Advice on Breastfeeding Baby number 2

[@llli*brandyjosepi]

Ok, so i am 2 weeks away from my c-section with baby number 2 . My first child i had a horrible experience in the hospital with breastfeeding and by the time i got home i just gave her a bottle. She was 9 lbs when she was born....and i tried breastfeeding and i thought that we were doing good, but milk was slow to come in. She ended up losing a pound and a half, and during the night the nurses decided that they were going to give her a bottle because of the weight loss. I wanted so badly for the breast feeding to work, but they kept making me feel like i was starving my baby, and by the time i got homw i was so stressed out, i gave up and made her a bottle and that was that. Sooooooo....here comes baby number 2, i have a backup(breastpump) just in case so i can get him the breastmilk regardless of the breastfeeding outcome. I just need some advice on what i need to do. Do i feed and pump so that if he dosent get enogh at the breast i can do that...or just try the breastfeeding and see how it goes and begin pumping if they start to threaten the formula? I want so badly to just get to breastfeed the baby. I have very large breasts and wonder if that would have made it hard.....Any advice is greatly appreciated, because i have no idea what i am doing. I am a stay at home mom and wont have to pump to go to work or anything. Thanks so much for all the advice.

[@llli*lovemygirlso1]

Well let me start of by saying YOU CAN DO IT !!! First off, no do not pump and breastfeed. That can boost your supply too much for baby and make it hard for LO to keep up and make it harder to learn how to BF. If they start to threaten formula just stick to your guns and tell them no. LO does not need it. But of course if you have absolutely no other choice you could pump but I would avoid it at all costs as giving baby a bottle so early can create nipple confusion and make bfing so much harder to learn. I'd also recommend lots of skin time and calling an IBCLC to help you learn after LO is born. Also just remember that you can do this I don't think your breast size will be a problem. It might make it a bit harder to navigate with learning. I am not sure since I am tiny hahaha. I know my sister is very large breasted though and is doing great now with her LO. Good luck and remember you have soooooo much support! Keep us updated!

[@llli*mommal]

Welcome and congratulations on baby #2! If you're determined to nurse this baby, you almost surely can. Here's what I would recommend doing to get things off on the right foot:
- Make sure your c-section is scheduled at or after 39 weeks. Babies born prior to 39 weeks are much more likely to be very sleepy, have breathing problems, and spend time in the NICU, and therefore have trouble nursing. (see http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnanc...st39weeks.html for more)
- Talk to the staff at the hospital where you plan to deliver. Make a plan for the birth that involves you being able to see and hold your baby as soon as possible. Discuss your desire to nurse your baby, and ask about how babies born via c-section are handled. Is there routine supplementation with formula or sugar water? Do they immediately give baby a pacifier? Those are things to avoid.
- Ask that the staff either not bathe the baby, or that they not wash the baby's hands. The smell of amniotic fluid on the baby's hands can help her find her way to the breast.
- Room in with your baby. When a baby rooms in with mom, it is much harder for a "helpful" nurse to slip baby a bottle of formula or a paci.
- If the baby goes to the hospital nursery, make a sign for his/her bassinet that says "I am a breastfed baby. No bottles or pacis, please. Bring me to my mom every time I cry, or every 2 hours if I don't."
- Avoid artificial nipples- bottles, pacifiers- for the first few weeks after birth. Babies suck differently on artificial nipples, and that can mess up their latching ability.
- Have the number of a good lactation consultant, preferably an IBCLC, on hand. If you run into problems, call her ASAP.
- Speak to your baby's pediatrician and the hospital pediatrician about how they would handle weight loss in a newborn. What % weight loss would be acceptable before they would recommend formula? How would they help you make sure breastfeeding got back on track?

[@llli*scienceteachermommy]

The pp has great suggestions. If you talk to your pediatrician, get his/her recommendations in writing. It will give you more ammunition to fight supplementation.

[@llli*redpowerlady]

Buy a copy of Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, read birthing section. Keep it on hand to help troubleshoot.

[@llli*magnoliahoney]

I had a simular experience with DD1. I ended up having to pump for her and never could get her to nurse. They gave her a bottle with out even asking me as well and I never could get her to take the breast after that.

With DD2, they forced a bottle on her too, but I still nursed every time. And they would tell me it wasn't doing any good, etc, and I knew that was LIES, and even told them that out loud, I got very mad when they kept on it when other women around me (we were in NICU) we listening and giving up breastfeeding too because of all their comments! I got her to breast very quickly and only had to pump for a little while with her and only because she was a preemie. If she had been full term I don't think I would of had to pump at all.

DS, he got one "cup" of formula. I went to a different hospital this time. However, he was full term but wouldn't latch on, and was having some breathing problems. Because I am diabetic they came up and took his blood glucose and said it was very low, they told me the number and it was extremely low, and you/babies can die from too low of blood sugar. The nurses asked me if I wanted to try to get him to latch again, I said yes. We tried and he wouldn't. So I said go ahead and give him formula, (I was still going to nurse him next! I just figured he was too weak from the low blood sugar) the nurse then offered if I wanted him to be cup fed or bottle fed. I said CUP! That was the only time he needed it. They cup fed him one time, and then his blood glucose went to normal he started breathing normally and he nursed from then on.

So you can do this.

I concur about getting the Womanly Art of breastfeeding, also the 7 laws of breastfeeding I thought was good too. And start going to LLL meetings, they are awesome!

Have a plan of attack worked out. Maybe one of the LLL can come to the hospital with you when you have your baby so you can have help and support? BTW, the nurses that cup fed my DS were in my LLL group! Her mother is one of my groups, leaders!

[@llli*magnoliahoney]

oh also gaining slowly and not getting milk in, could be a sign of tongue tie, it's hereditary you may want to make sure the next baby doesn't have that either if things are going arye. You would know one way by looking at the tongue and seeing if it looks like a heart (goes in in he middle).

Also is there a reason you have to have a c-section. Not that you can't nurse after one (I did with DD2 and it went fine, however the milk came in a lot slower with her then DD1 or DS), but you have the best circumstances by having a natural birth. DS was a VBAC, and we did fine.

[@llli*lasbi.modeu]

You've got great advice already but I wanted to add my 2 cents
I'm not sure how it works in the US but here in Canada most hospitals would do skin-to-skin right away, no cleaning involved. It's beneficial in facilitating breasfeeding and IMO is the most amazing experience I've ever had. My babies were put on my naked chest as soon as they came out, cord included, they cut the cord while they were laying on me, not swaddled and no diapers. With DD3 they even kept her like that for hours, they asked ME when I was ready to let them clean her (not bathe her) and put on a diaper, of course I was never ready but let them do it anyway at some point

[@llli*brandyjosepi]

Thank you all so much for the support and advice. I want to be ready when i get into the hospital so i can get things how i want. I have to have a c-section because the hospital that i use has a policy against VBAC. I wondered if the c-section made a difference in my milk coming in and i guess it does. I also now know that i can give the baby some formula in a cup, to help him to settle so breastfeeding isnt so stressful with him screaming I appreciate all the advice and it has helped me to be more confident going in.

[@llli*mommal]

I know this is totally last minute for you, but if you want a VBAC there still may be time to find a friendly hospital or provider, or to amend the "policy" at your hospital. ACOG (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynegologists) recently updated its VBAC recommendations in a way that may increase the willingness of hospitals and providers to attend VBACs- here's an article about the update: http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog...ernal-autonomy. This is not intended as a criticism of your birth choices, whether you chose them freely or were forced into them! Just a little extra information, on the outside chance that it may be helpful to you, or to someone you know.

Are you thinking that you may have to offer formula, whether by cup or some other method? In general, there should be no reason to do so, though there are specific circumstances in which it may become necessary to supplement.