stitching and therefore an hour after DD's birth was spent with 3 people in the room stitching me up (student dr ) besides that, I really had a great experience and can't complain. I do however look back quite often on DD's first breastfeed and how that occurred. My stitches were done and the room emptied so DH and I could spend time alone with DD. Just before that though a midwife asked me if DD had fed yet, I said 'no' but wasn't worried. Before I knew it (i was in a deliriously spaced out state at this stage due to all those lovely hormones circulating !!) the midwife helped DD latch on to my R side and she had a bit of a suck but then came off.... it wasn't baby led at all... she was gentle yes, but I felt it was kinda 'rushed'..... I don't think DD was quite ready ya know?
DD and I were never separated from each other until day 3 when she had a hearing test and I badly needed sleep.

I would be interested in tandem feeding, however at this stage, my milk supply is very quickly dwindling. I feel sad about it but DD doesn't really seem interested in sucking much out anymore anyway. She goes on 3 times a day for her usual feeds (morning, lunch, bedtime) but most of the time only has short feeds and doesnt have that strong suction she once had....if that makes sense? And she doesn't gulp milk anymore either.
I know that if we're tandem feeding later she will be able to draw that nipple out for me for the newborn.....that would help wouldnt it?
At the moment I think DD is doing a lot of "dry feeding" as I've read about it.... its tender when she feeds as there isnt as much milk there anymore.

Alibaby - thanks so much so nice of you!