BF during pg

[jaw1574]

Hi all, I am not currently pg, but we are ttc and I have some queestions to raise:

1) I am wondering if any of you got pg while nursing a child who is about 10-12 months old?

2) were you able to keep nursing throughout the pg ? If so, what are some tricks that helped your milk supply if so?

3) Is it a given that ones milk supply will greatly diminish during early pg?

Thank you so much!!!!!

[dulce_de_leche]

Hi! I am currently pregnant and nursing two. :) It is early in this pregnancy, but I'll share from last time. www.kellymom.com has a wonderful section on nursing while pregnant. Also, the book Adventures in Tandem Nursing by Hilary Flower is fantastic.

Dd was about 14 months when I got pregnant, and still nursing 8+x/24 hours. Around 16 weeks my supply dropped drastically, and she would sometimes cry and ask for juice and then alternate drinking from a cup and nursing. She self night-weaned, but still nursed at least 5 or 6 times a day.

Fenugreek is not safe during pregnancy, so all I did was lots of oatmeal. I didn't lose milk completely, but came pretty close. Dd cared more about nursing than about the milk, so she didn't stop. Some babies dislike the taste (it usually becomes more salty) or just give up, though.

I don't remember the stats off the top of my head, but I think about 80% of women lose some or most of their milk, some are unaffected.

I also started getting the creepy crawlies whenever dd would dry nurse. Again, some women do and others don't.

[jaw1574]

WOW that is great information!

[kohlby]

I've been pg three times when nursing - one miscarriage, DD, and currently pg now.

I wasn't able to get pg until my kids were older than yours since I had absolutely no fertility at 10-12 months. I didn't get my first PPAF until DS was 18 months and until DD was 16 months. My supply plummeted at a mere 3.5 weeks pg two of the times. DS didn't have enough to swallow. This time, my supply was fine - until very recently. I'm just a little over 4 weeks pg.

I didn't worry about supply when pg since my kids were older than a year. A ten second countdown to end nursing sessions was very helpful with DS. He would nurse when there was nothing for comfort. My DD will end a session if there's nothing. DS would tug and pull - ouch!

Even though a lot of women have a drastic change in milk supply, only 30% of nurslings will self wean due to pregnancy. So, you can still nurse even if you have little or no milk. At around 24 weeks, my supply increased to swallowing level. It still wasn't much, but it was something.

[_SABE_]

I have gotten pregnant twice at around the 12 month mark. The first time, my milk supply dropped almost immediately but ds1 didn't seem to care much and kept on nursing throughout the entire pregnancy. The second time, my milk supply stayed in tact until past 20 weeks. Ds2 weaned at 30 weeks when I started producing colostrum and he hated the taste of it.

[ima062002]

70% of women experience a drop, how much, that is individual. For me it was about 2 months into the pregancy when I almost lost all of my supply. Ds was older though, 19 mo, and he kept nursing twice or three times a day all through the pregnancy.

[SingingMom]

I nursed all through my last pregnancy. I think my supply dropped, but not till the last trimester, and it didn't bother my DS. He was closer to 18 months when I conceived.

I didn't have any real trouble; there was some nipple tenderness but it wasn't excessive.

If anything, the constant nursing brought my milk in faster when the DD was born. We really didn't even have jealousy issues. The older baby just had to take turns. He was fine with it. Several people advised me to wean so he wouldn't be jealous of his sister- which is, I think, exactly backwards. Because he gets the momma milk too, he has no reason to be jealous.

[butterfly_mummy]

That is such wonderful information! Thanks for sharing. I'm only 4wks preggers and my milk has gone down so much! Will try the oatmeal and great to know fenugreek shouldn't be used ;-)

[momto2girls]

I got pregnant when my DD was 6 months old. I was still nursing all day long, but she had started sleeping longer stretches at night. She was still nursing at least once, sometimes twice at night, but I still started my period. Then I got pregnant (it wasn't planned, but of course, we felt blessed).

I nursed my DD until she was 13 months old. Honestly, I am not entirely sure what happened with my supply. I hadn't been feeling let down or engorgement for a few months before I got pregnant (btw, I didn't realize I was pregnant for 2 months......I just assumed that my periods would be irregular, since I was still bf so much), and so I didn't worry too much when I continued to not experience either.

My DD loved to nurse, and she nursed the same as she had before I got pregnant. She may have been nursing for comfort, but she never pulled or anything, like nothing was coming out. I did have some discomfort, but I dealt with it because there was no way that I was going to stop nursing her before her birthday.

Also, my DD was a very quick gainer and was 18 pounds, 4 ounces at 6 months which was 90th percentile, I believe. At her 9 month appt., she was 18 pounds, 8 ounces, and I got a little worried. However, my ped. just assured me that this was the normal tapering off that all bf babies do. I will never know for sure if she would've been bigger had I not gotten pregnant. All I know is that she never lost weight.

I did wean my DD at 13 months because I couldn't wrap my mind around how to nurse a very clingy 15 month old and a newborn. I searched websites, and I never found anyone with a story like mine. All of the tandem nursers I read about had older toddlers, who could be reasoned with easier about having to take turns, share, etc. I am sure there must be other mothers out there who have nursed very young toddlers and newborns, but I just wasn't sure I could do it. Interestingly enough, my DD who absolutely loved to nurse weaned fairly easily (we did the cut out one feeding a week method), and when her baby sister was born 2 months later, she didn't act like she remembered nursing at all. There were absolutely no jealousy issues related to nursing.

Anyway, I am writing a novel. I just wanted to share that you absolutely CAN nurse while pregnant and may even be able to do it for a long time with no problems.

[butterfly_mummy]

thanks so much for sharing that! I'm now 6 wks and DD still feeds 3-4 times per day and once at night (she's 16mnths) my milk did drop in week three, but now is back better than ever and she is enjoying her num nums! Hope to keep feeding but not so sure how I'll tell a two year old to wait either..... cross that bridge when we get there i guess.
Have a great day, take care.

[jaw1574]

Mom to 2 girls..
Thank you so much for writing that ! It is defintely helpful to hear.

[SkyJayJosh]

Definitely great advice. I posted my intro on the general board but I am about 5 weeks pregnant and nursing my 17 month old still. I was pregnant for about 20 weeks when he was 8 months old, and ended up losing the baby and I never noticed a decrease in milk supply nor did he act like he didn't want to nurse, like it tasted different or anything.

This time though I did notice a decrease about the time the egg would have fertilized and then implantation occured. He started pulling and tugging and acting like he couldn't get anything out, and getting very upset. He seems back to normal now, but I never really feel let down anymore and I am rarely engorged. He has been waking up at night again since the new milk came in after the baby I lost was delivered so on the off days he doesn't wake up I am a little sore in the morning, but that is it.

In some ways I HOPE my milk supply drops and he self weans...that would make things easier I think.

[jaw1574]

I am sorry to hear about your loss! I hope and pray that this is a sticky baby! I just found out that I am pregnant ( around 7-8 weeks) and I am quite a bit scared about loosing it since I have had 2 mc in teh past. It does not seem as if DS is having any problems so fat with supply although I think he is teething right now and solast night he really did not want to nurse or eat anything. A few weeks ago he would nurse and get a little fussy ..but he just kept at it. I feel a little let down right now. Does everyone else have the breast tenderness like when you were pg and not breastfeeding..because I do not ( usually I don't, sometimes it is uncomfortable and irritating). I am excited about this journey and tandem bf'ing if possible!

[Janis]

I posted a similar question last week - I am so glad to hear all the new information this thread has brought up!

[Gayatri]

I conceived when DS was about 18 months old. I had to night wean soon after because I was too sensitive and DS would marathon nurse when he night woke. I was also nursing about four times a day. He cut out one session, then I cut out one, then he cut out one. Now at 28 weeks I am nursing once a day. I don't think I have had any significant supply for a while. DS has been good about not tugging or getting frustrated so I am not sure when it diminished. Sometimes it has been brutally painful and sometimes it doesn't hurt at all (and sometimes in between). It looks like colostrum now, and no sign of self weaning the last session away. I am not sure if I will try to eliminate the last session or not. We are just taking it one day at a time.

That doesn't really add any new info, but I always liked hearing other experiences when I was at the start of my pregnancy.

[am_y72]

my son was 11 months when I fell pregnant again. He fed all the way throught and didn't seem bothered by any changes in supply or substance. It REALLY hurt all the way through, so much that I stopped using one side, half the pain.

Once my daughter was born I just tried to make sure she got first go at a full side. She is 2 now and he is nearly 4. They still tandem feed.

I wish I'd know this site was here then! I hunted high and low for advice and support. Pleased I we got through it, they have a lovely relationship with each other about which side is their's and choose to swop, play funny games etc. The older one knows when and where I'll feed them both, its difficult to be discreet!
Good Luck ;0)

[jaw1574]

I am glad to hear the responses! I am now 8 weeks, and my nipples really hurt. I am wondering if anyone can suggest anything that will help with the pain? I posted this in teh pregnancy section but, I thought I would add it over here too! Thank you in adance! OUCH!

[Sassafras]

:hugegrin: