To be Honest...

Im sacred to Breastfeed. And that in its self is a stupid sentance! How can I be sacred of something so natural and perfect?

Ill tell you why..

All the stories I hear and read are ppl telling me how hard it is and how many problems crop up and how much pain is involved...I know It can be great - but my first try at it sucked (no milk) and my mum couldnt do it and most of my friends couldnt do it either. I need to hear the good stories - I know it will be hard to start but I want to hear how great it is when it get established.

FF was easy. I am embarrased to admit that - but I found it ever so easy! I had all the bottle made for the day - I just heat and serve. Bella would have 3 hrly feeds and not grizzle or groan bettween and she slept over night from 12 weeks - eveyone telling me due to formula (maybe she would have anyway??)

Im sacred that having a toddler as well as a new born im not going to have time for Bella as I will be stuck on the couch feeding.... again I know how stupid that sounds!

I WANT TO BREAST FEED im just scared of failing again I guess......

Please don't have a go at me for such silly statements - I know that they are silly BUT I cant help thinking about them and worrying!

I wanted to put it out there so you lovely ladies and gents can give me some advice and help set my mind at ease.

Kate xo

The whole 'no milk' theory is in most cases, an old wives tale. You can never really see if you have milk, you just have to trust that you do. And don't think expressing milk will give you a good indication, a lot of people can't get any out when expressing, me included.
Breastfeeding works. My boobs didn't grow AT ALL during pregnancy, they were still tiny little nothings, and I thought 'how on earth can they contain colostrum?" and when DD first suckled, I just kept thinking 'she's just sucking on nothing' but somehow she kept growing and growing! Even when I squeezed them, only a tiny lonely drop would fall out. I kept wondering how other mothers squirted theirs so far etc, or how they 'leaked' all through their tops.
And today I am still breastfeeding DD, and we have never needed to even try to use formula.
Trust your body, and if you have doubts or complications, talk to some BB ladies, and see an LC. I promise you can do it. It's only slightly difficult at the beginning. And way easier than FF!!! No cleaning, no preparing, so easy to leave the house! Night feeds are so easy too!

Not silly at all hun!

If it's not for you then it's not but when people complain to me about something being so hard I always tell them that it's because it's worth it!

Initially breastfeeding is tricky and it takes practice and patients but once you muster it, it's so easy! It's all on tap, right temp, ready to go around the clock and to me even more convenient when you have a toddler at your toes too. If you have a good support group you will find obstacles you encounter wont be as horrible. Surround yourself with ppl that will encourage you if you really want to give it a good go. Oh, and get some marcallen cream. That stuff is the bomb XD

Thanks Turleschell - good to hear your storey.

Thanks Helle - Oh Im keen to give it a go! I just know how awfull my last attempt was I guess Im just scared of failing again. I will certainly give it a red hot go!

My mum didn't breastfeeding past three weeks with any of her three children, me included :)
my nana couldn't , her milk didn't come in as my uncle was a premmie and nanna had to have a hysterectomy etc

My mother in law breastfed for two year , two children each

I tried, and it was relatively easy, although annoying until I got used to the feeling of it. I breastfed for 22 months and 2 weeks and my son was happy to wean them, because I was sick and needed hardcore antibiotics.....

But I didn't think I would either... And then I I'd. best of luck , whatever you choose to do ;)

The way I looked at breastfeeding was like learning to drive a car.

Both bubs and I were on our L plates. We were excited about learning (well she was more like nom, nom, nom) and I was keen to nourish her by BF. However we were both **** scared at the same time. Me that it would hurt and I'd crash and burn and DD that she wouldnt get enough and bcoming a crying mess.

It took me so long to get my P's as I was petrified of failing the driving test. It only took one person to actually say to me... You can do this, you are doing this, so go and do the damm test! .

What I am trying to get at is whenever you are doing something new, whether it is natural or not, it is quite normal to have fear of failure but you can do it hun. Don;t let that fear stop you as you will find there is nothing to fear anyway.

I have the most wonderful memories of feeding DD. We managed for 11months and it was beautiful. There would be many times when I would watch her feed from me and have her look up at me with those big eyes and smile that milky smile. I have a tear of happiness just thinking about it...

You may stall a couple of times when starting out like most people on their L's do, but in the long run, those few stalls that you did on those hill starts will be a distant memory as you find yourself cruising down the BF highway!

Hi Jak,

You know, the only pain I ever experienced was when I asked a mw at the hospital to help me atatch Jacob. After that I just did it myself, if it hurt, then it wasn't right, take it out, try again. REPEAT, repeat, repeat...
By day 5 when I left hospital we had it down pat and have never looked back.
I had a c sect, my milk didnt come in till I left hospital, (or that day anyway) I didn't let anything faze me, not the MW's, not my mother (can he
breathe??) not anything.

I get quite embarrassed telling people about our BFing history, because we have had it so easy, it just worked. I honestly think it had a lot to do with just trusting my body to it, I didnt give birth "naturally" so I was determined to do this one thing right, luckily I didn't have to really try.
Jacob first slept through (6 hours) at 6 weeks old.

I hope this isnt coming across the wrong way, I am trying to let you know that it can just happen, it doesn't have to hurt, itcan take a few days to get the hang of it.
I know that its a different experience for everyone, but the one thing I tell my friends who want to BF is what I did, every time the baby wakes, on the boob, sleepy? on the boob, cries? on the boob, makes a noise? on the boob...you get the picture LOL. The more they feed, the more milk you make.

I am so lazy with house work, truth be told, I couldn't think of anything worse than having to clean and sterilise all those bottles..then make them all up again... sometimes just popping my boob my boob out with one eye open at night is a chore! LOL. It can be so easy to BF, It has been for me. :)

I had 2 failed attempts with DS1 and 2 :( Due to lack of education and no good support. With DS1 he wouldn't sleep well and had "colic" so I was told formula would fix both, well it didn't he still didn't sleep through the night until he was about 2, 2 1/2. I had really sore cracked & bleeding nipples with DS2 and wasn't given any good advice on how to cope with it and gave up after about a month maybe 6 weeks. But he was a good sleeper even on the boob, and there was no difference when we switched to the bottle. I think if they're going to sleep, they're going to sleep!

Ds3 came along and I was terrified I wouldn't be able to do it. I made the decision when I was pg that I would BF and would stick with it! The determination and education helped a lot. Along with BB (I so wish I'd had BB with DS1&2!!!) I won't lie, the early days were hard with sore nipples, I decided while in hospital to ignore all the conflicting advice from each shift change of nurses and go with what I felt was going to work for us and stuck with it. I think there was only 1 nurse in there that I listened to and took her suggestions home with me. You'll know when you connect with someone that actually listens to you before giving you advice.

Anyway I think I'm raving on now. DS3 is 11 months old and we're still going strong the determination and perseverance was so worth it. It is now easy and I love it!!! :loveshower:

I think it became easy at about the 6 week mark. The first 3 were a bit tough and from there it just got easier and easier. I didn't realise how handy BF was compared to FF, I never had a drama with FF with DS1&2. But I tell you when you're up for night feeds not having to go get the bottle and warm it is awesome, and not having to take bottles when you go out it great! No washing of bottles etc is good too. Not to mention CHEAP :p

But by far the best part is the BF relationship. I love it and will be sad when it stops :(

I really hope it works out for you this time :crossfingers: I understand how you're feeling because I have been there but you can do it if you're determined. And just ignore all the negative nellies out there with their horror stories! You do do what's best for you.

:goodluck::goodluck::goodluck:

:

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There would be many times when I would watch her feed from me and have her look up at me with those big eyes and smile that milky smile. I have a tear of happiness just thinking about it...

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Me too! *insert teary/smiley face here*

Thanks ladies! You have truely made me not so scared! I had no help at the hossy and the LC's there were terrible and made me very anxious when I would see them - Im guessing all of that and an emerg c sect helped with no milk. I feeling more calm after your posts and I really do think that I CAN DO IT!!

Thanks ladies!

:hug: hun, i WISH i had of had the support of BB when i had DD1, i wasn't getting it right in hosp and constantly asked the MW for help and her response was "well how will you do this at home"... umm well thats why i'm asking.

It's not always easy but like most have said it comes with patience, asking for help and knowing your body, if it doesn't feel right, adjust bub and see how it goes.
Ask the MW a million times no matter their response until you feel like you have it right.
My milk didn't come in until 2 days after i left hosp with DD1, the poor thing choked on it, spewed it all up and i FREAKED... gone are the days where we stay in hosp until BFing is established.. don't put the added pressure on YOURSELF... aks, ask & ask again.. were here for you :)

Jakabella, I was scared I wouldn't be able to bf aswell. It was something I really wanted to do, and I think being determined to do it helped so much. I had to have an emergency c-section, so my milk was a day or so late coming in. During our first few days in hospital DS lost too much weight and had low blood sugar levels. One of the midwives kept telling me to give him formula, but I was stubborn and wanted to get bf working for us. I kept feeding, but as I only had colostrum when DS wanted milk, he'd get frustrated and hungry and would cry during feeds. A different midwife brought in an electric pump, so I expressed every 3 hours and topped up each feed with EBM. Then the bf got harder and harder with a frustrated baby, so I just gave him EBM only. This was very hard work, expressing all the time, but I continued it after we went home. I found a lactation consultant, she came to our house to help me with the feeding problems the next week, and the week after. We eventually got the hang of it, and because I didn't resort to formula my supply was great. Now I am exclusively bf, no expressing at all (except to keep an emergency supply in the freezer), and now it is so easy!!

It may be difficult to start with, like it was for me, but please don't let that make you give up. For me it took a few weeks, and now even though its only been 6 and a half weeks, it is just the best. Night feeds are so much easier, and feeding is a beautiful bonding time for us, I love it.

Congrats on your pregnancy :)

I had a couple of things that made the difference for me - one worked for the sore nipples I had at first. I was in a lot of pain and I wasn't enjoying it etc but I told myself that if I was still in the same amount of pain at 6wks then I could stop. And having that perceived 'end' to the pain gave me the strength and perseverance to keep going - because I knew there was an end in sight. And by the time we got to 6 wks I was in no more pain and was able to keep going. My darling boy is now over a year old and still a booby monster. The other thing that really helped when even my so-called 'support' person was expressing doubts about me having enough milk because he seemed to be feeding ALL THE TIME was the ABA helpline - they reassured me that it was likely just a growth spurt, and not to doubt myself. My body nurtured and grew a baby from scratch for 9 months... Why would it fail me now?

Oh and the great rule of thumb - when in doubt flop it out! Booby fixes pretty much everything except a dirty nappy!! ;)

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Oh and the great rule of thumb - when in doubt flop it out! Booby fixes pretty much everything except a dirty nappy!! ;)

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Love it! :D Agree completely!!

Hi there, I have a wonderful story for you as I now LOVE breastfeeding. If I am honest and tell the whole story it was very painful at the start but I think I know now what went wrong..... During the pregnancy I had sensitive nipples the whole time and was concerned about how I'd go breastfeeding but bub was put on the boob within 5-10 mins after birth and had a good go on each boob so was probably suckling for around 45mins. Bub knew exactly what to do and because I had all the hormones running through my body it didn't hurt at all. Over the following 24 hours we had the midwives check the attachment at each feed as I'd had it drilled into my head that if the attachment is wrong than breastfeeding can be painful and bub will have trouble feeding etc Essentially it was great to have the midwife there to check on things but one of them really ruffed up one of my nipples :crying: she was trying to hand express the colostrum. Why she was trying to do that I have no idea, maybe she thought bub was having trouble attaching and that is why we had her watching and if that were the case then yeah maybe bub being able to smell or taste the colostrum when the nipple was up on their mouth would have been a good thing. BUT it made my nipple so sore that I was traumatised each time bub was put on the nipple. Within a week my nipples were ok and I wasn't even worrying about the attachment cause bub knew what to do. My advice to anyone now would be to not let the midwives express your colostrum unless there is a real reason to because it bloom'n hurts. From what other midwives told me the majority of babies do know what to do and will find the nipple themselves if you allow them to so all the intevention isn't really necessary. I love, love, love breastfeeding now and am so glad I stuck it out with my sore nipples as it is well worth it. When my little boy looks up at me there isn't any place I'd rather be in the whole world :heartbeat:

I had 2 emergency c/s and BF both girls for over 14 months. With DD1 I was worried my milk wouldn't come in because it took 4 days and she was jaundiced and needed topping up. I had to hand express to try and get the colostrum to come in. DD1 was so little and skinny but once my milk came in and we got home things got easier and it was so easy. It never hurt at all which surprised me.

DD2 was different, my milk came in earlier but she grazed my nipples at the start with poor attachment. A visit to the LC in hospital fixed that and then she was fine. Once again I never had any issues once that was fixed. The first 6 weeks are definitely the hardest as you are learning about each other and how to work the whole BF thing so if you can stick it out for that length of time it will start to become second nature.

Hugs hun, not silly comments at all. they are you fears and you are allowed to express them xoxoxo I hope you get the amazing breastfeeding journey that you want - But just remember even if you don't, your not a failure. xoxox :hug:

You CAN do it Kate xoxoxooxoxoxo Just have faith in your baby and your boobies :) :hug:
As for missing out on time with Bella due to being stuck on the couch, that sorta doesn't really make sense. If you bottle feed the baby, you are going to still be sitting on the couch with the baby holding it for him/her aren't you?
I found with Jack that once I got the hang of breastfeeding I could pretty much walk around get on with whatever I was doing with bub in one arm while he was on the boob. With a bottle, you need one hand to hold the bub and one hand to hold the bottle.
They can even breast feed while in a sling or carrier :)

Not silly - it's good to be honest about how you're feeling, and it's quite natural under the circumstances. I think there was a lot going on during and after the birth first time round that probably affected the initiation of breastfeeding for you. Things will be different this time.

Definitely not silly, it just shows how much it means to you and how much you want it. One day at a time, feed by feed. You'll get there and it is well worth any effort. It truly is so easy once you get it all going on. I think it's good to know about possible pain and problems because IF you come across them you know it's ok and you can get past it.

1800mum2mum, babe - you can call them before the birth, too :)
I recommend reading a book called The Breastfeeding Cafe, if you can find a copy at the library, through your local ABA group library or buying a copy. Loads of anecdotes from women who breastfed under all sorts of circumstances and after varied first, second or third time experiences.
:hug:

definitely not silly! it's something you want, but you also don't want to fail - fear of failure is a huge issue in so many parts of our lives babe!

my BF journey wasn't easy to start - four days of no sleep, induction, cascade of intervention, c-sect - so i was physically exhausted etc when DD came along, and, as often happens with c/s, it took longer for my milk to come in. as a PP mentioned, if it takes a while, you may find that you have added pressure to top up with formula for a jaundiced baby, or to express to stimulate your nipples. i was adamant i didn't want to formula feed, so i went with the pump, which, due to flat nipples, left me damaged, and i'm the first to admit the first few days were painful. BUT, the night before we went home, i made the decision i wasn't pumping anymore, nothing could be as effective as DD, so i put her on the boob HEAPS over night. milk came in next morning (i think taking the stress of expressing and formula off the table helped - a lot of the BF let down comes from a hormonal/emotional response - it helped)

anyway, once we got home, it became much easier - our space, we could work together and just chill and let it work. i did a LOT of baby led attachment which helped heaps - no shoving the booby in her gob - i let her find it and draw it out

we hit 18 months next week - exclusive BF for 6 months, then baby led solids/weaning after that. DD started sleeping through (around 8 hours) at 7 weeks-ish. she wasn't a great sleeper during the day, but we had a lot of upheaval with DH home, then away, then home cos of his job, and i think that messed her up a bit now knowing who was going to be there during the day - but she was a great night sleeper for ages (not so much now - but teething and then getting sick and moving and getting sick again has messed that up a bit!).

i was petrified to BF. my body had failed me in every other way, and i guess i assumed it was going to fail again. but at the same time, i was determined it WAS going to happen just so i could say i'd done at least ONE thing right. when the head middie started pushing the formula line i was devastated and i guess i had a split second to decide if i was going to cave or i was going to fight, and instinct told me to fight (til she walked out of the room, and i broke down completely lol). but after all that, 18 months on we're still going strong!



if you want this to happen, continue doing what you're doing - talk it through, find your support. i have to thank one friend who, no matter the time, was there with a "you CAN do this" text when i was feeling low about it all. it was hard work, i won't lie, but it was worth the effort

Thanks everyone for your words of support. I really had a bit of a freak out today in regards to it all - birth, feeding and life with a toddler and a newborn. I know I can do it and I will give it my all and I know that if at the end of the day I have tried all I could then thats all I can do. And that goes for my VBAC as well.

Like so many of you I was induced (for 4 days) had my waters broken, had Synto, posterior bub with her head stuck, failure to progress and ended with a emerg c-sect. Bella was also jandice and sleepy and wasnt really interested in sucking for a few days - so the MW and the LC's would grab my boobs and prob and pry - then I was hooked up to a elect pump evey 2 hrs for days and still not a drop - I have to say when it came feed time I was SO stressed! And after 3 days bella had not had a feed so we went with formula as I felt like I was starving her!

I have never really put all these factors together before and I now reliese that stress and fear probably caused me not to get my milk in... I had appointments with the LC's after I got home and the thought of going through all that again bought me to tears to I didn't go... I FF instead. OMG - I really think thats why no milk... thats a huge lightbulb moment for me just now....

it's common for milk to not come in early after a c/s hun. it's common for stress/outside factors to impact milk. my milk supply changed dramatically with all the stress we've had going on lately. it's really frustrating cos i know what is causing it, but i can't change it. i just let DD feed when she wants to - every feed will boost your supply

i had the "pump every two hours" thing in hospital - and i couldn't bear it. i was getting 2-5ml at best. i ended up refusing to pump and decided to put DD on the breast every 2 hours - DH helped to settle her so i had that support overnight - butt it was less painful having her on there, and my milk came in because, i believe, i had that close contact with her all night. i was dripping like a tap by 10am that next morning.



i would suggest you find someone you are comfortable with that will support and encourage you. someone that can take the "i can't do this" messages at any time. someone that you trust to say "yeah you can, have you tried this? can you do that" - yeah, in an ideal world we'd all have a lactation consultant we trust but we don't live in an ideal world. The LC i dealt with was rude and i swore i'd never go to the "day stay program" while she was part of it lol. make sure your DH is on the same page with BF because, for a while, you will need more support. you can't just ask him to feed your new bub, it's all on you - and you will need him to step up. you need him to understand, from an emotional standpoint, how important this is to you. you FF Isabella, and it is likely he will suggest FF if you are struggling - why is it different for THIS baby - so you need him to know it's not just about the BF positives for your baby, it's about YOU, and YOU deserve to be supported in that choice

good luck hun

It isn't always hard.


I had slightly grazed nipples for the first 3 days I was home.
That's it.
No supply issues
No mastitis - ever
No blood and pain
No fuss

I fed Charlotte for 2 years and 8 months.
And I had a cs.

:hug:
Not trying upset anyone who had it tough either just my experience.

It is t always hard and until you need to that bridge do yourself a HUGE favor and assume it will be as easy for you as it was for me. Otherwise you may very well be setting yourself up to have it tough, self fullfilling prophecy and all that ;)

:hug:

:hug: I could have written that opening post myself! I had a horrible time first time round in attempting to BF and due to lack of support etc. I gave up... 2nd time round, I was so so scared to try again and fail, that I just went straight to FF. :hug:

It's perfectly ok for you to express your fears and I hear you loud and clear! I wish you all the best for your BF journey next time round!

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Hi Jak,

You know, the only pain I ever experienced was when I asked a mw at the hospital to help me atatch Jacob. After that I just did it myself, if it hurt, then it wasn't right, take it out, try again. REPEAT, repeat, repeat...
By day 5 when I left hospital we had it down pat and have never looked back. It can be so easy to BF, It has been for me. :)

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This is my story too. I found breastfeeding incredibly easy so I hope that this gives you some hope! :)

Honestly, I think you got some pretty bum advice and help at the hospital. Are you going to the same place? You know heaps more now anyway and with any luck you'll have an entirely different birth experience (in a good way I mean) which can only help.
If you line up some good real-life support (so obviously not those people who shoved your boobs around etc last time) then you'll already be a few steps ahead. Plus you have an online cheer squad standing ready too.

So firstly, ignore all stories you hear from those who didn't or weren't able to BF their babies. You need to only surround yourself with positive stories okay? ;)

Yes, BF at first can be very hard for some women, for me it was REALLY hard....it took us 3-4mths of challenges before BF was finally established. I was determined to BF my beautiful DD as I knew what the benefits to herself and me would be.(you might remember my story) BUT, you need to know that if you do encounter difficulties, the majority of the time, they CAN be overcome with the right SUPPORT, INFORMATION and HELP.

For the majority of women, BF is only a bit tricky in the first few weeks, then it becomes so much easier!!! I used to BF DD as a young baby while making phone calls or making dinner etc, you can do so much while BF them still!!! ;)

Get in touch with a local IBCLC and get familiar with her while you are pregnant. I am getting in touch with mine very soon as I realise I may need her help once bub comes.

Go to your local ABA breastfeeding class. Very valuable. Start going to breastfeeding meetings in your local group.....pregnant women are more than welcome!! (and yes, even if you FF in the past!!).

Just know you CAN do it. Think about when you travel how EASY it will be you only have to bring YOURSELF....no bottles, formula, sterilising stuff..... just YOU!

It's very few women, even with support and info etc, that actually physically cannot BF. (something like 3-5% of the population, if that).

:hug:

My 1st atempt was a failure after 7 weeks as DD1 couldnt latch properly and I had mastitis for the 3rd time so I gave it up as a bad joke.
My 2nd atempt was a dream come true DD2 latched on strait after birth and I had no pain she just knew what she was doing.

I'm not going to share my BF experience with DD1 with you, because it's not what you want to hear right now. I only wanted to post to let you know that your reaction at the moment is totally normal, I feel exactly the same way. I am not even pregnant and I am already fearing going back to hospital with BF related issues. This time will be different... different baby, different delivery, different support people. You are probably going to be very proud of yourself in 6 months time when you look back at how well you did BF second time around :D.

Sweetie, let me tell you my experience.

With my DS he was a hard labour/birth which resulted in being separated from him for 2 days and I didn't know any better to dig my heels in. Needless to say I had supply issues from the start, and the moment I had a cracked nipple my mother shouted for me to bottle feed - I didn't question the now obvious things like attachment etc......she had only fed my brother for 2 weeks and I was put straight onto bottles - so I didn't think to doubt her. Most of my friends whined that their babies didn't "sleep through" until formula was introduced so for me it felt the obvious choice.

I regretted it so much when he was about 4 months old but again didn't think to change things, so let it go.

I got pregnant with my DD and was desperate to give her what I didn't give my son. Actually, obsessive was a better way to put it. I advocated my natural birth, got it - never let her leave my sight and co-slept with her for the first month to make sure she had access to feeds whenever she wanted it!! My DH moved out of our room for that month and helped me immensley with our DS......he knew how much I wanted this.

At the end of the first week I had a bout of mastitis - not realising how important it is to check for lumps in the early days and make sure you rub them out so they don't turn nasty. Stayed in bed with DD a few days and was over it.

I hired an LC and made sure her latch was spot on and I can honestly say it was "uncomfortable" for the first 3 or so weeks and then after that a piece of cake.

Supply was nuts until about 7 weeks and then it settled down and I stopped getting engorged etc and by 3 months we were smooth sailing.

We had a setback at around 4 months when I STUPIDLY doubted my supply and started comping - nearly lost our relationship. But with the support of Barb Glare and an LC we got it sorted in around 3 weeks and we are now 9 MONTHS down the track and we are going so so strong that I think weaning will be self led and I don't care if she's 30 LOL

Honey, in all that I've learned there are 4 main things to remember:

1) NEVER doubt yourself, your baby or your supply. There's this weird little bond that goes between your boobs and your baby - and sadly, you don't have much control over it LOL

2) When everything seems too hard or there are too many bumps in the road - DON'T ACT ON IT until you've consulted the ABA or an LC......honestly, these people are worth their weight in gold

3) Enjoy whatever you offer your baby. If you go for 2 months and decide you've had enough - be proud of the 2 months you've given bub provided YOU are ready to wean. Most times it's permanent, so don't make the decision in haste. If you want to go longer, blow off the negativity you may get from people when you're seen feeding an "older" baby. Bugger the world, this is about you and your baby.

4) Don't ever feel guilty for what you have/haven't given your first or subsequent baby. I had terrible guilt for not fighting harder to BF my DS son - but I can't change it.

I hope that helps love, and we are all here if you ever need it xx

i don't think they're silly comments at all! it's just honestly how you're feeling.

our journey has been pretty stress-free in hindsight. early on i was incredibly stressed - but part of that was not being educated quite enough & also being a bit of a freaked-out first time mum with raging hormones :lol:

i've never had supply issues, mastitis, grazing....i've had sore nipples a couple of times but, for me, lanisoh has cleared it up between feeds - even when the feeds were every 2 hours, 24 hours a day.

actually, i'm quite embarassed about a couple of threads i started early on. what a stress head :redface:

wishing you all the best for a happy & successful BFing journey with your LO - however long it may be :hug:

I can't say I ever 'loved' bfing, but I sure loved the convenience!

The LC at the hospital where I went with DD explained that the ease of feeding methods was like a graph:

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|_________________________
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|_________________________
Bottlefeeding - same all the time

|__
| \____
|_______\_________________
Breastfeeding - can start off with more difficulty, but becomes much, much easier in time. The time will vary from one mother and baby pair to another.

TBH I had a very easy start with DD and when we did come up against a couple of challenges (I had mastitis multiple times - but that was over an 18 mth period) it made it much easier to get past those, because 99.9% of the time it was no fuss, no cost, easy and convenient! Plus, I did think that the few issues I had were worth it to prevent possible issues for DD, both in the short and longer term, because of the benefits to her of bfing.

I was petrified I'd have issues with bfing DD and I have no idea why - so don't feel silly for saying that, especially since you know you did have issues first time around. :hug:

Thanks everyone fir taking time to reply! You have all given me so much hope and I'm only a lil bit scared now!
I love BB xo

I struggled with BF DS and in the end for many reasons went to formula. My biggest fear was going through all that stress again with DD to end up with formula again. We had our ups and downs but honestly it was easier the second time around, I had more confidence the second time around, the first time I was a new mum and had no idea what I was doing which I think made the breast feeding fears worse.

I don't really know how to explain it but with DS there were a gazillion things to worry about, how do I bath a baby, change a nappy, put them to sleep and so on but with the second DD I already knew all that so I could put all my energy into making breast feeding work. I hope that makes sense.

I was in the exact same position two years ago, my DS was born in 2005 after a very long labour & emergency c/section. My body shut down & went into repair mode & didn't produce any milk for him at all. In 2008, I had my daughter in better circumstances (though it was another emergency c/section) and we did really well, breastfeeding exclusively for 8 months and with solids until 15 months.

I thought bottle feeding was easy as well & wondered what the fuss was about, but breastfeeding is easy too. No worrying about organising bottles, washing, warming milk when out of the house etc, it's all there ready to go :)

Let me tell you though, something that is super important is getting bub to the breast as soon as possible. I know everyone says it but from my experience it is absolutely true. After my traumatic labour I forgot with DS, he was born at 1.30am and I think the first time we tried to breastfeed was at 5pm that night, after he had a million heel pr!cks to check his sugar levels. When DD was born, even though she went to special care & I was in recovery for 2 hours due to PPH, we breastfeed about 3 hours after birth. I often wonder if that made the biggest difference between the two....

Good luck, the first experience doesn't necessarily dictate what will happen the second time.

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Let me tell you though, something that is super important is getting bub to the breast as soon as possible.

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You know i think it's 100% right. DD1 wasn't on the breast until well after we had the ambulance ride to hosp and i found it hard for her to attach and although we DID BF for roughly 5mths i found it's been a lot more of an expereicne this time round, DD2 was STRAIGHT on my chest and she kidn of found her own way to my boob, she laid there sucking for over 30min all on her own... maybe thats why she's sucha pig now.