breastfeeding questions please?

Question

is breastfeeding easier the second time around with your next baby? did u find breastfeeding difficult? i bottlefed my first child,my son was breastfed for 1 month but didnt go too well,latching on was a problem,and other issues that i wasnt able to maintain. i wanna breastfeed this baby (22 weeks pregnant) but dont want the same thing to hapen again.too stressful.

Answer 1

You can do it!!!
Attend your local La Leche League Meetings (so you can hear others real life breastfeeding experiences)and read a few good Books.
My personal favorites are :
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League
The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers, authors Jack Newman and Teresa Pitman
The breastfeeding book by Dr Sears.

http://www.drjacknewman.com/

Answer 2

Your best bet is to get familiar right now with some people at La Leche League who can help you when your baby is born. Some women (and babies) have no trouble at all, others have lots of problems. Also, it varies by child, so you could have an easy time of it this time around.

I breastfed my first child for 11 months (only stopped because I was pregnant and my milk dried up). She latched on with no problems at all within an hour of her c-section birth and we really didn't have any problems. I was a little engorged when my milk fist came in, but I never had any nipple pain, mastitis, or supply issues (until I fell pregnant of course).

My second child also latched on perfectly less than an hour after birth (another c-section) and has never had a problem with his latch, so I've never had nipple pain. But I have had recurrent cases of mastitis (about 14 full-blown cases so far, but mastitis-free for three months right now). I don't know why I keep getting it, even my ob-gyn is confused. But I am persevering and my son is nearly 15 months old. He is very healthy and happy and I am thrilled that I have been able to provide for him for this long (of course he also gets sippy cups and solids).

Don't expect to remember everything the second time around. I could not believe how much I forgot about what I was supposed to do with a newborn, and my children are only 19 months apart! It will feel a lot like being a new mother all over again, but that's okay because every baby is different and needs individualized attention, anyway.

I put a few links at the bottom about latch to help you get your baby latched on well after giving birth. It will help if you do not allow pacifiers or bottles of any kind in the hospital -- your colostrum is all your baby needs anyway. Also, I put the link for Kellymom down there. Kellymom is a fantastic website for breastfeeding mothers, you can find answers to any question at all on that website and it is all very well researched. There are four different pages full of breastfeeding myths that you should really read up on, it is very enlightening.

Good luck and congratulations!

Answer 3

For me it was so much easier the second time, but the first time was really hard. You need support. Find a La Leche League group or a similar group. I attended a breastfeeding support group that was sponsored by my WIC office, and it was great! Stay away from anyone who has a history of pushing formula and bottles. Find a lactation consultant and start hanging out with a woman who had good breastfeeding success. Heck, email me if you want! It's important to stay away from anyone who thinks that you should give baby a bottle. It's so hard to find good support in a world where most women do use bottles. It is so important to surround yourself by people who have been through all the difficulty, pain and disapproval and emerged victorious! I believe that you can do it!

Answer 4

The hospital your going to should have lactation consultants on hand, they HELP so MUCH! I made a few trips back to the hospital the first month of my dd's life, lol..and the lactation consultants fixed so many issues I was having:) It is VERY stressful, I wont deny that at all...but if you can just hang in there and try your hardest..it is all so worth it in the end!

A few tips..but there is so much more to it then this:
- it should never hurt when baby latches on or when he/she is on
- your diet is so important with how well you keep your milk supply up, lots of water, dairy, ya know...all the good things for you
- there are so many foods that cause gas in your infant...cabbage for one, I had to learn that the hard way on the first night at the hospital
- research and watch video's on breastfeeding, it can teach you so much
- the only breast pump I'd ever recommend if NEEDED...is the manual. Electric ones rarely help keep your supply up, they just make it worse I believe. Nothing is near the power or same intensity of your childs "sucking" strength, lol

Good luck and try, at least you'll be proud you attempted it:)

Answer 5

I found it much, much easier the second time around. Mostly it was because I wasn't as panicked about everything. I knew that my baby didn't need a whole lot of milk during the first couple of days. I had learned that if he totally freaked out, I should stop trying to nurse and hold him close until he calmed down a bit, then try again instead of getting frantic when he wouldn't latch right away. I was patient enough to force him to latch on properly to spare myself serious pain. And, most of all, I knew that giving a bottle if I really needed to wasn't the end of the world and nothing to get hysterical about, as I did with my first.

You know the problems you had the first time around. See if you can get an appointment with a lactation consultant right away, and explain to her what happened with your first baby, so she will be able to give you tips about making it work this time around.

Good luck!

Answer 6

It was much easier. I only did it 4 months the first time around, I had twins that were preemies and couldn't latch on so I pumped until I couldn't keep up with them and they were taking in more formula anyway. The second latched on immediately after birth. He had no problems at all. The third, I had IV pain killers that got in his system (epidurals don't but the IV type do.) He was a bit drowsy the first day but the second day he latched on just fine. I never had another problem until now - 12 months weaning time.

Answer 7

well i cant say its easier the second tI'me but im hoping its easier the third. i tried to breastfeed with my first but we just couldn't get it. Between the not having enough milk, the latching and my nerves i ended up pumping for the first 4 months with my first. Then with my second he was such a big boy (9 1/2 lbs) and he had such a appetite that i had to start supplementing him at like 3 weeks and once he started to get the bottle he would not go back to my breast. I'm 9 months pregnant right now (the doctor is guessing the baby is only 7 1/2 lbs)and I'm hoping that this time it will work.
good luck

Answer 8

same her. First daughter (she is now 7) breastfeeding was hard-- she didnt latch well- my nipples got sooo sore, so i started supplementing with a bottle - next thing i know my milk supply was GONE. i only was able to breastfeed for like 3 weeks.
I just had another girl 6 weeks ago and i am exclusively still breastfeeding her- havent had to giver her a bottle yet and havent had any issues with milk supply.
After i had her- i was in the room alone and just nursed her- and it has all worked out perfect. i ahvent had one sore nipple yet. Now that i think about it- makes me proud to know i could just nurse her- and didnt have to have a nurse or someone come show me how- i just did it this time around and after a few days we found what works best for us (ie position/holds) and things couldnt be going better.
GOOD LUCK to you- i think it gets easier =)

Answer 9

I feel you - my breastfeeding experience lasted like 3 weeks but the latching was messed up and my milk ended up going away. Make sure you have a really good hospital-grade pump (Ameda makes a great one) on hand and pump after your baby is done feeding to fully empty your breasts. Frequecy of pumping is more important than the length of time you are pumping, because think of it like when the baby gets older and wants to eat more, it's going to eat more than it is now, so pump even when the baby is sleeping, and it will help your milk supply flourish! If you need some for real advice, call someone who is a member of the La Leche League, just go to their website and look up someone who is close to you and give them a call. I know sometimes they are crazy, but they really know their stuff. Seriously.

Answer 10

It was easier but I still had a few problems. I did not leave the hospital the 2nd time without seeing the lactation consultant about 4 or 5 times trying to get her to latch on. and nurses too. everyone else had to do it everytime she ate but I was determined to do it and finally figured it out! also dont give a bottle, if they are still hungry and you need to supplement with formula use a syringe.
by the time we left the hospital we had no problems and it is so much easier than having to pump and bottle fed, or even bottle fed.
just make them help you and bug the heck out of the lactation consultant before you leave the hospital