Baby Boy
When our Daughter was 16 months old, we were happily surprised to discover that I was pregnant. We'd always planned on two children so the timing was more or less perfect. The pregnancy itself was quite different to my first in that I suffered very little morning sickness, but with a very energetic 1 year old to run after as well as working in a busy Headhunting role I was always going to feel more tired! One thing I was most definitely looking forward to was breastfeeding again, my interest in it had continued where my actual feeding hadn't and I was as passionate as ever about breastfeeding, determined that I'd go beyond the 10 months I'd fed our Daughter for.
I planned to have baby number two (again, we kept the sex a surprise) at a different hospital, and due to issues following my traumatic labour with our Daughter, I was booked in for a C-Sec. As with my Daughter though, baby had other ideas and I went into labour at home at 38 weeks. The hospital agreed to perform my C-Sec anyway so in late July 2012 our beautiful Son was born (a BOY! We felt so blessed to have one of each). The experience was so much better than my first - I didn't feel any pain during the C-Sec, the doctors and Midwives were fantastic, the operation only lasted ten minutes and I held our gorgeous Son as soon as he was born.
Keen to put him straight to the breast, I got my Husband and the lovely nurse who was with me in recovery stripping my top half so that I could get started with the joy of breastfeeding again. I was so looking forward to feeding again, the lovely sensation of him suckling, the first cuddle, the skin to skin, even the painful first few sucks, I just wanted to feel it all! After just a couple of attempts he latched on and began a hearty feed, I was totally elated.
The differences in feeding my Son and Daughter were apparent immediately, whether it was just my experience or the difference in their natural habits I don't know. My Son fed every 45 minutes for the first two days - the days I spent in hospital. Literally every 45 minutes. I'd never have believed I could feel this way but I did - I absolutely loved it. I think the positive birth experience helped, plus having total bed rest from the C-Section. I missed my little girl so much it hurt, but I was actually thankful of the time to just rest, not have to speak or be on top of everything as you have to be at home, but just to enjoy my precious new boy. I noticed a huge difference in the Midwives too (bear in mind this was a different hospital) they seemed so much more geared up to encouraging breastfeeding and really took time to sit with the Mums and help them with breastfeeds.
I didn't feel the pain I had when feeding my Daughter at first, but I did have a problem with fast flow/over-production. I researched this and quickly found that latching my Son on, then quickly latching him off and letting the excess flow into a muslin helped. He loved his feeds right from the start, but even he didn't appreciate the rate it was shooting out and could splutter a little, poor little lamb! The fast flow stopped after around two weeks, when I was settled back in at home and starting to get around a little better. I must say, even getting over the C-Sec and the soreness afterwards wasn't as bad as the pain of my assisted delivery and bad tear.
My gorgeous boy fed every two hours through the night and roughly that in the day for a good couple of months. I was tired but unlike with our first, I was expecting the sleepless nights (how much of a shocker are they to a first time Mummy & Daddy?! Nothing could have prepared me for the tiredness!). I guess when you have two you sort of just get on with it! Our Daughter was brilliant with her little brother from the start, she adored him and was fascinated by this little baby that was ours to keep! I'd explained to her that the baby in Mummy's tummy would drink from my boobs, so it didn't come as a shock to her or confuse her, and thankfully, she happily accepted when baby was "drinking some booby".
I didn't have the 'leaking from the boob the other side' to the epic extent I did the 1st time around, but I think that may be down to preparation and, again, regular feeding and offering of the breast. The nights were made much easier by my discovery of and research around co-sleeping. I know it isn't for everyone but it really suited us and I so, so wish I'd tried it the first time around, because although (in my opinion) some babies just sleep better than others (and my Daughter was not a good sleeper!) I think it helps massively and every bit helps when it comes to sleep with a newborn. Our Daughter would wake in her cot and even though I was by her side in seconds (her cot was in our room for over a year) she'd already be upset, and then I'd take her into the nursery to feed her in the glider-chair and then I'd be ages settling her afterwards. It makes me so mad at myself to think of how utterly knackered I was when I could have saved so much time and sleep! Basically, baby boy slept (still sleeps actually!) with me. I absolutely adore it and I know he does too; I literally sleep with a thin top on (or topless) and as soon as he even moves to want a feed my boobs are there for him. It takes some practice as you feed lying down, but oh its magical, I doze through feeds and 99% of the time he goes straight to sleep after feeding, it's so peaceful, just beautiful, and as I mentioned, I'm miffed (love that word) that I missed out on it with our Daughter. Hearing those excited first few gulps and feeling his chubby little hands hugging my boobs and then relaxing as he dozes off into milk-drunkenness, all in the dark still of the night, is awesome.
With a toddler at home, we were going out and about and getting on with things as soon as I was able, and breastfeeding in public just happened because it had to. My first public feed was at a soft play centre when he was 3 weeks old. Whether I'm just more confident, or it was necessity or a bit of both, the public feeding definitely helped me to keep up the regular skin to skin contact and keep any sore engorgement at bay.
Friends and family have from very early on been witness to me feeding regularly (he loves his milk!) and I'm actually proud to be whipping them out so frequently ;-) we moved to a new area in February and I quickly joined three local playgroups...I'm sure that I must be known as 'that woman that has always got a baby on her boob', as my Son still likes to have a drink around every two hours, or if he's tired, or teething, or fed up. He doesn't feed for long in the day but he does feed regularly. With my Daughter she was very 'routine' and her feeds were spaced very evenly.
My Husband started a new job just after our Daughters 1st Birthday, and as such we were in a better position financially when our Son was born. It was tough as I did love my job and especially loved my colleagues (I met my best friend at work) but when the time came closer to return, I just couldn't do it. I had to go back when my Daughter was 7 months and I totally hated leaving her every day, even though she was looked after by close family. Returning to work was a nail in the coffin to my breastfeeding first time around and I was determined that nothing would stop me this time, especially with no job to take me away from him 8 hours a day.
Happily, I'm still feeding at 11 months and he shows no signs of stopping, I look forward to feeding him on his big day later in the month, one year old and breastfeeding, how special!
That is my breastfeeding journey so far. People close to me know how passionately I feel about normalizing and encouraging breastfeeding; I do hope that my story will continue in some way for many years; I would like to get involved in breastfeeding support when I have more time on my hands, for example. Thank you for reading my story, I would love to hear your thoughts and read others' stories too.
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