How did you manage in the early days of breastfeeding?

[MaddieHU]

What do you wish you had known when you started out? Share with mums just starting on their breastfeeding journey.

[SVBO]

Breast feeding is very important for the good immunity of your baby. I wish I hadn’t gone to work so quickly and breastfed my second child for few month longer...

[norfolkgeorge]

Perseverance and getting good advice is essential if things don't seem to be working out. We were close to giving up before we were lucky and had a visit with a brilliant midwife who was able to help.

[JogOffc25k]

With my first, terribly. He didn't latch on, I was in agony trying to feed him for hours and hours. We gave him a bottle when he was about to be admitted to hospital for losing more than 10% his birth weight - I wasn't against bottle feeding but it never seemed like this was an option. I was just told to keep trying while my poor baby lost weight and was very upset - I successfully fed for 6 months after but those first weeks were awful.

With my second, I knew what to expect and just popped him a bottle while my milk came in. He also had a tongue tie so feeding wasnt easy and we mixed bottle and breast.

[Pink0609]

Perservence and remembering that baby is also learning

[Pip70]

There is too much pressure put on new mums to breast feed which for those who can not for any reason makes you feel a like you are failing your child. Mine is now 14 and taller than me and was not breast fed because she had cleft palette!

[Hidden]

It is good to breast feed but it isn't for everybody and if it doesn't work there is also the upside of being able to share your baby with loved ones and have a break. It was assumed I would breast feed and my baby refused to take a bottle for 7 months. I was exhausted and resented it all by the end.

[Mum35]

That it takes time for both me and my baby to learn to breast feed and that sore, and chapped nipples is normal ( and to find a good cream to coat the nipples in). The beasts become incredibly painful when milk come in the first time and using heating/ cooling pads and expressing works wonders. The more relaxed you are the easier it is. Stopping when you are ready is absolutely fine no matter the age. Mummy’s mental health and physical health is one of the most important things so that baby can be looked after.

[Simone199]

I wish I knew how hard it was going to be but I kept remembering that 6 weeks and it gets easier. And it's the best thing I ever did I still feed my 18 month old now. And I love it the bond we have is amazing. Xx

[Tudorkat]

That engorgement when the milk comes in is HUGELY painful! That there is a pain barrier to be gone through whilst you and baby learn. That there is no such thing as too many breast pads!

Also, that having to give formula top ups does not mean you have failed. My first struggled with reflux and put weight on very, very slowly, so we had to give top ups and I beat myself up so badly over that feeling it meant my milk wasn't good enough for him. Ended up under a dietician and when on solids had to enrich every meal with whole milk, cream, butter or cheese. Poor little poppet.

[Jesikac1]

Due to him needing to feed and not latching he was bottle fed. I feel like I missed out and wasn't encouraged to try again when we left the hospital

[Baby_Brinkley]

The 1st day took a bit of getting used to but it got easier with each day. Make sure you have some form of nipple cream as it goes through quite a painful phase when they latch on! I breastfed for 6 months with my first & will do the same with 2nd - if not for a bit longer. I like to express too so daddy gets to give a bottle & bond too.

[Cringlecat]

Bottle feeding, washing bottles and sterilisation looked like a real faff and we got stuck in a traffic jam in a blizzard for nearly 3 hours when my baby was 10 days old, so I was glad I'd breastfed as she was sorted. Advice changed between babies about cosleeping (it's changed again since) so in the early days i wish i knew how to feed laying down in bed. I worked this out by baby 2.

[RustyM]

I couldn't breastfeed due to medication I was on. I had a serious lung condition which meant I was on some serious meds. The meds were meant to make me infertile.... Any who. After the pregnancy and lil one appeared I had to get back on them. Yet another reason to feel like a failure of a mum. Especially with the added pressure of breast. Is best campaign's etc...

[Norfolkboy]

Not one I can comment on as my wife was unable to breastfeed due to being treated for cancer at the same time.

[Krustyc2]

Didn’t cope well at all. Very little information available for breastfeeding twins. Learnt Not to give into pressure from professionals about breastfeeding.

In the end my mental heath was suffering due to the pressure I was under and we combination fed

[Chex]

With my first many years ago I breastfed for a month, it wasn’t working for us, he was too hungry to wait to latch on properly, I had blood blisters & found it incredibly painful, & he couldn’t settle. I had to give top up feeds with the bottle, so gave up breast feeding in the end. Back then there wasn’t anywhere near as much help as there is these days, but even so, not everyone is able to manage it, or for long, no matter how much they want to, & they need to know that is ok too, their baby will thrive regardless.

[Hunstanton]

As a father for the first time, you obviously can't do a lot during breast feeding except providing resources. This makes you feel left out and was better when we switched to bottle feeding as I could then be directly involved.

[Milkymoo]

Luckily mine were both good with breastfeeding and latching straight away but I wish I'd have known my midwife was going to be supportive when I decided to change from breast to bottle at 3 months because I was so scared of telling her lol

[Hbazzle]

The first time i breastfed was so painful. I honestly didn’t think I could stick it out. But it got better. Second child around and it was easy from day one. There is support out there if you need it. I highly recommend Breastfeeding Mum Meets as they have really helped me with feeding confidence.