I say research everything thats what helped me when I got very sore (it was thrush from Noah). Also my oh has been so supportive and really appreciates the effort I put in to feeding Noah.

Thanks ladies for this thread. I have to say as my due date looms closer, I am terrified!

I don't know why, I always knew I wanted to breastfeed, but I'm so scared - its scaring me a million more times than labour or anything else :/

I don't know what it is thats scaring me more - the dependancy, the feeding on demand, the fact that I'll be doing it alone (ie, OH can't really help out with nighttime feeds etc), the fact that I come from a mainly FF family, that I am nervous about doing it in front of other people, that I have to start college in February and LO is due at the end of November, leaving me not much time to adjust! I'm afraid of failing as well...

I think I just have to relax and ignore the things that can go wrong, and focus on the things that I can do right... :/

Hi Jenny. With my baby I knew I wanted to b/feed but I found the concept very strange too and the idea of breastfeeding when out and about daunting too.

I decided to not make any demands of myself and not set myself targets or goals so that if I didn't make it that far then I wouldn't feel like I failed, ,more or less a "one day at a time" approach and I think that works for me. I know in my mind that if I can get to 6 months it would be great for JP and I hope I will continue longer but I'm not forcing it and making myself miserable. People often ask when I'm going to stop and I answer when I feel ready, no particular time (although now she's teething its a bit ouch occassionally and I wonder - enough already?!).

Overall I am doing well, I've been lucky not to suffer any physical set backs and JP knows what she's doing and can latch herself on and off but there have been hard times. I don't think it is a hard thing to do physically but it often feels relentless - especially during the frequent growth spurts when they feed more! When I've been able to hand her and a bottle over to someone else the sense of freedom has been so good that I've contemplated giving up. Likewise on the days when all I seem to do is feed. At those times I tell myself there is nothing I can do today and by tomorrow it is forgotten about! Then I feel a glow that I've made another day. What is really lovely is other people comment on how well I am doing with the b'feeding.

I also keep reminding myself that if I was using FF then I would be engaged in the relentlesss daily chores of sterilisng and making up bottles and that there is so much for her to gain healthwise from breasmilk - and the selfish factor - that I am benefitting from b/feeding (lower risks of certain cancers, weight loss, no periods, her smellier nappies!).

With regards to the public feeding, I am still not 100% comfortable but I have been able to feed her in pubs, cafes, parks, etc and around friends and familes by using a shawl draped across me and her. I feel confident enough to feed her this way and people often complement me on the use of it. Plus I tie it round my hips and make it into a fashion statement

However I think the most important thing is you have to do what makes you happy and feel best. If you really can't cope with b/feeding, forcing it is only going to make you and therefore your baby unhappy. There is no such thing as fail, just an alternative way to do things. Also I wanted to add as long as you are b/feeding drink lots of water, I really notice the difference on days when I don't - we both get frustrated! All the very best for your impending arrival and good luck with the breastfeeding!

Hi i found this thread really helpful because like jenny82 im terrified!!! I am only in the second trimester but already the thought of breastfeeding scares me silly. I want to breastfeed more than anything because its best but I hate my nipples being touched because they are so sensitive it almost makes me feel sick. Im worried i wont be able to handle it or something, also im scared it will hurt alot. I am determined to at least try and stick it out for as long as i can, who knows i might just be worrying unnecessarily!!! Any reassurance or support would be most appreciated though, so will any helpful tips, im a very shy person and im some ways the thought of my baby seeing my boobs is a bit unnerving!!! Thanks ladies. xxx

This showed up my subscriptions and thought I'd add some words of encouragement to those still expecting. JP is 5 months today and we're still bf.

When I started out I made no demands on myself and set no targets, I didn't want to feel I'd "failed". As I got on with it I started to think in my mind, "get to 6 months, get to one year..." Then when we got to 4 months I really started to struggle. I was really exhausted, had to work for a week and really hated my manual pump so had to provide formula for the babysitters, plus we were socialsing more with my non-baby friends and I just didn't feel comfy bf, even with my shawl over us, so I'd resort to a bottle. Some days the bottle was just so much easier than breast cause I could get someone else to do it for me. At 4 and a half months we were combining about 50-50.

I expected my milk production to slow and was terrified it would dry up so bf at night as much as possible. I decided I didn't want to lose the b/feeding so I bf at ever opportunity I felt well enough to, let her sleep latched on (which apparently stimulates supply) and slowly the balance tipped towards b/f. She now has 250-500ml of formula a day and I have finally invested in an electric pump so I am hoping to subsititute the formula with BM now. I'm also going to be adding babyrice to her evening feed to help the hunger until we start weaning.

As someone recently reminded me, they don't stay babies for long, this is the most they will ever need us, so for the sake of a few months of our lives, just give in to your babies every need. That thought made me more determined than ever to keep up the bf even if it meant doing it 20 times a day!

If you haven't got one yet Babies'r'us stores have TT ones half price at moment and I was recommended it by another bf mum as being of great help.

Good luck new mums with your b/feeding and just keep faith!

Get as much advice from hospital staff as you can and if there's a bf clinic available there then go. Have a tube of Lansinoh and apply after every feed and get some nipple shields for days when you're very sore. And keep in mind if your LO has a forceps delivery they may be left with a sore head that affects their feeding- this happened to me, but don't worry their head will soothe after a couple of days and you will be able to bf successfully.

how scary!!! i'd be freaked out too if someone asked to see me bf!!! how sick

edit: sorry,posted in the wrong thread!!!

For me I don't think I thought there was even a choice. I figured women had always breast fed and that was that. I didn't bond right away but I still shoved him on my boob without a second thought.

It really hurt and nobody had told me about how hard it was but I still figured I had to do it. My LO was feeding constantly though and sleeping very little so a midwife suggested I give him a bottle to give myself a break. That was the first time I really even thought about giving a bottle. He ended up having a bottle a day (before bed) and actually in the end that was what got me through. I was then less tired and much better able to deal with breast feeding.

If i had known how extremely hard the first couple of weeks are i prob wouldn't have even tried tbh and as much as i wanted to breast feed i was also not looking forward to it or particularly precious about it. I thought i have to try but if it doesn't work it's not gonna upset me or baby. So it is quite suprising i stuck it out.

I had all the normal issues and nearly gave up loads of times.

Things that kept me going:

*Lansinoh*
I can't stress enough how this stuff helped. I was a broken woman from day 4 untill i was recomended this and within hours i was healing. Apply after each feed and let it do it's magic.

*Support*
OH, midwife, family and complete strangers in this forum..

OH cooked, cleaned and kept me fed and watered for two weeks (even feeding me while i fed lo at one point) and helped me pump in the days between broken nips and discovering Lansinoh.

Lovely midwife who gently encouraged me to put him back on after exclusivley pumping for 3 or 4 days while i waited to heal, i didn't think i was ready as there was still some scabs from the bleeding. She didn't want me getting to the point of no return due to fear of the pain. She was right and it didn't hurt.

Family and forum members who kept telling me i was doing a great job and keep going.

*The weigh in*
Despite me thinking he wasn't getting enough, he must have been as he lost none of birth weight on first and gained on second. For some reason this made me feel that all the pain wasn't in vein.

*The Sanity Feed*
The bottle of formular given when as a mother you feel YOU or YOUR BABY needs it.. Regardless of other peoples opinions that its not needed or scare tactics that it will mess up your breast feeding. This is what it says, a "sanity feed" weather it's a physical or emotional break from the seemingly never ending feeding frenzy that takes place or to ease your mind and know for sure your baby is full.
Believing that it's ok to give a bottle or two if you need or want to without guilt or fear.

I'm still going 11 weeks on and wish the best of luck to all who try!

Blaumba, that's a great post. I absolutely agree about the value of a 'sanity feed' and the support and encouragement of family & friends.