Does anyone have an easy breastfeeding experience?

[herbsgirl]

I am pregnant and expecting my 5th, God willing.  I Had a good breastfeeding experience with my 1st (38 1/2 weeks) 8 lb 3 oz son, good breastfeeding experience with my 2nd daughter (38 weeks) 8 lb 6 oz. Then a really bad experience with  my 3rd son (38 weeks) 6 lbs 15 oz. Another bad experience with my daughter (38 weeks) 6 lb 5 oz.

The problems I had were weak suck, incorrect latch, refusing or uninterested in breastfeeding. It seems like the smaller the baby, the experience was bad. Scince my first two were over 8 lbs. 

I am really hoping for a good experience with breastfeeding this time. I have a natural minded midwife this time, so hoping we can avoid the induction and come more when baby is ready. 

My nipples are inverted and smallish, but come out with stimulation, and then seem to go back to flat. I am hoping to use Supple Cups.

Does anyone have positive breastfeeding experience without alot of latch problems, and baby is uninterested in eating most of the time for weeks after birth?  I could use some positive stories!

[pranava]

My DS was 7lb 9 oz, was rooting from the second he was put on my chest and latched on in less than 5 minutes.  He nursed every hour and a half from then on (till he weaned it seems like) .  He spit up a ton, but I think that's cuz he was a little glutton :)   No problems here!  He is my only and I feel very lucky to have had that experience. 

Good luck to you!  I hope you have an easy time of it.

[Bokonon]

My second was a pretty easy experience, primarily because I overcame a lot of preemie/NICU baby breastfeeding issues with my first, and knew how to avoid them the second time around.

DD was 4 lbs. at birth (34 weeks) and was born by c-section with no labor, but latched once she was assessed and cleaned up.  She had to go to the NICU afterwards and had the typical preemie jaundice and some other issues, and couldn't nurse again until she was a few days old, but she came home at 10 days old and was exclusively breastfeeding (no bottles of EBM) by 16 days.  She weaned on her second birthday.

I was VERY lucky, with both of them, that I had an ample supply and they had good latches.  It was just a matter of overcoming nipple preference.

[LilMomma83]

I don't, but, I've had several babies with those issues and they were all tongue tied, things ate getting easier with my youngest (we revised her lip and tongue ties)

[artekah]

My first had latch issues for the first couple months, which was painful--after we resolved that I had several miserable bouts with mastitis--awful! After that it was smooth sailing, although he was a huge spitter-upper when he was little. So, all things considered, relatively easy...He is almost 3 and we just weaned--bittersweet.

My second was and still is the easiest nurser you could imagine! She was nursing like a champ at 1 minute old--it was amazing! From Day 1 I had zero pain. I think she's spit up maybe 2-3 times ever. I haven't had any supply problems expect a little oversupply when she was a newborn, which resolved itself quickly.

SO easy! (Well, as easy as it can be anyway--I think breastfeeding is a lot of work even when "easy.") She is now 13 months and is a really great eater too.

[MichelleZB]

My son's been pretty easy to nurse. He came out at 7 lbs 7 oz. I did have pitocin. He latched on as soon a minute or two after birth and sucked for a long time.

I had trouble latching him on the second day, then he was fine. I had no pain or supply issues. He's 8 months old now and we're still going strong.

It can happen!

[skycheattraffic]

My DD (7lb 15oz) had a ton of mucus and wouldn't latch in the hospital. I pumped for her for 10 weeks but honestly she probably would have been back to breast in a week except that DH had a medical emergency and things were crazy. I left her with grandmas often as we dealt with DH's medical issue and once things were better I started the transition with the help of an LC. She's 17 months old now and going strong. The difficulties in the beginning weren't really due to DD or me but circumstances. Since the transition, I found BFing to be easy, enjoyable, convenient, and amazing. When I get pregnant again, I'll be much better armed to get nursing off to a good start!

[tooraloora]

I had a ton of problems with my oldest, but my breastfeeding relationship with my youngest has been great from day one. He was born at 38 weeks by c-section at 5 lbs 11oz :(, but once they finally gave him to me, he searched out my nipple and latched on immediately before I could lift a hand to help him. In his first few months, he attempted (and occasionally succeeded) to latch onto anything that would hold still, which included my shoulder and our sleeping roommate. He attempted to latch on to every friend who ever picked him up. If my nipples had been inverted and hiding under my armpits, he would have eventually found them. He turned 2 on July 29th and we're still going strong.

[herbsgirl]

Thanks for the replys. It sounds like there is a chance I could have a good experience again.  I would try to feed the baby every 3 hours or so, if they refused, pumped a bit off so I could keep my supply, then I started pumping so much, that when I would stop, my supply dwindled to nothing, one of the babies suck was so weak I think. The other baby couldnt latch properly, I was in the hospital with mastitis so I just pumped till 5 -6 weeks and then put her on formula, I also had a traumatic birth with hemmorhaging and postpartum depression majorly bad at that time.

I think both of my last two had at least partially tight frenulem, but not really tounge tie.  I have a tight frenulem, thats never been cut, but I nursed from my momma for 9 months and I dont have speech difficulty.

I think the smaller nipples that go flat also make it harder to stimulate a strong suck on an almost pre-term infant. I have hopes that the Supple Cups will elongate and enlarge my nipples and help them stay out permantly. I read to start at 37 weeks.

Also I have alot of problems with mastitis and plugged ducts, and was on 3 antibiotic courses for mastitis before going to the hospital for IV antibiotics last time ...... Ive did alot of research. (I cant take Lechithin because of depression tendencies) and if I start natural treatments at the first twinge and follow like an antibiotic protocol for 7 to 10 days I believe this can be taken care of at home. Also cranberry capsules, bromelain, and high dose and/or special probiotics. (L. fermentum, L salivarious, Reuteri) are said to help treat and/or prevent plugged ducts and mastitis.  

Also, My birth plan last time I had my daughter at my breast for the 1st hour or so, skin to skin, fresh from my womb! So I know that is a good start. Another thing I want to do this time, is keep my baby skin to skin at my breast in a sling or in my dress almost 24 hours a day as much as possible for the first couple weeks, or as long as needed until breastfeeding problems are over  They say that research shows that by keeping baby skin to skin, the baby breastfeeds better ect... and lets you know when it needs to eat ect when its sleepy. Sounds good to me!!!!!!