Nursing another child? - Page 4

[ILovePie]

Well, nightweaned DS is also very insistent when he wants to nurse - he was just thankfully ready to nightwean. I don't think I could count the number of times he nurses during the day

But right now he's sick, and we think also going through a growth spurt (growth spurt came first - he was waking and asking to eat and nurse at 4AM and sometimes even up for the day around then...). So, now he's getting up again, wanting to nurse in the night and also much more during the day.

I've got his cold as of last night and am already miserable (hence I'm up before 5AM because my throat hurts and I'm congested and I need some tea to help me get back to sleep...). And, of course, the early morning I can't go back to sleep, DS came in at 4:30 and is now happily snuggled with his Daddy!

[ILovePie]

Originally Posted by EzzysMom

I'm nursing my almost two year old and lately the pain has gotten bad. I'm just grinning and bearing my way through nursing sessions mostly. It used to be that the pain was with latch-on and then went away, but I'm not getting that, perhaps I'm not getting the let-downs anymore and the nice oxytocin? I am really envisioning tandem nursing, my DD still nurses 4-8 times a day depending on how busy we get. I'm not sure I can do this for another 6 months and I hate having some of our most special time is where I'm squirming and trying not to show how uncomfortable I am. She's very sensitive and see's if I'm uncomfortable and will just stop nursing, but that's not what I want either although sometimes it is a welcome break. I'm so conflicted, I had hoped since it wasn't too bad for the first 12 weeks it would be ok, but lately it's worse Any advice to help with pain, I know dehydration is a major problem, but I've got no appetite for anything...

At nearly two, your DD can understand and will accept some rules around nursing. Make sure she opens reallllly wide at latch, and encourage her to touch her chin to you as she latches and through the whole session. I just have to say "chin" now and DS will bring his whole face closer and touch his chin to my breast. I've had to put the kaibosh on nursing acrobatics. If he twists and pushes and does other painful things, he gets a couple warnings and the session in done.

For me, when it gets unbearable, switching sides can help (though sometimes the latch is a little jarring!). Because there's a bit less milk, for me the pain is at latch and then when I'm empty (and DS doesn't care if I'm empty - he'll just keep on nursing!). Basically, I have pain whenever milk isn't flowing.

Good luck!

[EzzysMom]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies, I am definitely setting rules already and I don't think with my mondo boobs there is any way she wouldn't be touching her chin to me. I also came down with a cold right after that really bad session so I'm thinking my body is working overtime and so the fluids are even more important. We've had some better ones in the morning once I drink a ton. I think she's also spending some of her time now just latched on but not nursing in response to my pain, but if there's no milk, well that might just be for the best.

[PieKat]

still nursing (and co sleeping) over here. The last 2 nights Madi has slept through the night without waking to nurse. I know that now that I've said this, tonight will be he l l. Going to a LaLeche league meeting tonight--figure might as well get started there since I'll be nursing a new one here in 6-ish months. Will let you know if there are any good suggestions or not.

[lunamegn]

I've hit the point where nursing is a little painful now since my boobs are now sore. I was wondering a page or so back if this would happe and sure enough, it's kicked in. He's really respectful when I explain that it hurts. I'll usually let him nurse briefly and then say, "Okay, that's enough. Mama's boobs are sore." and then we'll talk about why they're sore. Like I said though, he's very respectful of that. Makes me feel better about how things will go when the new baby's here. I think if we're still nursing and he still is respectful like this and I'm still willing to let him nurse a little things will go fine.

[PieKat]

I went to the LLL meeting last night. I didn't learn a whole lot from the leaders although there were mamas there who had recently tandem nursed and eventually weaned (at 6 months and 4 months after the 2nd baby arrived). I picked up the LLL book "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" that has a lot of weaning advice/ideas to cope and good info. They have a book check-out service so I didn't have to buy it.