admin Breastfeeding for a second time can be an entirely different experience from your first time breastfeeding experience. No pregnancy and baby are alike so as you can imagine, it is exactly the same way with breastfeeding. I have been catching myself comparing my two breastfeeding experiences and realizing just how different they are. I felt inspired to hatch out all the differences and experience I have had my second time around breastfeeding. If you are wanting to breastfeed again, and wondering what to expect then stay put and read on. Don’t have time to read right now, pin below to read later.
You’ll pick it up easier than you did your first
Obviously, you have breastfed before so you know what you are doing. Right after my second little man was born, I went right to offering my breast. Now I know every baby is different, some babies take to the breast easily and others don’t. With my first, I had to use a nipple guard but thankfully with my second he latched on right away.
Your Milk May Come In Faster And Fuller
For my second time around, this was the case for me. My milk came in faster and when it did, I produced way more than I did with my first. I also knew all the things you needed to do to keep up your milk supply so that helped.
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Your Nipples Will Still Hurt
Sorry mama, this is still the same the second time around. I still had nipple soreness, dryness, and all the things I had the first time. What made the difference was knowing what to do to ease the pain. And because of that, it was definitely easier to get through. Nipple cream, nipple cream, nipple cream is all I have to say.
This is the nipple cream I used. It lasts a long time and works really great!
My Second Son Nursed WAY shorter
Now this could be a total baby personality thing or it could be a second breastfeeding thing…second mamas definitely comment below and let me know if this was true for you. But Levi (my second) was a way more efficient and faster nurser from the get go. I was SO concerned he wasn’t getting enough but he was.
He just wasn’t a comfort nurser like Luke (my first) was. Luke would nurse for an hour the first couple of months. But Levi nursed for like five-ten minutes on each side and be done. Then after about a couple months of nursing, it’d be like five minutes total and he was done.
You May Never Remember What Breast You last Fed Your Baby With
Oh my gosh! I can’t tell you much I struggled with remembering what boob I last fed Levi on. It honestly baffles me that my boobs are not lopsided because I am so bad at alternating. With my first, I remember writing every single feeding session down for like the first six months of breastfeeding. So I always knew which breast to offer next. With my second, I am busy chasing around a toddler and mom brain has seemed to have doubled the second time around.
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You Will Become Comfortable with Having To Nurse standing up
No more laying down and watching Netflix while you nurse. You may be chasing a toddler and nursing at the same time. You may be cooking dinner while nursing. Let’s just say, a good baby wrap will be your best friend. If only, my second liked it. He wasn’t a fan so I had to get good at using one arm! lol
This is the baby wrap I used and loved but didn’t get to use it too much unfortunately.
There Will Still Be Nursing Challenges
You may not have the challenges you did with your first time breastfeeding (like figuring out how the entire breastfeeding thing) but you will still have different challenges.
For me, Levi is a very distracted nurser once he became more aware of his surroundings and how much more fun it is to play than to eat. I have to now nurse him in a private area away from his brother. If he hears his brother or sees his brother, he pulls off so quick. Oh and when we are out and about, he basically won’t even nurse.
This could be a baby personality thing or it could be a second child thing since they don’t want to miss out on what brother is doing. Levi also wasn’t a fan of bottles and didn’t take to it as easily as Luke did.
You Will Stress Less The Second Time Around
Breastfeeding becomes second nature the second time around, mostly because you have done this before. You know what to look for to make sure baby is getting enough. You know how to find a good latch. You will know when baby is finished nursing. You know how often to feed baby. You fully expect to nurse often especially in the beginning.
I think when it comes to breastfeeding, knowing what to expect is half the battle.
To Wrap Up
There ya have it! All the things I can think of that are different with round two of breastfeeding. For me, nursing was way easier the second time around. Of course, like I mentioned above, there will different challenges but you will be able to figure it out easier since you know how to breastfeed and all that comes with it. Of course, every baby is different and therefore every breastfeeding experience is different but just know that having the fundamentals down it a level up. You got this mama!
Share with me and other mamas about how it goes and if you experienced any other differences. Also, don’t forget to subscribe for more motherhood related content and future giveaways.
