what can I do to keep her nursing while I'm pregnant?

[EzzysMom]

So it seems I'm about 7 weeks pregnant, didn't think it would happen considering it took major ART and two years to get the first one and this one happened the old-fashioned way. I've got a 15 month old DD who is big into nursing and now I'm feeling terrible that I may loose my supply. I had imagined myself nursing for a long long time as we're both loving it and now I feel like I've robbed her of her chance by getting pregnant . DH says not to worry about something I can't control, so I wonder if I can control this in any way?

I already feel like my milk supply is going down (her poops are getting way more solid and less frequent and she's eating a lot more solid food). She just nursed for three minutes on one side and said 'all done' and lay down which is totally not like her. She'd usually rather stay latched on and just sleep/nurse. Thus my 2am worried post

[elisheva]

I'm now on my way to nursing through two pregnancies. Supply switched over to colostrum around 20 weeks when I was preg with ds2 (ds1 was 12 mo when I got preg). With this preg, I also lost my supply around 20 weeks (though it had tanked a few weeks earlier - at 20 weeks there was NOTHING). Now I have colostrum again. Ds1 was such a boob man that nothing was going to stop him. With ds2 (now 11 months), he balked at first and stopped asking to nurse during the day but still wants to nurse to sleep for naps and bed.

Give her a few days to get used to things. I know some kids decide they are done when a big change like this happens, but not all.

[pbjmama]

No you can't control it, it is hormone based.

Every woman is different. Every child is different. I got pregnant when my ds was 13 months and it was not a problem. I had milk until about a week before I had colostrum. Even when I didn't have much ds was happy to nurse, not for nutrition I suppose but for comfort. If I didn't put limits on him he would still nurse more than my 16 month old. I think you have a better chance because your dd loves mama milk, she won't give up easily.

[EzzysMom]

Thank you both for your encouragement and positive stories. I'm guessing it can't hurt to eat more oatmeal and drink tea so I'll try to do some of that too But I'm trying to work on accepting things will be as they are. My baby nursed a whole bunch today too so that feels good, she's just so fickle!

[ElliesMomma]

i really worried about this when i was first pregnant. i am now 34 weeks along, and my daughter is still nursing! granted, she is three years old. my first clue i was pregnant (even before missed period), was when she told me, "empty" one night while nursing. i told her to keep nursing anyway, and the milk will come back. she has kept nursing.

what can you do to help your daughter continue? 1) don't set any limits on nursing. don't nightwean. let her nurse for comfort -- encourage it. 2) offer, offer, offer. all the time, whenever you can. 3) tell her that the milk will come back (eventually) if she keeps nursing. 4) put up with the pain -- i've read a lot of people on MDC complaining about how much it hurts to nurse while pregnant. i have found it to be quite bearable. the past week or so, 33+ weeks along, it has gotten a little more painful. but i'm committed to getting through this, so i just decided a long time ago to "suck it up" and keep going. 5) get some books about nursing (ie, "I'm Made of Momma's Milk") to continue her interest in nursing -- read them to her while you nurse. 6) stay hydrated and eat well. don't know that this will truly increase your supply -- but can't hurt and might make you feel better.

good luck!!

[EzzysMom]

Thank you very much Elliesmommy, I just ordered that book and some others. At least then we can talk about it some. Yesterday we went to the beach and she didn't nurse for 7 hours in a row. Today we're staying home and I'm staying topless and she keeps coming over to get some.

I had hoped if she got less into the nursing she'd nightwean herself at least but I'll keep on trucking