Latching On
You’d think that from the many months of breastfeeding your first child that it’d be easier with your second, nope. Still hurts like a bish. This is because every baby has a different latching on experience. If your bub is having some trouble latching on then that can lead to breastfeeding problems in the first week or two of birth such as;
○ Nipple damage/pain
○ Poor milk intake
○ Poor weight gains
○ Lower milk supply or a decrease overtime
Nova was a little tongue tied & we were told the same with Luna, however I feel it has been more of an issue for Luna as she still struggles quite a bit to latch on correctly. Obviously this would stress the fork out of newly parents as it did so for us, but having been through this I’m now more laid back & patient about it.
Postpartum Cramps
Was not aware of this before delivery & was only told about it shortly after delivery so I really had no time whatsoever to mentally prepare myself for this which was such a pain in the lower abdomen ha-ha So just a little heads-up, breastfeeding triggers afterbirth cramps & this is because “bub’s sucking triggers the release of oxytocin causing cramping as your uterus contracts, shrinking back to its normal size”.
Pp cramps can last for days (5 days for me) & the pain becomes more intense with every following child that you give birth to. WTF right? Like give me a break already. I didn’t experience any pp cramps with Nova so this one got my by surprise. There’s no treatment for this unfortunately, but here are a few ways to help you cope &/or provide some relief when the cramps hit;
○ Movement
○ Deep breathing exercises
○ Heat pads/hot water bottles
○ OTC medications
A Different Approach
I breastfed my first for almost 9 months, directly from the nipple. Although, I love the mother-bub bonding experience you get from it, there were just too many inconveniences which is why I am altering my feeding strategy this time when it comes to breastfeeding my second.
I’ve been pumping 5 times a day. I should be pumping at least 8 times really, but when you have a toddler hanging around.. time can be a real bish. I do breastfeed in between pumps to completely empty out & thus increase milk supply. I use to nurse & then pump, but have switched it around as I feel it’s more effective. We’ve even skip bottle feeds many times throughout the day as Luna would be satisfied from post-pump breastfeeding sessions.
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