prepping to nurse baby #2?

[snoopy5386]

Is anyone doing anything to prep for nursing baby #2 or 3, or 4? I nursed DD for almost 3 years, we weaned a month before her birthday this past March, so I have lots of experience. But nursing a toddler and nursing a newborn are two totally different things and it will have been 4 years since I nursed a newborn. Will it all come back to me? Or should I take breastfeeding class again? Read some books? Is anyone else doing anything?

[dogmom327]

I was amazed at how easy #2 was. With #1 we were both learning. With #2 I felt like I knew what I was doing and could guide her. It felt so natural the second time around.

[EmilyG]

i nursed my first for 18 months and it was a breeze from the start. This time around I had a lot of trouble in the beginning, DD#2 had a really high palate and getting her latched on was such a struggle and so frustrating. Even 8 weeks in we were still struggling. I was so glad I'd had a good experience the first time around to encourage me to power through that time, I'm so glad she was my second or I'd probably have given up on nursing her. I can now see how first time moms can give up! She's now almost 5 months old and nursing great though.

So I think it all comes back and there is no need for classes, but each baby is so different, it can never hurt.

[HoosierDiaperinMama]

For me it had been almost 8 yrs., so I refreshed my copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

[cmhermes]

I second reading The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. My girls are only 17 months apart, but world apart in how they nursed at the beginning. I was very lucky with my 1st. She latched right away. Slept 3-4 hours until about 3 months and STTN (5-6 hrs). We had the initial 6 weeks of learning, but she was born to nurse!

My LO was much different. Nipple confusion, nursing every 1.5 hrs until nearly 8 months and then still nursed all night long. It was a completely different experience. One I didn't anticipate, either. I really thought she'd be just like her sister (boy was I wrong-she's nothing like her sister in anything) I think you have an advantage by asking all these questions! Just the knowlege of knowing it may be different is good. I'd also read up on a good latch, too. I hadn't realized the lazyiness in my toddlers latch until I was teavhing a newborn to do it properly!