Dry nursing

[fyrebloom]

So I think up until a week or so ago (i'm now 17 weeks pregnant) I had a wee bit of milk still but I'm def all out now. My twins (22 months old) still nurse 1-2x a day though and it HURTS! Has anyone had a child dry nurse until the new baby came? Did it hurt? How do you manage? If they stopped, when did they stop? DS selfweaned about a month ago and the twins I'm limiting because of the discomfort but they would nurse all day if I let them. I'd like to let them self wean too, but it's really getting hard for me... not to mention they are totally not ready to wean so it will be a fight for certain.

[chi_mama]

I'm 24 weeks and ds is still dry nursing but for only about 30-60 seconds at a time for the last month. It's down to just before bed or nap or if he gets hurt. It actually isn't as uncomfortable as it was earlier. I don't know if he'l continue throughout and we'll tandem or if he'll taper off over the next 4 months.
Maybe you could try limiting nursing time? let then nurse thru the ABC song or something?

[sammyloo]

I'm 19 weeks pregnant and my 2.5yr old son is dry nursing 2x a day - each time is about 15-30 min (to fall asleep for nap/night). It is painful I think because there is no lubricant. I tried to wean the other night and he was so so sad so I decided to keep going. I don't know what the future holds for us, but this is what we are doing now!

[ChinaDoll]

Even though my milk dried up, DD continued to nurse during pregnancy. Sometimes she dropped to just 1-2 nursing sessions a day (she was 12 months when I got pregnant) but then picked up significantly when colostrum returned (around 24 weeks). Hang in there - if you want to continue, it may be uncomfortable, but you may find it worth it after colostrum returns/new babe is born, since it's so handy to nurse down for naps/bedtime, for owies, and to avoid jealousy. But there's no right answer, only what works best for you. Limiting (singing ABCs was GREAT for me) can be a VERY handy tool at times ...

[groovynaturemama]

i'm almost 35 wks pg and making colostrum now, but dd was dry nursing from about 15 weeks pg up until a few weeks ago. it is still painful and i do not see her stopping nursing anytime soon. she's just not ready, although she is down to nursing only 2-4 times a day. it went up slightly from 2/day since i've been making the colostrum, and i'm thinking it may go up again once my milk comes in.

[fyrebloom]

They only nurse once a day and it's more toe curling freaking out with intermittant biting and frequent pulling off. Fiona only nurses like 20-30 seconds now and falls asleep, Willow is on for a couple of min and then looses interest. They are DEF not ready to wean and I'm not inclined to push. They do still swallow, so I think I have colostrum (I got it early in the past) and they will suck 5-6 time and swallow, suck 5-6x and swallow, so they do get a little something, but they're not chuga lugging like they did before i got pregnant. It's unpleasant, but they need it very much still, emotionally and physically. Unfortunately I can't do the physically part (it's moo juice these days) but at least they have that comfort. They ask for mimis during the day too, but it's a request for milk and if I offer a cup of milk they hop right off my lap and to the kitchen.

DS weaned about a month or so ago at 41 months old. I was glad that he self weaned, even if it was because I was out of milk. He weaned at 14 months old due to lack of supply, he unweaned at 32 months when the twins were a year old. I feel blessed that I got that extra time with him and I'm hoping the twins nurse through, even if it's the world's most uncomfortable sensation to me!

[Mama2ABCD]

sorry the nursing hurts. are you drinking enough water? i only say this because when it's irritating for me to nurse or my supply is low, and or both, i'm dehyrated. i drink lots of water, but if i miss a block of time i feel it. you are afterall, nursing 2 (earlier 3) while pregnant.

take the toe curling as a cue to get a large glass of water. that's what i do

hope the sensation improves soon and terrific job unweaning your son, what a great bonding experience for him and his twin sibs.

[Mama2ABCD]

oops, sorry double posted.

[eko_mom]

You have to decide if you are committed to the CLW or not. I am 37 weeks now, and making colostrum, but for several months my dd has been dry nursing. It has been very difficult and painful, but in the end, I guess I decided that it was easier for me to handle the aggravation than for her to handle weaning. I especially didn't want to wean around the pregnancy/birth. Someone in another post recommended a book, Adventures in Tandem Nursing which I also recommend.

Sometimes its easier, sometimes harder. Sometimes I would think that if nature intended me to continue nursing it wouldn't hurt so much, but then I just think of how much value it has to my relationship with dd and that seems more important.

There was an article in Mothering a couple months ago about the unweaning of a 3 y.o. with a new sibling. It was sweet. You can probably look it up.