Breastfeeding Baby 2.0
I must say, after having breastfed one baby, feeding baby #2 was easier in a lot of ways.
1. I went into labour and had a VBAC, all those good hormones helped get things rolling.
2. My milk started coming in before we left hospital less than 24 hours after birth.
3. I knew how to hand express/spoon feed from baby #1 so could leave hospital with Baby T having only had 1 good feed on the breast.
Things I did the same but had to remember:
1. Started with cream in hospital after every feeding attempt for about a month - no cracking or bleeding
2. Pumped: Had to remember what settings to use for pump... asked Lactation Consultant in hospital (12 o'clock and 2 o'clock on my Ameda pump, make sure to ask someone who has experience with your pump before just turning it on)
3. Get a proper hold and latch. Hold arm against and along baby's back to get right head position (more info here and here)
4. Used a proper chair and foot stool, espeically at the beginning: Had to take the chair out of E's room and move it into the master bedroom. I used and like this foot stool from Ikea.
Things that were different:
1. Wasn't as stressed and was able to enjoy the snuggles (and night feedings) early on more than with E (less exhausted).
2. Didn't pump as often.
3. Didn't bottle feed from birth, no top-ups required, no formula required.
4. T had a smaller mouth than E even and so did have a fair bit of pinching. Had him checked out a couple times over the first month for tongue/lip tie but everything checked out negative. Just small mouth and comparably bigger nipple. Took about 6 weeks for the squeezing to stop.
5. Actually had cluster feeding this time (yay).
6. Watched different tv shows in the middle of the night :P (Call the Midwife with E, Gilmore Girls with T).
We made it over 2 years of breastfeeding Baby 2.0 and he fully weaned shortly after Christmas 2018. I feel like the weaning process went very similar to to my first experience in that things tapered off and it felt like a fairly natural ending.
This weaning process (I didn't go away without Baby this time), I had Andrew take T downstairs right after morning diaper change and do breakfast for a couple days to create a noticeable break. After this mini "break" we resumed morning snuggles without a feeding. T's asked a couple times for milk but has easily been redirected without tears and usually some laughter.
Other blog posts I've written on breastfeeding:
A Nursing Tale (January 2014)
Emotional Side of Nursing Pt. 1 (June 2014)
Emotional Side of Nursing Pt. 2 (September 2015)
1. I went into labour and had a VBAC, all those good hormones helped get things rolling.
2. My milk started coming in before we left hospital less than 24 hours after birth.
3. I knew how to hand express/spoon feed from baby #1 so could leave hospital with Baby T having only had 1 good feed on the breast.
Things I did the same but had to remember:
1. Started with cream in hospital after every feeding attempt for about a month - no cracking or bleeding
2. Pumped: Had to remember what settings to use for pump... asked Lactation Consultant in hospital (12 o'clock and 2 o'clock on my Ameda pump, make sure to ask someone who has experience with your pump before just turning it on)
3. Get a proper hold and latch. Hold arm against and along baby's back to get right head position (more info here and here)
4. Used a proper chair and foot stool, espeically at the beginning: Had to take the chair out of E's room and move it into the master bedroom. I used and like this foot stool from Ikea.
1. Wasn't as stressed and was able to enjoy the snuggles (and night feedings) early on more than with E (less exhausted).
2. Didn't pump as often.
3. Didn't bottle feed from birth, no top-ups required, no formula required.
4. T had a smaller mouth than E even and so did have a fair bit of pinching. Had him checked out a couple times over the first month for tongue/lip tie but everything checked out negative. Just small mouth and comparably bigger nipple. Took about 6 weeks for the squeezing to stop.
5. Actually had cluster feeding this time (yay).
6. Watched different tv shows in the middle of the night :P (Call the Midwife with E, Gilmore Girls with T).
We made it over 2 years of breastfeeding Baby 2.0 and he fully weaned shortly after Christmas 2018. I feel like the weaning process went very similar to to my first experience in that things tapered off and it felt like a fairly natural ending.
This weaning process (I didn't go away without Baby this time), I had Andrew take T downstairs right after morning diaper change and do breakfast for a couple days to create a noticeable break. After this mini "break" we resumed morning snuggles without a feeding. T's asked a couple times for milk but has easily been redirected without tears and usually some laughter.
Other blog posts I've written on breastfeeding:
A Nursing Tale (January 2014)
Emotional Side of Nursing Pt. 1 (June 2014)
Emotional Side of Nursing Pt. 2 (September 2015)
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