Is it easier second time around?

[anna*]

Stan BF pretty well but I do remember the agony and cracked nipples of the first few days.

[~Sara~]

Tagging along bc I'm curious, too ...

[Mama2boys]

well the first week/month was miserable even the second time round (i got cracked nipplesS2 was super hungry and my milk came late so i use dto let him suckle even when nothing besides some colostrum was coming out), but its been a dream after that. I NEVER thought I'd be the one nursing past 1 yr and not sure when I will fully wean DS2

so it was esier, partially because i knew what to expect and was ready for the worst..

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

For me it wasn't, but only because Spencer was not the 5 minute feeder that Masyn was. The only pain involved was from being engorged so bad in the beginning when my milk came it, but this time around I was smart enough to express some in the shower before it got too bad!

[*Liz*]

For me - yes - it was easier. Megan latched straightaway, Jacob took 2 weeks to get going

I did crack with both but healed a LOT faster with M - like week 3-4 instead of 8 with J.

And overall a much simpler BFing relationship, I think because I worried far less about stuff. Like her desire to have milk pre-sleep - never a prop just the way she had to do it - I probably got lucky on that one really  .

[my3girlsjde]

For me it was waaaaaay easier For the obvious reason of there only being one baby the second time around, but I also swore up and down that it was going to go well and that I would know when to get help. And I needed tons of it. I knew the start of the cracks and bleeding when it happened so hit my LC up for some Dr Jack's All Purpose Nipple Ointment (which I think should be mandatory for me when I start). I was more prepared for the hunger in the middle of the night and near the end of my pregnancy with E, I was making meals, muffins and cookies for the household and taking something up to bed with me at night.

It was a tad bit harder in the sense that I had two two-year-olds running around and they had needs instead of me being able to pass out mid feed

[~inbalance~]

Yes, easier the second time for me.  T was a nightmare to get going, I was clueless, he was clueless.  We couldn't get a good latch on our own, I was so engorged, cracked nipples, in tears all day long.  Once we were sorted it was great, but it didn't happen right away.

F latched and was a great feeder right away.  No engorgment or cracked nipples that time.  We had some feeding struggles in the early months because of reflux, but as far as actually feeding goes he was a pro.

[IzzyD's mom]

Definitely easier- I never had cracked nipples with either of mine (good latchers and lucky I guess) but I could recognize and fix my oversupply issues right away so we didnt have to suffer through the fore milk hind milk gassy issues and having btdt i was more relaxed and confident than with dd

[Mum-of-Two]

With both of my kids I EBF for only 3 months, it pales compared to what the Mom's here have done but I was pretty darn proud of myself.  That said, I had a ton more milk the second time around and was able to pump and store (something I couldn't ever do the first time).  I attribute it to less stress so I'd have to say easier too.

[Mama2boys]

That said, I had a ton more milk the second time around and was able to pump and store (something I couldn't ever do the first time).  I attribute it to less stress so I'd have to say easier too.

me too DS1 was a poor feeder, my supply was lowerried up at 8/9 months or something. Luckily this time round the supply has been much better and DS2 is a fast drinker

[Tay]

Here second time was much easier too. No supply issues, I did have cracked nipples but only because of not supporing DS properly when feeding (I was holding him the way you would hold an older baby to feed - so I would suggest a nursing pillow for those first few days).
xx

[Shiv52]

Much easier here too!

I did have cracked nipples despite DD2 having a perfect latch (checked by 2 MWs, LC and HV) but had lansinoh cream from the start so they did heal quickly but I still had that toe curling pain for a few weeks.  I also had mastitis in week 2 but was caught and sorted out quickly. 

But I think the difference is I was much more relaxed and knew what I was doing. DD1 used me as a human dummy and was latched on practically 24/7 but this time I was much more aware of nutritive sucking vs comfort sucking and unlatched at that point.  My MW gave me good advice on how to know when she was done and it really worked.  Shivi on here had fab advice too. 

I am much more relaxed this time when feeding out and about too.  Last time I wasn't so confident about feeding in public (although I did) or infront of FIL/BIL etc but this time I couldn't care less and just get on with it. 

[Katet]

For me absolutely, it took 3months before DS1 fed comfortably & before that he was an hour long feeder... DS2 was a 7min feeder from day 1 (longer at bedtime) & I didn't have any of the issues with Ds1 (I did have flat nipples which didnt' help with DS1)... but I only had 7 months between when I stopped BF DS1 & started DS2 & I think that helped.

For my friend # 2 was way harder, her DD was a natural (BF until 2.5yo), but by 6 weeks she had her DS on the bottle, completely different story.

So I do think it can be about the baby as well as the experience.

[Vicku]

I agree that it really depends on the baby. Some babies are BF champs, others struggle a little for various reasons.
Apart from that though, I do think second time is easier to handle since you know more what to expect and usually isn't as stressed and worried. That was certainly true for me even if DD1 was a 'better' nurser as in latching really well straight away, DD2 took a little more work but had it down in a few days. I got blistered and cracked nipples with both of them (also despite latch being checked and OK'd by several midwives) but with DD2 I knw it was temporary and would go away soon, where with DD1 it really worried me and I thought that maybe it wouldn't go away and I wouldn't be able to BF etc. DD2 had digestive issues for the first 2.5 months and that made feeds difficult and I had thrush for a while and blocked ducts quite a few times, where with DD1 I had no such problems at all, but I still feel I coped better because of less worry and stress, and more experience and knowledge.