When Breastfeeding Doesn’t Work

Moving On

The good news is that women who have difficultly nursing one baby often find that they have better success the second time around. One small study published in a 2001 edition of Pactice Nurse indicates that women had an increase of milk supply with their second children versus their first. Dr. Bailey has observed this in her own practice. Recently two clients who'd had difficulties nursing their first babies found success with their second. "I would attribute it to multiple things," says Dr. Bailey. "Before mothering was an unknown entity—huge and scary. With the second baby, each mother had worked through a variety of nursing issues and felt more relaxed."

With her second child, Johnson was surprised at her baby's nursing prowess. Though she had some nipple soreness the first few weeks, her nursing experience improved and she has had an easier time bonding with her baby.

Meredith expected her second child's nursing experience would be far easier, yet her daughter never seemed satisfied. Meredith stopped breastfeeding after two weeks, rehashing her old feelings of inadequacy. It was not until the birth of her third child that Meredith was diagnosed with a medical condition called breast hypoplasia, which limits her milk supply. "I felt so vindicated," says Meredith. Yet she found success the third time around. "I went into nursing thinking I would take it one day at a time. I didn't say, 'I'm definitely going to nurse or not nurse,' but I thought, 'I'll just wait and see how it goes.'" So far, her three-month-old daughter is nursing well.