My story..

Ds2. Fairly easy pregnancy apart from being huge.. isaac was born at 3:20pm and I finally got to hold him at 6pm. We tried Bf but was no good. He was so fidgetty, wouldn't stay attached. Finally at 3am I allowed a comp feed as he was quite upset.. anyways long story.. seizures breathing difficulties and 16 days in SCN followed.. I expressed and attempted to feed for the 16 days.. Went home with breastfeeding going ok. We struggled , I got mastitis within 2 days of leaving hospital as my breasts were used to expressing and bening fed from so I had an oversupply by this stage..

We tried everything. Nipple shields were ok but Isaac was just so sleepy due to the meds he was on.. So at 7 weeks I went to expressing full time. I hired a hospital grade pump. and we never looked back. I expressed every 3-5 hours. Stopping at 9 -10 at night and starting again in the morning. I expressed while camping, shopping and travelling..

I fell pregnant 10 months later and my milk started to dry up and stopped al together when Isaac was 10 months old. I am very proud of how long I kept up expressing for as it is not easy but you adapt and it becomes like second nature. No different to doing anything else I guess..

ds3 . Ah what a dream child.. born at 9:17am attached to the breast by 10:30 . one or 2 comp feeds in hospital and nothing else till over 21 months. Solids of course at 7 months. but he refused all milk unless it came from mummy We finally stopped feeding when I was 10 weeks pg and Jacob self weaned.. I am so proud for making it to 21 months.

DD1. Born at 10:20am. expressed before she was born.. Finally brought to me for a feed late that afternoon and never looked back.. She is brilliant and still is. I won't say it hasn't been 100% easy and painless but time and perserverance helped

I should say I also Bf Ds1 and looking back it was easy. I stupidly gave up at 3 months for selfish reasons. I wish I had known what i know today..