For those who Tandem A few questions?

[dakotablue]

Hey so I'm half way there! I have a few questions about tandem nursing especially because DS doesn't show any signs of slowing down. I figure you ladies are the best people to ask!

Do you nurse Both at the same time? Everytime?

Will your toddler start nursing for longer?

Have any of you had trouble with poor latch/ suck on new baby because toddler starts let down?

What did you do to ensure baby got most of the colostrum?

Anyone night nurse two?

Did you go in to labor sooner because of nursing (like 39 weeks instead previous pregnancy of 41 weeks) Did nursing during labor speed up labor? or bring on labor?

IF you CLW (are there) did your first wean sooner or around the same time as second?

Thanks so much!!! Sorry about so many questions I'm just getting excited!!

[*farmergirl*]

bump (and subing cause it looks like I'm almost there too and have lots of ?s)

[texmati]

bumping and subbing for myself as well.

Can I add a q? Has anyone had any experience with a baby 'unweaning?". My son stopped latching when colostrom came in, but he'll only be 16 mos when the new baby is born. I would like to continue nursing him for the rest of the 2nd year if possible.

[angelachristin]

I got pregnant when my DS was 2 and nursed through my pregnancy and tandemed until my DS was about 3-1/2. I will try to answer your questions with what happened with my experience!

Do you nurse Both at the same time? Everytime?

No, I tried it a few times and hated it. Never ever at the same time, made my skin crawl.

Will your toddler start nursing for longer?

He tried to, but I had to set some limits or I would have spent my whole day nursing.
Have any of you had trouble with poor latch/ suck on new baby because toddler starts let down?

No, but I always had the baby nurse first.

What did you do to ensure baby got most of the colostrum?

I always made sure the baby nursed first, and explained to my toddler that the baby had to go first because she was small and couldn't eat food. I ended up having a hospital birth so that actually helped, since I was separated from him much of the time that he would have nursed during those first days. I did nurse him in the hospital when he came to visit, though.

Anyone night nurse two?

No, my toddler had night weaned while I was pregnant.

Did you go in to labor sooner because of nursing (like 39 weeks instead previous pregnancy of 41 weeks) Did nursing during labor speed up labor? or bring on labor?

I was induced with my first at 41 weeks and did have my 2nd at 39 weeks, but I don't attribute it to nursing. I didn't nurse once I went into labor. It didn't bring labor on, I went into labor at about 1 am and had nursed him last probably about 8 pm.

IF you CLW (are there) did your first wean sooner or around the same time as second?

I wanted to CLW, but I ended up gently mommy lead weaning when he was around 42 months. I was getting an aversion to nursing him and just really needed to be done. It was done slowly and gently, but it sooo needed to be done! Still nursing my 1-year-old, of course. I don't plan on having another baby, but I'm not sure if I'll CLW with her. Definitely I'll nurse her until she's 2 though, that's my bare minimum. She doesn't seem as attached to nursing as her brother was, and she's a better eater of food.

[Chicky2]

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Do you nurse Both at the same time? Everytime?

I did not nurse them both at the same time everytime, no, but often, yes.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...dem/tandem.jpg

Will your toddler start nursing for longer?

Mine wanted to (they are 25 mos apart), and at first I let her because she relieved my full breasts and it felt GOOD. But I let her do it too much and my bbs got all confused and I got a nasty case of mastitis. After that, she could only nurse a few minutes per side and then the baby got to nurse (this was only until my supply was less wonky, lol).

Have any of you had trouble with poor latch/ suck on new baby because toddler starts let down?

No.

What did you do to ensure baby got most of the colostrum? Honestly, I never even thought of it. I just nursed whomever needed it at the time, lol.

Anyone night nurse two? Yes. For 8 mos.

Did you go in to labor sooner because of nursing (like 39 weeks instead previous pregnancy of 41 weeks) Did nursing during labor speed up labor? or bring on labor?

I didn't go into labor because of nursing, no. My midwife told me that that usually only works if you are not currently nursing.

IF you CLW (are there) did your first wean sooner or around the same time as second?

I ended up making the choice to wean my toddler when the baby was 8 mos old. I just couldn't seem to get enough to eat, and we needed to do an elimination diet w/her to see what was up w/her (dairy, turns out). My toddler was a-ok w/weaning once I told her that it was ok w/*me* if she stopped.

Thanks so much!!! Sorry about so many questions I'm just getting excited!!

Congrats and you'll love nursing 2 (most of the time, lol)

[miss_nikki]

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Hey so I'm half way there! I have a few questions about tandem nursing especially because DS doesn't show any signs of slowing down. I figure you ladies are the best people to ask!

Do you nurse Both at the same time? Everytime?

I don't. For me it is uncomfortable. I have friends who have no problem nursing both at the same time though.

Will your toddler start nursing for longer?
DS1 wanted to nurse more after DS2 was born, but 2 months later now he is almost back to nursing just a couple of times a day.

Have any of you had trouble with poor latch/ suck on new baby because toddler starts let down?

I nurse DS2 before I nurse DS1 and sometimes I nurse them on separate sides. I have plenty of milk, so DS2 is fine just nursing one side at a feeding.

What did you do to ensure baby got most of the colostrum?
Nursed DS2 first.

Anyone night nurse two?
DS 2 wakes once sometimes twice a night. DS 1 has been the one nursing 2-3 times a night. DS 2 sleeps with me so that makes it really easy. DS1 sleeps in a toddler bed near my bed. I usually get up and lay down with him (I'm really small) and nurse him for a couple of minutes and then he goes back to sleep and I crawl back in bed.

Did you go in to labor sooner because of nursing (like 39 weeks instead previous pregnancy of 41 weeks) Did nursing during labor speed up labor? or bring on labor?
Nope. DS 2 came at exactly 41 weeks, although by my calculations (not the drs) that would've been his due date anyway. I did not nurse in labor. DS1 slept most of the way through my labor. When he did wake up to nurse I was close to pushing so my friend went and nursed him for me.

IF you CLW (are there) did your first wean sooner or around the same time as second?
Though I have 4 kids this is my first time tandem nursing.

Thanks so much!!! Sorry about so many questions I'm just getting excited!!

I hope that helps

[prothyraia]

My two nurslings have just about weaned, really, but I can answer based on my previous experiences.

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Do you nurse Both at the same time? Everytime?

No. Never. Well, maybe once or twice, when I was already nursing the baby and then my two year old got injured and needed to nurse as well, but otherwise it wasn't something we did. I couldn't stand nursing both at once.

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Will your toddler start nursing for longer?

Mine did. But I'd started setting a lot of limits around nursing later on in the pregnancy because dry nursing was pretty uncomfortable for me, so it may have been mostly related to my relaxing those.

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Have any of you had trouble with poor latch/ suck on new baby because toddler starts let down?

N/A

Originally Posted by dakotablue

What did you do to ensure baby got most of the colostrum?

My older son didn't like the taste of colostrum (he actually called my milk yucky!) and I was briefly afraid that I had just nursed him through my whole pregnancy only to have him wean right after the baby was born.

I also had such terrible afterpains (I swear, they were worse than labor) that I could hardly bring myself to nurse my newborn for the first few days.

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Anyone night nurse two?

Night weaned by older son during pregnancy.

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Did you go in to labor sooner because of nursing (like 39 weeks instead previous pregnancy of 41 weeks) Did nursing during labor speed up labor? or bring on labor?

1st pregnancy went till one day before our due date.
2nd pregnancy went till 41 1/2 weeks. :

I don't think we nursed during labor (I don't really recall), but regardless it was faster and easier than my first.

Originally Posted by dakotablue

IF you CLW (are there) did your first wean sooner or around the same time as second?

We didn't really CLW (I'm pregnant again and I'm not willing to nurse three, or to nurse through a second pregnancy). My almost-4 year old is pretty ready to be done now that there's such little milk (this was before I conceived again, even). My 2 year old still asks to nurse once or twice every day or so, but usually accepts another drink easily.

I would have thought that they'd both wean at the same time, but I think if we'd continued with CLW my older son would be weaning soon anyway and my younger isn't quite ready to be done.

[spipgras]

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Hey so I'm half way there! I have a few questions about tandem nursing especially because DS doesn't show any signs of slowing down. I figure you ladies are the best people to ask!

Do you nurse Both at the same time? Everytime?
I did nurse both at the same time, almost everytime.

Will your toddler start nursing for longer?
I didn't notice longer time, but more often- she wanted to nurse everytime the baby did. Before baby was born she was pretty much only nursing to sleep/upon waking or when she was hurt.

Have any of you had trouble with poor latch/ suck on new baby because toddler starts let down?
no

What did you do to ensure baby got most of the colostrum?
The first day I was in the hospital & my DD was with grandma, once I came home they each had their own breast.

Anyone night nurse two?
Yes, my DD was sleeping through the night up until my milk came back in, then she wanted to have milk at night too, I just had one baby on each side of me & they usually woke up at different times in the night.

Did you go in to labor sooner because of nursing (like 39 weeks instead previous pregnancy of 41 weeks) Did nursing during labor speed up labor? or bring on labor?
I didn't go into labor sooner. DD was born at 40w2d & DS was born at 41w2d. It may have brought on labor, I started having contractions around 9pm when I was trying to nurse DD to sleep, but I think it mostly started because I was dancing around with DD a few hours before. I didn't nurse during labor so I don't know if it sped it up, it was a very short labor, but I dont think it had anything to do with nursing.

IF you CLW (are there) did your first wean sooner or around the same time as second? no one has weaned yet so I can't help with this question
Thanks so much!!! Sorry about so many questions I'm just getting excited!!

My babies are 18 months a part. Hope that helps!

[raelize]

Do you nurse Both at the same time? Everytime?

sometimes i did, sometimes i didn't

Will your toddler start nursing for longer?
yes, dd1 wanted to nurse as much as the baby

Have any of you had trouble with poor latch/ suck on new baby because toddler starts let down? dd2 latched on beautifully from the start. i think it was cuase now i knew how to do it so well
What did you do to ensure baby got most of the colostrum?
i nursed the baby on the full side
Anyone night nurse two?
after the first night, i said nope. so, i would lie down facing dd2 and dd1 would have to lay over my side to nurse. it was uncomfortable for her and seh pretty much started SSTN about a month after ss1 was born. we did (and mostly still) co-sleep w/both of them
Did you go in to labor sooner because of nursing (like 39 weeks instead previous pregnancy of 41 weeks) Did nursing during labor speed up labor? or bring on labor? i don't think it did anything for my timing of labor. once i was in labor, i did NOT want dd1 to nurse. but, i like to labor alone.

IF you CLW (are there) did your first wean sooner or around the same time as second? i really wanted to CLW, but when dd1 turned 3, 3 mothns after dd2 was born, i couldn't do it anymore. i hated nursing her adn i didn't want to resent her. but, i very gently mother led weaned dd1 over a period of 11 months. i did not want her to hate the baby because she couldn't nurse. and dd1 STILL asks me to nurse a year later and asks if seh can nurse when she is 6, 9, 10 years old. of course, when she asks, its once in a blue moon. seh still would if she could, but she doesn't resent the baby, so i am okay with how it turned out. i always planned to CLW, but suddenly i just couldn't do it.

i will add that my milk came in like crazy with dd2, and i think its cause i was nursing 2. dd2 gained between birth and first check-up 2 days later. and she passed all her meconium in the first 12 hours. with dd1 we had jaundice and my milk took about 3 days.

[ChinaDoll]

Originally Posted by dakotablue

Do you nurse Both at the same time? Everytime?

I did sometimes nurse them together, but sometimes just one or the other. It was about 50-50 for us.

Will your toddler start nursing for longer?

Mine did - she was 12 months old when I got pregnant so only 20.5 months when DS was born. She had dropped to 3-4 nursings during the daytime but quickly picked up when she realized the colostrum was back. When Milk was back, she went back to nursing often - sometimes more often than the sleepy, jaundiced newborn - then slowed down again after a few months. Be prepared for colostrum stools in the toddler - totally normal.

Have any of you had trouble with poor latch/ suck on new baby because toddler starts let down?

My newborn didn't have a latch problem due to that, but he never did like comfort nursing, and I always wondered if it wasn't because I had a lot of milk due to nursing two. I did have to remember to turn his body in towards mine, something I had forgotten since toddlers do nursing acrobatics!

What did you do to ensure baby got most of the colostrum?

I really didn't worry about it. I had a lot of colostrum/milk, and both got a lot (as evidenced by the colostrum-stool filled diapers!) I usually latched the newborn first, since he needed help, then let the toddler get into position and latch. Sometimes, however, it worked better to have her lie down and then nestle him on top of her ...

Anyone night nurse two?

No, she had nightweaned at 15 months old during my pregnancy.

Did you go in to labor sooner because of nursing (like 39 weeks instead previous pregnancy of 41 weeks) Did nursing during labor speed up labor? or bring on labor?

I did go into labor at 39 weeks instead of being induced at 41 w 5 days When labor stalled in the hospital, I refused pitocin and tried nursing instead. It started contractions, but not regularly enough to be productive. I had a choice to discharge for the night or have my waters broken. I was ready to be done, so chose to have my water broken (and a baby 2 hours later) but I've often wished I'd gone home and waited.

IF you CLW (are there) did your first wean sooner or around the same time as second?

My oldest weaned earlier than my second, but both self-weaned as preschoolers - she stopped at 3.5 years (while he was still nursing at not-quite-two years); he stopped at 5 years.

I loved tandem nursing - nursing while pregnant was much harder than any part of our tandeming! Congratulations!