https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:45:26 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826448 Tue, 05 Jun 2018 13:00:17 +0000 agold 2826448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am three and a half weeks into my second breastfeeding experience. It is MUCH better this time around. I had a lactation consultant come out during the first week to ensure my baby was latching okay. It was still painful at first, but now the pain is pretty much gone. The first time around, I had excruciating, baby-blues-inducing, pain for months. ETA: I did already have a bout of mastitis last week.. new baby sleeps so much and barely eats.. still the bf'ing pain is pretty much already gone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826311 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 22:13:22 +0000 ElbieKay 2826311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: I think there is a wider range for dichorionic twins (i.e., two placentas). With monochorionics, there is increased risk of placental degradation so the medical advice is to deliver by 37 weeks specifically for that reason.</p> <p>Our son is excited provided that he doesn't have to share his toys. Since he is 4yo and most of his toys are choking hazards, I am totally fine with that! How is your older one adjusting?</p> <p>We just bought a VW Atlas (3-row SUV). It was a little sobering but we need the extra cargo space since we previously had a sedan and will now need three car seats. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826309 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 21:55:35 +0000 LCTBQE 2826309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: oh is it 37 not 38 for twins, or is that just the placenta adjustment? Does your boy understand the situation? And thanks, we are going whole hog suburbs, about to buy a Subaru :) pregnancy is mercifully uneventful so far! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826304 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 21:16:17 +0000 ElbieKay 2826304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: My "due date" is actually adjusted to 37 weeks. Since my girls share a placenta that is their hard delivery deadline. But yeah, it's terrifyingly soon!</p> <p>I remember your thread about moving from Brooklyn to the 'burbs. Congrats on your new home! And good luck with your pregnancy :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826303 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 20:51:57 +0000 LCTBQE 2826303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: wow, you're due so soon! do you think you'll go the full 38 weeks or go early? I'm almost 29 weeks and I keep giving myself a hard time for not having "done" anything to get ready for the baby, but actually we found and bought a house and moved out of the city and turned our lives upside down to set up shop out here in preparation, so, that is not nothing. Also not nothing: living through a renovation and purging half your house! I totally agree with your throw-money-at-the-problem philosophy on this one, and hope you already have a house cleaner set up to come weekly :) </p> <p>@Raspberry: a friend of a friend who I'd never met emailed me about the saltwater/lanolin because our mutual (childless) girlfriend recalled that she'd also had a tough time with BFing. It was so nice and I swear it is *the* thing that made me able to continue as my nipples couldn't heal, although I see from this thread I'm far from the only one who had horrible pain. found her instructions in my gmail, I will wall them to you just in case you want/need to try it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826286 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 18:37:21 +0000 ElbieKay 2826286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTal: thanks, I recently learned about the HaaKaa and am planning to get one! And one of my goals is to learn to tandem feed so that I can get them on the same schedule. My husband has eight weeks off, and my son will be in daycamp with door-to-door bus service from 8am-5pm for about 4-5 weeks after their due date, so that should help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826280 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 18:19:22 +0000 MrsTal 2826280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: I had a lot of pain with my oldest, as he had lip and tie issues. Turns out my twins did too, as well as being small (born at 37+2 but the lactation consultant said nursing for them would still be difficult until they were full term) and having small mouths made transferring milk tough. I ended up supplementing and pumping the first 4 weeks to build my supply but I’m happy to say the twins have been EBF since about 6 weeks (they are now 6 months). The pain only lasted maybe 3 weeks with the twins but I think that’s because they had their revisions done almost immediately because we knew what to look for this time.</p> <p>The first 4 weeks with the twins was absolutely insane. I fed on demand at the recommendation of my LC to help build my supply up. Basically, I fed when one twin got hungry but fed both at that time, this seemed to help keep them on the same schedule and to this day they are synced pretty well. After feeding I would pump for 10 minutes to help fully empty and tell my body I need to make more. In the beginning I nursed one at a time since my tinier baby A had issues transferring he usually got a bottle and I pumped my other side for him. While nursing B on one boob, I used a hakkaa on the other side to help catch let down and stimulate the breast a little. Like I said, it was nuts but once we hit about 6 weeks we got our groove and it’s been smooth sailing since. Good luck to you and if you ever need support or just a sounding board let me know :happy:</p> <p>ETA: I have an older kiddo (was 2y9m at the time the twins were born) and honestly he had a lot of tablet and tv time the first few weeks we were home. Once we got into a routine though he has been an amazing helper with the twins and will often entertain one while I feed one (I don’t genrrally tandem feed, usually one then the other especially now that they only take 10 minutes or less to eat) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826239 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 14:29:29 +0000 Mrsbells 2826239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: 2nd time around was actually harder since DS had a tongue tie and also he was just hungrier, ate more often and sucked harder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826193 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 12:41:21 +0000 caitlanc 2826193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First time around hurt SO bad. We were successful and nursed for 13 months until he self-weaned but I still remember crying on the couch because it was time and I didn't want to. Also learned where "toe-curling pain" came from. I didn't know that was literal until then.<br /> Second time around, I was dreading nursing more than labor and delivery but it was SO MUCH BETTER. I don't remember any pain after the first week or so. And even that was just discomfort compared to round 1. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826180 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 12:19:29 +0000 petitenoisette 2826180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Physically it’s been about the same or some things worse with LO2. I’ve had a few issues nursing my second that didn’t come up with my first (suspected thrush, a couple clogged ducts). With both I’ve had some nipple pain and I continue to have pain sometimes with this one at 3 months old bc she likes to use me as a pacifier sometimes and clamps down when she does so, it’s lovely! But that’s more of a rare issue now. </p> <p>Mentally it has been sooo much easier. Even when she was first born those nights spent cluster feeding just never seemed that bad. I was just used to it whereas with my first it was just so mentally taxing. Also my second did latch on much easier and I felt confident in the hospital about nursing. My milk also came in a lot quicker despite having another c-section and I’ve been confident in my supply (though my boobs stopped feeling very full in between sessions very quickly which did throw me a little bit for a loop so FYI that can happen quicker the second time round). </p> <p>So even if you have some issues I think it can be easier to deal with, but obs I have no experience with twins! You’re a champ no matter how you end up feeding them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826174 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 12:05:00 +0000 pachamama 2826174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: FWIW, from every single one of my friends, #2 was much easier. I think there is a lot to be said for experience and simple confidence in nursing. A girl in my FB group BFed her twins for a year with no issues (her 2nd and 3rd) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826144 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 09:58:37 +0000 snowjewelz 2826144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Painful for a while with my first; much easier/better experience with my 2nd! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826131 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 08:04:36 +0000 ElbieKay 2826131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pumuckl: thanks! I may reach out to you. I love to hear successful twin breastfeeding stories, especially when there are older siblings involved! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826129 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 06:32:40 +0000 Pumuckl 2826129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: I had so so sore nipples with my first. It was a bloody mess (literally speaking)... It got a lot better after that once I figured correct positioning and off-center latching with a LC out. With my second things were so much easier. I knew which things to avoid, for me it was generating an oversupply by pumping and being religious about a good latch. Things were easy... Then came along my twins (#3 &amp; #4) and suddenly I had another set of obstacles to master. The main thing I learnt really early on (like still in the hospital early on) is that feeding on demand with twins is pure insanity. So while I hated seeing my kids move to N(I)CU, it really helped with putting the kids on a schedule (every 4h was the schedule in our NICU). We stuck with it and now over 16 months later I can say I BF them at about 95-99% and weaning is a whole other topic. </p> <p>Every now and then a bottle of formula was really helpful and it saved my nerves. In the beginning we chose the night feed (around 11pm-midnight) to bottle feed so that the youngsters were and stayed used to it. So I would pump and DH would feed them about 3oz of BM (from the night before) and then 3oz of formula. Worked like a charm and built a great freezer stash. Added bonus was that they were really full and slept until 6am from like a month old on. </p> <p>If you feel like talking twin's logistics don’t hesitate to reach out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826128 Mon, 04 Jun 2018 05:58:46 +0000 ElbieKay 2826128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I remember that you EP'd, but I didn't know why. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sorry you had such a hard time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826033 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 08:11:15 +0000 Raspberry 2826033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: I’ve never heard that, will be saving that one in my back pocket to try, thank you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826031 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 07:32:32 +0000 Anagram 2826031@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh and my supply was much lower the second time around because I didn't pump at all. With my first, Her latch was so bad and I didn't know about nipple shields, and I had so much damage. Like permanent damage. I have scars to this day from where she literally took the skin off. The pain was insane so I was pumping from the get go and I probably overpumped out of worry and I created an enormous oversupply. I was making 50-57 oz a day and had a kid with a feeding aversion that was averaging 18-21 oz a day. I donated so much milk to other moms in our town. </p> <p>With my 2nd, I was horribly, painfully engorged for a full 7 days, but the LC told me not to pump and to let my supply adjust, and it did. But that caused an issue when I went back to work and had the supply drop, because then I wasn't making more.</p> <p>With twins, I think if you had a good supply with your first, your body will learn to make more based on their demand. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826030 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 07:26:12 +0000 Anagram 2826030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an equally hard time with my 2nd, because she had every single one of the same issues (tongue and lip ties, MSPI). The only good thing was that I obsessed less the 2nd time around, I already had all my helpful gear at hand (nipple shield, all the pumping equipment, all the ointments), and I knew that in the grand scope of things, BFing wasn't going to last forever. With my first, when we still had tons of issues after her tongue and lip ties were corrected, I switched to EPing early on, around 6 weeks. </p> <p>With LO2, same thing happened and her latch was still bad after trying everything, but instead of EPing, I just nursed with a nipple shield exclusively until she was 6 months. At that point, I went back to work and I pumped for all feeds except her last feed and any overnight feeds. And we continued that until she was 1 and I weaned. It was fine. Emotionally, it was just a smaller issue the 2nd time around. My supply dropped around 9 months after an illness and I wasn't fussed about power pumping or taking supplements or anything, I just introduced an once or two of formula in every bottle with the BM and didn't care at all, whereas with my first I was obsessed with her having only BM until we weaned. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826029 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 07:00:47 +0000 ElbieKay 2826029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: When are you due? I have six weeks left. All we have done lately is spend money on baby gear and apartment improvements to make space and increase storage. I don't even want to know the damage, but if I am going to add two more creatures to my 1,500 sf apartment I cannot live with any more clutter. Period. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826027 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 06:48:16 +0000 LCTBQE 2826027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: cool. I am tired just thinking about this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826025 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 06:36:54 +0000 ElbieKay 2826025@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: I liked the boppy better than MBF for my son, so I think I will start out with the Twin Z which is softer like the boppy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826024 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 06:23:29 +0000 LCTBQE 2826024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: @Raspberry: I remembered somewhere in reading along this thread that was saved me (I think, maybe it just coincided with me "toughening up") was hot hot hot saltwater nipple baths with shot glasses followed up with coating my nipples in lanolin, along with becoming a drill sergeant psycho about latch position. I'm really hoping for an easier time this go-around. I have a couple of friends IRL who loved the My Breast Friend for twins--are you getting one @ElbieKay? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826019 Sun, 03 Jun 2018 03:23:39 +0000 ElbieKay 2826019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: @Raspberry: Glad to know I'm not the only person with this question! Although I guess it's not good that you had issues the first time around!</p> <p>@mrsbubbletea: @Iced Tea: @lamariniere: @mfa_lady: @Corduroy: Thanks for your replies!</p> <p>@Boopers: @Corduroy: I am worried with twins that I will have twice as many issues. I could not nurse 24/7 for eight weeks so I did a lot of pumping to get breaks from the pain until it resolved. With tandem nursing it as the potential to be twice as bad!</p> <p>@Littlebit7: @bees_knees: Gel pads were the only reason I could wear a shirt the first time! My husband kept complaining how expensive they were because I went through them so quickly. This time during my pregnancy I keep threatening to him that I will stock up on enough gel pads so that there is always a pair within arm's reach from every chair in our apartment :silly: </p> <p>Another question about subsequent babies: Was your supply any different? Also if you got your first baby's tongue tie clipped, did you repeat that experience with your second? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826016 Sat, 02 Jun 2018 23:36:01 +0000 Corduroy 2826016@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With LO1 I had typical pain with one breast and awful pain with my other breast that has an inverted nipple. Even with a lot of help i quit nursing on that side at 11 weeks. We weaned at 16 months. I approached nursing LO2 with a lot of trepidation and absolutely none of the resolve I had with LO1. I posted about my total lack of enthusiasm. Fortunately things were just so much easier. I had some inverted nipple pain but it was about 1/4 of what it had been. We had some positioning issues but i found nursing standing up while tending to a toddler actually helped me find more comfortable (seated) nursing positions. I nursed on both sides for 15 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2826015 Sat, 02 Jun 2018 23:12:38 +0000 bees_knees 2826015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: my first and second were excellent nursers, but it was still painful for about a week or so. For my third I stocked up on the soothie gel pads in anticipation for a painful week...and never used a single pair 🤷🏻‍♀️ it was painless from day 1. AND DS3 had a tongue tie! Maybe my nerve endings are shot, idk :silly:</p> <p>ETA: I nursed DS1 until I was 10 weeks pregnant with DS2, and nursed DS2 until I was 24 weeks pregnant with DS3. So maybe it was that there was a shorter break? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2825968 Sat, 02 Jun 2018 12:36:14 +0000 mfa_lady 2825968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was in serious pain while nursing for the first 2 - 3 months with my oldest. With my youngest, I got a cracked nipple on day 3 which was unpleasant for about a week but it was only because DD2 was such a voracious nurser. After that? Smooth sailing. She's 19 months old and still nursing. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2825966 Sat, 02 Jun 2018 11:30:42 +0000 Raspberry 2825966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As someone who cried every day for the first three weeks over breastfeeding my first, and currently pregnant with my second, I am so grateful to read about these experiences! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2825964 Sat, 02 Jun 2018 11:28:13 +0000 Littlebit7 2825964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a lot of problems with my first. I had discomfort and likely and poor latch, what I thought was low supply/disinterested baby, so I pumped from months 3-9. I had a rough time pumping too. My milk took nearly 9 days to come in,<br /> I was engorged, baby was losing weight (it was actually so miserable). My LC saved me in that moment<br /> fast forward to second kid:<br /> He latched immediately skin to skin and stayed latched for 45 min after birth. The nurses had to pry his hungry little mouth off of me. I did ha w to work on latch a bit; he was so eager that he would latch shallowly. I had some pain and cracking in the first week; soothies gel pads, and earth mama angel baby helped. I also bought bamboo reusable pads this go round too. He shot up to 95% weight and has been a nursing champ. My milk came in a few days after birth, I had what I consider to be more normal engorgement (totally manageable) and now I’m on month 5 and he’s happy as a clam (so am I). I’m not sure if I’m keeping up with him wel though; I’ve considered adding a bottle of<br /> Formula in the late afternoon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2825943 Sat, 02 Jun 2018 07:47:00 +0000 lamariniere 2825943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first, nursing was excruciating the first 3 months. It got better and I never had any subsequent problems. Nursed until about 13 months. With my second, I was super leery going into it and ready to jump on formula had it been as bad, but I had absolutely zero problems, no pain, and not even a clogged duct. We nursed a bit more than 14 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/breastfeeding-the-second-time-around#post-2825942 Sat, 02 Jun 2018 07:20:27 +0000 Iced Tea 2825942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a super painful experience with my first. Wasn’t pain free until about 6 months. My second was much easier and less painful. Mild soreness for a few weeks (didn’t even feel the need to use the gel pads or anything) and just occasional bad latches after that. </p>