Good thread

DD1 - 48 hrs after first contraction, I had emerg c-section and DD1 was put in a humi crib for the next 12 hours. No skin on skin and I didn't attempt to BF for about 24 hrs. I had lost a lot of blood and was recovering slowly and my milk wasn't coming in. I was given motilium but on day 3 the MW's advised me to comp feed and express. In hindsight I should have waited longer. They also told me to feed every 4 hrs and I didn't know about demand feeding.
Discharged from hospital I got a breast pump and formula and we fed every 3-4 hours, then comp feed then express, an hours sleep then back to it again. DH had to work and DD1 cried all the time. By 4 weeks we were exhaused, she hadn't reached birth weight and DH and I were stressed out. We were admitted into hospital for failure to thrive and put her on FF only. The LC offered to talk to me about continuing to BF but in my mind it was only connected to the problems we'd been having.

DD2
I regretted that decision so when I was preg with DD2 I had found BB and researched about BF and joined ABA
Birth was another c-section but empowered this time, on my terms and DD2 was placed naked onto my naked chest immediately after birth. She crawled to my breast, attached perfectly and fed for the next hour. From then on I demand fed, DH stayed home for three weeks, both my mum and MIL came over often to help and we had MW and CYH come round to help with feeding.
At the 2 weeks a mark was noticed on my left nipple, I saw a specialist who put me into breast surgery when DD2 was 4 weeks old. A lot of people expected me to wean but I was determined not to interrupt our great feeding. So for the next two weeks I expressed from that side and fed only from the right, giving the EBM top ups, refusing to let DH buy formula. I was able to reintroduce that side and we kept going
At 7 months I had to go back to full time work. Again I refused to wean so DH brought DD2 to work and I would feed her in my breaks, or if he couldn't then she was given EBM. at about 10 months I dropped the day feeds and she started having FF but I fed her if I was around.
I recently had to go away for 5 days so I chose to wean. We slowly reduced feeds from 3 a day, to 2 then 1. I didn't have any problems and DD2 didn't complain at all. I was able to feed her for 1 year 2 months, 4 weeks.