Failed last time - want to try again

With Georgia-Mae before birth i was really encourged to breast feed.

So we decided best for mum. baby and our pockets.

I gave birth at 07.50 in the morning and breastfed throughout the day, i decided to stay overnight in hospital so DP would be more beneficial when we returned home. Bbay woke at 2am in the morning and a MW took baby away and fed her a bottle (much to my disgust, upset and annoyance). I was told baby had woken as i was not feeding her enough. Then because baby did not feed off the bottle well enough and then sleep i was given her straight back and the MW left me to it (personally i think babes had slept enough throughout the day and this was her 'wakey' time). This knocked my confidence for six as all other mothers on the ward were bottle feeding and i was just left to 'figure out' what i was doing. I struggled for 4/5 weeks wth no help from HV/MW and finally gave up and put her on a bottle.

I am in a different area now and have been told by new MW that they will assist in every way and even have a 'breastfeeding officer' who comes out to help you at any stage, any time day or night. I feel that what seems as though the most natural thing in the world is becoming once again quite daunting.

Am i right wanting to try again?

my story is similar to yours

i finally gave in after 3 months, plus i was told i had to stop to take anti biotics for my bad skin (but ive found out since that you can take them whst breast feeding )

im feeling much more determined this time round, im gonna feed often and get support because i know that not everyone takes to it like a duck to water - most people need some help/advice

im currently reading a nct breast feeding book from library and i know of two breastfeeding meetings in my area that i can go along to

plus since learning that a newborns tummy is the size of a walnut i feel alot more relaxed about why baby didn't feed too much in the begginning

I totally understand. It is a huge decision to make and ultimately it's you that goes through it and it can be so difficult.
With my first I breastfed for 2 days then my nipples were so sore cracked bleeding, even the light brush of a t-shirt on them made me cry in pain and looking back I'm sure it's because I wasn't shown properly how to latch DD on and it was so bad I put her on to bottle feeds after 2 days.
With my second I was so much more determined but after 6 days I was having some issues (medical) and my midwife said she would speak to the breast feeding advisor for me and ring me back later that day as she was unsure if I should be breast feeding or not. Well she never phoned me that day or the next! 3 days later she phoned to let me know that it would be ok for me to breast feed, but by this time I had become so worried and upset that I had stopped brest feeding and gone onto bottle. Then I felt so upset because it hadn't worked out how I hoped and I felt let down again by MW lack of support. Where I live there seems to be an attitude of, "If it's not your first baby you know what to do so get on with it". When I had my second the midwife didn't even come to see me my first day at home, she just rang up and said would I be ok, as she couldn't see the point in coming out to me unless there was an actual problem-talk about patient care
Anyway my point is go for it if you want to and ring that breast feeding line morning noon and night if it helps you. Good luck.

I am going to try to breastfed. I heve heard that you can get much help now.

Jasmine wouldn't take to the breast as she was premature so I expressed for her for 3 months but also did use some formula.

This time I want to try again. Fingers crossed it will work out but I'm prepared to express again if necessary. I'll try and go with the flow

They have some great support now for breastfeeding. Try your local NCT or hospital as they all now seem to have breastfeeding 'counsellors' on call to help you out in those first few difficult weeks.

Good luck hon

I really wanted to BF George, but he was tube fed his first feed while in special care, so not a great start.

I was on transitional care because I was transfered from home, so the mw's were really understanding on there, a lot of other mums had babies in special care and needed extra help with bfeeding. One mw said my supply was fantastic but George was lazy, he was expecting my to 'milk' it in his mouth for him. He latched on a few times but wouldn't suck. I gave up in the hospital, but the mw asked me to keep trying at home and express as much as I could. He did latch on once more and had a good feed and I managed to half express and half formula feed until he was 3 weeks old, but I had no help at all when I left hospital.

I was very low after having George so I didn't go out as much as I should have, and passed up a great opportunity to go to a breastfeeding 'cafe' which was in the area, I'm pretty sure I would have had plenty of help there. My friend got in touch with a breastfeeding counsellor when she had her LO and recommends it.

you are right to keep trying - its the best possible start you can give your baby. I breastfed all 3 of mine, although its hard work its well worth it.

Good luck x

I have the same story, my first time was terrible

but I deciedd to try agian with DS2 and I did really well and BF until 14 months

Good Luck

I was so lucky with Aaralyn because I had such a supportive team at the hospital while we were there and even after we went home... I know it helped that we were in the hospital for 10 days and the nurses who were the "lactose specialists" were so encouraging. Aaralyn didn't latch on until a week or so after we came home but I was determined to not give up and just kept pumping until she did. Once she did, my boobs were in excruciating pain because I was feeding her too much, because she was colicky and I thought she was always hungry. Still with encouragement from the nurses who called to check on me after we left the hospital, we finally got a good routine going with it.

Try not to be discouraged this time if you really have your heart set on breastfeeding. But if it doesn't work out, know that you tried and you're still a great mum whether is formula fed or breastfed. Hopefully you'll be lucky enough to have a great medical team like I did too, I don't know that I would have followed through with out their help.

go for it. I would try again if I ever had another..

Thanks so much for your stories and advice Ladies.

My plan is to breastfeed and insist on gettign as much help via mw and hv as i can! Afterall, all of the surgeries and hospital areas are covered with posters advertising this - so i think it's about time they blummin lived up to what they preach and start helping...

A midwife told my sister she could not breastfeed as her milk wasn't in on the day of her daughters birth, a prime example of a midwife without a brain. Her daughter will be one in April, she is still exclusively breastfed, she also exclusively breastfed my daughter until august and donates breastmilk. With the comments about nipples being sore, hers still bleed and crack, but it is worth it.

Dont stop breast feeding. Its very healthy for the baby..

Go for it hun. I've managed this time perfectly well with Sophie and 3+ months on I'm still at it

I'm quite proud of myself

Good on you! Altho some HV are all to willing to let breastfeeding slide I managed until 4months and so glad I did. In fact breastfeeding was so much easier than this weaning stage

Kristag that is fab - way to go!!!!