Milk supply and pregnancy

[snuggly]

How can you keep your milk supply up while pregnant?

We are TTC #2 (in fact I've been slightly quesy the past few days so it is almost time to POAS.) DD is 18 months and I really want her to CLW. In preparation, what can I do, take, prepare for, etc to be sure that I still have a strong milk supply while pregnant?

TIA for you ideas!

[Katie T]

It is all hormone related so there is really nothing you can do about it. I tried oatmeal a couple times a day before I realized I was pg and that is why my milk was drying up.

Some children stay with nursing even with no milk, so you may be fine and she will "nurse" threw the pregnancy anyways. That is what my little guy did, then he didn't like the taste of the milk once DD was born and weaned.

A mw once told me a baby breastfeeds when there is milk and nurses when there is no milk and they are just using the breast for comfort. I had never heard that before, but thought I would share.

[lillymonster]

I have heard it's hormonal too. I didn't want to get pregnant because my daughter had some eating delays and breastmilk was her only source of food until she was 2 1/2. I was told some people dry and some don't, but there really isn't anything you can do about it.

My daughter is still nursing and I am a couple weeks. I think most people don't lose milk until 5-6 months, but then it comes back, so I have heard some toddlers just hang out and continue to nurse until it comes back.

[rparker]

It's hormonally driven. Galactogogues have little/no effect (and several are contraindicated while pregnant) and the normal rule of supply and demand doesn't apply. Some women lose their milk, some don't, some have a decrease in supply.

At 19 weeks I'm so far in the "decreased supply" camp and my daughter is still nursing. The best advice I have is try to avoid non-hormonal causes for reduced supply: eat and drink enough to meet the needs of yourself, the fetus, and the nursling (may be hard to do with nausea) and watch out for herbs common to some pregnancy teas that are also used in weaning and OTC/prescription medications that might impact milk production.

[1babysmom]

I never lost my milk really in either pg. I DO get colostrum early on, like early 2nd tri, but I still have copious amts of that. I've even nightweaned during each pg and it still didn't cause my supply to drop.

[snuggly]

Thanks all! It sounds like mostly chance... But I just feel this need to do something. Is fenugreek on that shouldn't be taken when pregnant? I took that in the past (when not pregnant) with good results.