Advice on Tandem Nursing?

QUESTION: I have a ten month old son and I am 5 months pregnant with another baby boy. We are still nursing "vigorously" 4-5 times a day. I am definitely going to tandem nurse the two. How do you work that out in the very beginning? Are there any guidelines to go by during the first month of my new baby's life, as far as excessive pumping early on to pump up my supply for two?

Signed,

 Alison

Dear Alison,

You won't need to pump excessively to nurse both of your children. Towards the end of your pregnancy your milk will revert back to colostrum and your older child will slow down a little with nursing. When you have your new baby, be sure to nurse that one first, or assign one breast per child. My children were 17 months apart and I tandem nursed for over a year and never pumped.

Your body will adapt and make all the milk your children will need. I remember it was quite funny to see my toddlers face when my milk came in with the new baby and she got quite a bit more milk than she had been getting! Your body will easily adapt, it is like having twins.

Good luck!


Denise G Hewson RN IBCLC

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