Breastfeeding Need Some Hope

It has not happened to me. I feel like I have been super lucky with both mine (if only I could get my second one to stop now) and I hope you have the same with your third. I know it must be so frustrating. However, if it doesn't work again for some reason, don't beat your self up over it. You tried! That's what counts. The best mom is a happy mom. I'm sure you will have an easier time this time, though. No baby nurses the same...I know mine have been night and day when it came to nursing them.

Good luck!!!!

my first was very difficult to latch... and later a biter...
my 2nd seemed like a pro.

YES, it can be done. Several moms I know have done it successfully, and so have I (and, really, if I can do it, I have no doubt that you can!). My first two, I breastfed for about 6 weeks, but trying to pump while working flexible hours at my job was next to impossible, so I gave up on it. For my third and fourth children, I was able to be a stay-at-home-mom (still am), and that made things much easier--I nursed them both longer than the first two. My fifth was different, as she had her own early difficulties (none now, thank goodness) that made breastfeeding too difficult for me with 4 other children to tend to, so we went with bottle feeding (although I'm considering switching back when she's three months old).
Every baby is different, so don't assume that it won't work just because it didn't with the first two. Classes and support from others will really help!
Check out La Leche League, too. They have a very helpful website! Nursing should generally not hurt after the first few days--I'm so sorry you had to go through 6 weeks of pain with your second, when there was probably an easy solution! If nursing hurts this time around, please ask for help or check the LLL site to see if you can find a solution--don't suffer in silence, you poor thing!
Good luck and God bless!
--A.

My first set of twins didn't nurse. I tried and they tried and we just couldn't work it out. My second set however, were awesome. They latched right away and we just went from there. It did hurt like HECK for the first week or so, but I put that lanolin cream on them and we made it through.

I've breastfed all four of my children for 9-24 mnths. I'm about to have my 5th also. Here are the things that helped me. It hurt me bad at first but lanolin cream really helped me. They nursed better if I didn't supplement or pump (there were a couple of situations where I had to pump but it was only temporary.) My girls struggled more than my boys in the beginning but I kept it up and kept working with me. Once in a while they would bite me but I nipped it pretty quickly so it wouldn't become a habit. Some were easier than others but for the most part these are my little tricks that I learned along the way! I hope this helps. Good luck and congratulations!

I have three children and tried to nurse all of them. My first got frustrated and I didn't know what I was doing, so she was done at around 8 weeks when I went back to work. With my second, he did better, but got sick and was done by 6 months. I now have a 14 month old and I can't get him to stop! I had a lot of pain at first due to nerve damage, but went to see a lactation consultant at the hospital. She was great. They are an amazing resource! Good luck!

I was unable to successfully breastfeed my premature twins...but determined to do so with my third child. He was born with oral apraxia (a condition that makes it difficult for him to control his mouth movements), although we didn't know it at the time, but between my determination and the help of a lactation consultant, I was able to breastfeed him for 13 months with no supplementation. You can do it! Take the class at the hospital and keep a lactation consultant's number handy. I was so glad that I stuck with it.

Good luck!
J.

I agree find some support in your area. Maybe even when you first have the baby talk to the lacation nurse right away about your concerns so they can help you get started. My first was preemie so I had to pump from the start with my 2nd she lost too much weight so the lacation nurse was in on day 3. If I would have know more I would have asked to see her right away, but I didn't have the experience of nursing from day one! Invest in or rent a Medella pump to get the most. Good luck to you and your baby!!!

Hi H.,

I have the exact same story! There are some people that "naturally" know how to do this and experience very few problems...unfortunately, I was not one of them! With my first child, she had a terrible case of thrush which she passed onto me. My nipples were cracked/bleeding but I kept at it because I wanted to breastfeed. At around six weeks, I just couldn't take it anymore and quit breasfeeding her. With my second, I was so scared to try it again, I didn't even make an attempt. By my third baby, I was determined to make it work. I didn't have any educational support around the first two times but before having my third daughter, I enrolled in a breastfeeding class through the hospital. What a difference that made! I successfully nursed her for eight months, the same with my fourth baby. I credit my success to 1) taking the class 2) having a support system through my family/friends. Read everything you can get your hands on, talk to other mom's who have successfully breastfed their babies, call your local LeLeche League/Milkworks (breastfeeding support group) for some excellent advice.

You can do this! It is all about education! Good luck!

C.

I could not nurse my first, they would not latch on. But I did pump until they were 9 months old. For my fourth, I am trying to get her to stop. She uses me for comfort more than anything else and she will be 2 soon. I will say that around the 4 to 6 week mark, I did have pain since it was "new" and the thought of nursing her was just not happening. I pumped and she got a bottle for a few feedings. But the pain did go away. Keep that in mind. I would put cool cloths and cream to relieve the pain a bit and kept telling myself it woudl get better and i really wanted it to work. I did not ahve any of th eproblems that I have heard other moms have with Mastitis or anything like that. A clogged duct here or there solved with warm showers and cloths but that was it.

Do not be scared - be confident and calm! A calm mommy makes for easier milk let down and an easier nurser.

Nurse soon after delivery (even if by c-section). Unswaddle the baby and have plenty of skin to skin contact. Nurse on demand and as often as the baby wants (AT LEAST every 2 hrs). Have the pediatrician check for a short frenulum (tongue tie) while in the hospital if nursing seems painful or the baby seems to fuss a lot at the breast.

I highly recommend Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter before you deliver and after each feeding for the first few weeks of life. I think it is far superior to Lansinoh and I know many doulas who use it.

Join a boobie-moms club (feel free to join ours on facebook - Cape Cod Breastfeeding Moms). They offer a wealth of support and help and have an amazing group of ladies (some even nurse exclusively on one breast because they survived cancer, some nurse toddlers and newborns at the same time, some exclusively nurse twins - till they are almost 2!!!).

And, I suggest reading the breastfeeding pages on http://www.mymammasmilk.com, especially the Tips page and Myths page (I will link below).

You have superpowers!!! Be confident and find other LONG TERM nursing moms (join our nutty group!)

Here is the myth's page: http://www.mymammasmilk.com/BreastfeedingMyths.html

Here is the Tips Page: http://www.mymammasmilk.com/NursingTips.html

what i would tell you is to NOT make any stressful life changes when having a baby! i dont know why you would move both times right before or after having a baby. talk about having stress!

the other thing i would suggest is to find a local or nearby la leche league group or leader to talk to for support.
whatever you do trust your body to do its job without interference from you. you have to relax and trust that it will work. i have heard of several women who had completely different experiences breastfeeding with each kid. its possible to breastfeed this time regardless of your previous attempts. wipe the slate clean and start fresh with this one, dont move, dont overthink it, dont stress. stress in itself can halt milk production and especially let down.

anyway. www.llli.org. find a nearby leader!

My first baby never took to nursing much to my dismay. I had never even considered Plan B, but my daughter was perfectly healthy anyway and in fact, I was just talking about that with my mom the other day.
My second baby......completely different story. He loved the boobie.
My mom told me that my little sister wouldn't nurse either and I never really knew that. So, it does happen, but that's not to say you can't be successful this time. Both my kids are living proof.
I think you need to relax some about it and don't think about any of the past stuff. New baby, new experience.

I wish you the best.

It can be done :) And you can do it ! Good for You to be willing to try again. The class will help a great deal and having a great support system makes a world of difference. Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done, especially yourself. Good Luck and Congratulations!!!!!!!!

You can do it! Breastfeeding was a failure with my first, he refused once he had the bottle at two weeks. With my second son he would breastfeed but we were packing and moving and I couldn't handle it. I was pretty nervous about feeding my third.... My third breastfed like a champ! And so did my fourth! I hope this helps!

hi when i had concerns about breast feeding i joined LaLachae league they were wonderful they helped me a lot my daughter was preemie and the hospital was not that supportive of me nursing but i did for 2 years it was hard for the first couple moths but we did it

giving your baby breast milk for one day is success. Please don't put so much pressure on yourself. Babies who are 1/2 and 1/2 breast milk and formula have been shown to receive the same benefits as babies who are fed 100% breast milk and even 5mL a day has been shown to be beneficial. It is not all or nothing. Take it one day at a time and do the best you can. I know with a mommy who cares this much your kids are going to turn out great no matter how they were fed as babies!!