In a couple of weeks, my second child will be one years old, and sadly, I fear our breastfeeding relationship will be drawing to a close. It’s not that I’m intentionally weaning her (toddler breastfeeding is amazing if you choose to do it), but rather my milk supply has taken a drastic drop since becoming pregnant again. We’re supplementing her more and more with formula, and her intake of food is great, so I know she’ll be just fine.
I thought now was a good time as ever, to reflect on some lessons learned breastfeeding the second time around.
Reflections on Breastfeeding (The Second Time Around)
Each Child is Different
I heard this again and again, but I don’t think I truly knew what it meant until having my second child. I struggled so much breastfeeding my first. A bad latch, nipple pain and bruising, slow weight gain, both a tongue AND a lip tie. Couple this with coming down from all of the hormones of giving birth and I was a wreck. Why was breastfeeding so hard? Luckily, my partner was really supportive and reminded me that some breastmilk was better than none. And although we never recovered from my initial low supply, I continued to pump whatever milk I could get for him until his first birthday.
Naturally, I expected a similiar experience with my second, except this time, I was prepared. But wow! The experience was like night and day. I did have a little nipple soreness in the beginning, but that quickly went away when I adjusted my position. Two totally different babies, two totally different breastfeeding experiences.
Don’t let one negative breastfeeding experience stop you from trying again if that’s what you want.
It Gets Easier Over Time
Breastfeeding is hard at first. After all, both you and your baby are doing it for the first time. Allow yourself some time to learn the process (and see a good lactation consultant!). No one is ever perfect at something the first time they do it.
And just like everything else, breastfeeding takes practice. But the more you do it, the easier it gets, for both you and baby.
Gut Health is Important
Did you know that the first 6 months of baby’s life is critical for baby’s immune system development? It’s true! The more good bacteria present in baby’s belly the less likely they are to develope autoimmune and metabolic disorders such as eczema, colic, diabetes and even obesity. Unfortunately, 9 out of 10 babies are experiencing a gut disruption, causing an imbalance of bacteria in their gut.
Evivo set out to solve this problem by creating an easily digestible probiotic containing the good bacteria strain b. infantis. It’s absolutely critical to good baby gut health, but over 97% of American babies are missing it.
Luckily, it’s easy to use. Simply stir in a packet in 3-5 mL of breastmilk and feed to baby! My little one had no problem taking it, since she already loves her milkies. One less thing to worry about.
Learn more about Evivo and why it’s awesome here!
Invest in Yourself
You’re going to be spending the next 1-2 years nursing your baby (I’ve pretty much been nursing someone since 2015), so you might as well make yourself comfortable. Invest in a good nursing pillow, nursing balm, yummy snacks, and a streaming service. Might as well enjoy yourself.
Breastfeeding is a wonderful bonding experience for mama and babies, and something I enjoyed very much with my two, despite all the difficulties we encountered. Even though I do wish it had been easier with my first, I appreciated the experience because now I can share what we’ve learned with other struggling mamas.
What did you learn while breastfeeding?
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