Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I attempted to BF with my daughter 3 years ago and it was just too painful and I felt like I couldn't doing anything else except BF every two hours.....so I had a melt down and quit and was very upset with myself for giving up. I'd like to try try again this time around and I'm wondering how to make it easiar? Do I try a pump this time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I would love to hear some advice as well...because I failed 2 times at BF...and I have been thinking to myself do I even try a 3rd time.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I am EBF twins through mostly pumping. I will say I needed my husband to support me 100% He encouraged me when I was tired, frustrated etc. I also read online that all nursing issues can be fixed with 3 days of solid breastfeeding which made it so much more manageable. I feel like a lot of info is disseminated saying you have to be so diligent with BF'ing and yes, you do, but if you mess up it can be fixed.

I found a product called More Milk that helped me boost my supply which was a great stress releiver especially with twins. The cost savings definitely is a motivator. Bottom line is I was very committed to it and hope to be until my kids are a year at least. My advice is to say-I will BF until this day if not longer and commit to it. Good luck

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I am still BFing and Gavin is 10 months old, but I look back on those first couple of months and I think, 'How did I get through it?'

I had a lot of support, my mom, dad, and sister were over alot, so when he was nursing I wasn't alone. Because I do remember he was attached to me and at times I felt trapped and smothered. But then I thought and kept telling myself, he is my first and I have no other children and I need to cherish this time with him.

I am not sure how it will go with a toddler and a new baby. That's what I am worried about too.

For me, BF has been the most rewarding experience.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

The first 2 weeks were the hardest for me. After that my nipples felt better and I didn't want to rip them off from pain. Lansinoh ointment was a must for me! DH really helped me in being patient when I wanted to give up. He would bring me water, the ointment, food, etc.

You really need support from those around you, especially to get through the pain in the beginning. Make your wants to BF known to those around you. Let them know that if they don't want to support you that they can keep their mouths shut.

Also, La Leche helped me tremendously when I first started.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

im glad you posted this, i felt the same way...i didnt bf with my first, and wanted SOOO BADLY to do it with my second..i think like what melijane said above, i made a commitment, i knew it hurt, i knew i was frustrated, i knew my dd lost alil weight in the beginning and was having all sorts of latching problems, and insufficient milk issues, so i supplemented all day with formula after each feeding in the beginning..but i kept in my head, that soon, i was gonna get her off of it and just EBF..right now at 5 weeks, i have her ebf during the day, and having 3 formula/breastmilk bottles at nite..im trying lil by lil to lessen the amount of formula..i say give it 21 days, everyone told me that and i didnt believe it could be true, but seriously on day 21, i said to myself...omg, this is going GREAT...EVEN AFTER 20 days of misery lol
my nipples were healed, (lansinoh) she was latching better..it gets better
my advice
juat STICK WITH IT!!
GOOD LUCK

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I'm not sure how much help I can be because I feel like I was a BFing failure. I tried for 2 days in the hospital but couldn't get DD to latch right and it just hurt me so much so I went to the pump because I really wanted her to have my milk. So I pumped for 5 months, until I had to go back to work. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do this time because I again want this baby to get my milk but I think getting this baby to latch right will save me alot of work as far as cleaning bottles and supplies. But on the other hand, with my DD I was able to get her on an every 4 hour eating schedule very early and I think it was because she was taking the bottle. I am going to give BFing a try again, but if it really doesn't work, I'm going back to the pump.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I think the best thing to do is give yourself small goals to meet. I originally said I would BF for 6 months but in the first few wks I didn't think I'd get to 6 wks. I decided to lower my expectations and said, "ok, let me aim for 3 months and reevaluate it then". Once I got there it had gotten 1000000x easier. It really does take time to get over the initial pain of it and for baby to get used to nursing and better at it. Then I got to 6 months and thought I was doing well to continue. I'm almost at 11 months now - my goal is now 1 yr, if not longer.

Baby steps, really. It helps so much to take it day by day.

For the second time around, I def. plan to get a nursing wrap. i never nursed "publically" only in front of DH or my mom, it does isolate you to do this. I think I'll have to be a little better about relaxing and throwing a blanket over baby's head when the time comes for #2.

And the cream helps. You can also rub a little BM around your nipple after each nursing session - that helps too.

Good luck!!

Message edited 2/9/2009 1:37:39 PM.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I think all moms experience the same things with BF in the beginning - the sore nipples, the constant feeding around the clock - you being the sole caregiver etc etc but it does get easier and I know for me I just decided to do it and that was it. I know some moms have trouble with getting their little ones to latch on so if that happens get help immediately when you are in the hospital - insist on help from a lactation consultant.

Also I used to count to 20 each time DD latched on and I knew the pain would not go past 20 and it never did.

I used a boppy pillow and a nursing wrap and they were both fantastic to have and my most used items while she was smal.

I didn't have any help at all with my DD as my DH had to go back to work straight away and I have no family close by so it was just me and her. But that was my "job" and I just sat and fed her and I survived!!

Good luck

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I did not bf my 2 older children, but I am bfing my 3rd. It was something that I really wanted to do, but I didn't realize how hard it would be those first few weeks...it was painful, but like the others said, around week 3 it did get better.
I bought a nursing wrap, which does help when I have to feed her when I'm out beacuse she really does not take the bottle well.
I also set small goals, first it was 3 weeks, then 6 etc,. now my dd is 12 weeks old, and I do not plan on stopping any time soon.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

Well I must say it is not easy to bf. At least not at first. It can be painful and very frustrating. I am just weaning my 13month old. We nursed through a poor, shallow latch, flat nipples, poor supply, thrush and at times bleeding nipples. My mom kept saying oh just give him a bottle but I stuck to it. I have bad allergies and autoimmune issues and my dh has bad allergies. I wanted to do whatever I could to spare ds all the ear infections and medications dh and I have had to take.

Basically set small goals. first say I will bf for the first 2 weeks and then reevaluate. Then at 2 weeks try to hit 6 weeks. Most women have the hang of it and have built up tough nips by 6 weeks. It took me until 7 months to get the nursing thing down but it was so worth it. So far ds has no known allergies and has only had 1 ear infection when we started to cut back on nursing since he was a year old.

So just take it a couple weeks at a time and get Lanolin. It will help sore nips when you first start. Just remember te most important thing is a happy mommy and baby. If you can't do it you can't do it and you will have a healthy bottle fed baby instead.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

i tried with DS and the pain was unbearable and my milk was low, so the both combined was enough to make me stop at 2 weeks. but i will try again and hopefully succeed.

Re: Would like to give BF a second try....need help

I am BF my twins, and I have to say the first two weeks were ROUGH. DS had latching issues and DD would take forever to eat. I felt by the time I finished feeding them it was time to start all over again. I had many break downs and almost gave up many times, but my DH was extremely supportive. I think it helped that I talked to him about it before the babies were born - I told him breast feeding was going to be really hard and if I told him I wanted to give up, I needed him to support and encourage me, which he did. Now I am 6 weeks PP and BFing is so much easier. Both babies latch on great and feed at the same time. I supplemented with formula after every feeding for the first couple of weeks as per the ped, and they get two bottles at night now, and have never had any kind of nipple confusion.
I was pumping in those early days too, but to tell you the truth, I don't really pump any more because I find it frustating, I never really get more than an ounce from each side, which makes me scared the babies aren't getting enough - but the fact is they are gaining weight and growing, so they are getting what they need. I may never have enough to freeze and store the milk, but I know I have enough to nourish my babies.