another milk supply in pregnancy question - under one year

[babymango]

Ladies, i need your help
We are really seriously considering TTC for #2 this cycle. DS is 6 months old, exclusively breastfed and just started solids a few days ago.
The only reason im not 100% sure this is the time is because i've come across many many posts and stories about dry nursing in pregnancy. I have read Adventures in Tandem Nursing, i know that most women will have a drop in milk supply.
Can you share your experience? How old was #1? At what point in the pregnancy did it happen? How long did it last? If you had a baby who was too young for non-human milk, did you have to give formula?
Im worried im being selfish about TTCing and that DS is going to suffer. I'd feel guilty having to give him formula... (i know, i might not get pregnant on the first try, he might be old enough for non-human milk when the drop happens, but he might not...)

[CrunchyChristianMama]

My DD was 14 mo when we got pregnant. My supply dropped at around 6 weeks, and then again around 10. I'm now down to almost nothing at 13 weeks.

I have another friend who got pregnant when her DD was 7 mo and dried up completely by 5 weeks and her DD is now exclusively on formula for milk.

It may not happen, but it also is a strong possibility. If you are really not ok with the idea of your LO needing formula, you may want to wait until they are closer to a year to TTC.

[Lil'Momma]

I got pregnant with ds2 when ds1 was six months old and by the time he was 8 months old he was completely on formula. I think it happens fairly early on for most people.

[MamaMelis]

I found out I was pregnant with #2 before #1 was 5 months old, despite ecological breast feeding. We caught that first egg, though we were not trying to. My supply dipped immediately, but then rebounded, but then was gone for good around 20 weeks, despite trying EVERYTHING to keep it up. I had had an abundant supply prior to pregnancy. DS was 8 months old. I had enough frozen milk to get him to 9 months, but then had no choice but to go to formula. I was pretty heartbroken, though of course it all did work out just fine in the end and he is a happy and healthy chap of almost 3 now.

This time around my DD was about 18 months and still going strong with breast feeding when we decided to TTC and got PG right away. I lost my milk earlier this time, probably around 18 weeks. She self weaned at 22 months.

If exclusively breast feeding is really important to you, I would say absolutely wait. While many people continue nursing through pregnancy, I (personally, they may well exist!) don't know anyone who had an actual MILK supply throughout their pregnancy, and with a LO under a year milk, not comfort or dry nursing, is vital.

Either way good luck to you Mama!

[avasmomm]

I just got a BFP last night with #5 and #4 is almost 19 months and still going strong with nursing. I did nurse #1 until I was 20 weeks pregnant with #2 before my milk dried up but he was already over a year when I found out.

That was a long time ago ( 10 years ago) so I was hoping to get more info for this time.

[pbjmama]

We chose not to ttc until ds was over a year because I was worried about milk supply. I had milk until a day or two before I had colostrum, around 20 weeks. Got pregnant when ds was 13-14 months. While we can all post our stories no one can predict what your body will do.

So on to my unsolicited advice I had no idea how much of a baby ds would still be at 22 months. How much he would need his mama and his milk. At 13 months I had no idea that he would have a language delay and need speech and occupational therapy.

Perhaps you have tons of good reasons to want children close in age. And of course this is a decision you and your partner should follow your hearts on. I love my dd and I love that ds doesn't remember life with out her. But I also wish I could have looked to the future and enjoyed more of ds being a baby and the special time we had as well as how I would have had more special time one on one with dd if he had been older.

[cmhermes]

My LO was 8 months old when we got pregnant. My supply definitely dropped fairly quickly. She was able to continue to nurse. I increased her solids during the day. The first week I tried formula, she adamantly refused. I figured as long as she continued to grow and meet milestones, she was fine. She was 29 lbs at one year.

Personally, if I had been planning the second pregnancy, I would have waited closer to a year. I was worried she wasn't getting enough and I could have done without the guilt that my milk was drying up and she was so young. Honestly, the reason why I decided to tandem nurse was because I felt it would have been a disservice to her to have her be so young with a sibling nursing and she be left out. I wanted her to continue to have the comfort of nursing even if it wasn't for nutrition.

My colostrum came in sometime around mid-pregnancy 24-28 weeks. She began nursing lots then, and enjoyed the newborn influx of milk after her sister was born. Of course now she nurses for comfort with the added nutritional bonus.

[Chloe'sMama]

Dealing with this now. DD is 19 months old and I am 10 weeks pregnant. My supply dropped drastically even before the BFP and for a few weeks I still had a little milk. This week it dried up completely and we are both having a very difficult time. I want to continue nursing until and past #2 comes, but it is heartbreaking hearing her dry nurse and cry for the milk.

We were not avoiding, but this pregnancy is a bit of a surprise. If we decide to have #3, I will wait until #2 is 2 years because I know my supply will tank again.

It is a choice, but you just have to be OK with having no milk for your baby, it is a STRONG possibility that you will lose it by 12 weeks.

[sarahtdubb]

I am 40 weeks pregnant (today is my due date!) and have nursed throughout this pregnancy with little change in my milk supply until a couple weeks ago, when my DS started telling me there was just "a little milk." But as the posts here indicate, and as you've read--I don't think that's typical, and that more mamas find their supply dwindling early on. Many of my friends were still nursing when they got pregnant and all of their children self-weaned when the milk went dry-- I have found myself to be a pretty unique case!

So if continuing this BF relationship is a high priority for you, I would wait. Your babe is still so young, you've got time. Is there a rush to TTC?

[mormontreehugger]

I've been wanting children somewhat close together too...

[babymango]

Originally Posted by sarahtdubb

So if continuing this BF relationship is a high priority for you, I would wait. Your babe is still so young, you've got time. Is there a rush to TTC?

Without wanting to get into the details too much, we're in a bit of a "now or never" type situation, that's what makes this such a tough decision. Otherwise, i would wait until he's 2 or 3