1st baby was premature; pregnant now, still b'feeding - should I wean?

[Nova0929]

This is from a friend. She had been planning to tandem nurse, but because her 1st baby was premature her OBGYN feels it's too big a risk to continue breastfeeding her 28 month old b/c the nipple stimulation could bring on premature labor given that her body already seems predisposed towards premature labor. Has anyone had experience with this?

My OBGYN wants me to wean right away because I had PPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes) with my last pregnancy at 34 wks. This was after multiple (5 an hour several hours / day) Braxton Hicks contractions for at least a month prior. Reaching out to everyone for ideas and experiences with this. My homebirth midwife thinks it is okay to continue breastfeeding as long as I have no contractions, but my OBGYN says I'm taking too great a risk. I still nurse my 28mo between 5-7x a day (only 2-3 real feeds, but nipple stimulation 5-7x a day). La Leche League said I should get more informed info, so any informed or experienced mamas out there? I don't want to wean, but will to protect the baby. I am 12 weeks. Thanks in advance. Trying not to stress, but realize I might need to make up my mind very soon.

[windymama]

Is she permitted to have orgasms and/or sex?  I believe that they cause larger amounts of oxytocin to be released than nipple stimulation form nursing.

My 1st was preterm at almost 35 weeks.  I was tandem nursing him until I was about 22 weeks preg with DD.  I sought out advice (LLL, various websites, the Newman Clinic, etc), weighted the pros and cons and personally decided to wean DS before I reached the 3rd trimester with DD.  An important factor in my decision to wean was that the baby was diagnosed with underlying health issues in utero so it was extremely important to *me* that she stay in until she was full term (and she was full term).  I did have BH with the pregnancies but not to the extent of your friend.

Regardless, it's a very personal decision and if she does wean she should try to do it as gradually as possible.

HTH

[kcparker]

I would want to know more about why she went into premature labor - was there an infection, something unusual with the baby or placenta, or there was no underlying reason ever discovered aside from the BH activity? My instinct would be to split the difference and spot wean (cut out 3 or 4 nursing sessions per day, maybe reduce to the times when babe is really feeding) now, but not give it up altogether if mama and baby still want to continue and only if it's not causing a lot of BH activity. If the BH activity does start to increase, then it might be time to stop, and if the nursing has already decreased in frequency and duration, it will be easier on mom and babe if they need to wean. Kudos to her for nursing for over two years! How will she and babe feel if it turns out that her supply dries up? That might end up being a deciding factor...

This also sounds sort of hippy-dippy, and I have NO scientific evidence to support the efficacy of this, but I would also do some visualization/meditations daily instructing my body NOT to engage in BH activity, to instruct the uterus to remain quiet and hold that baby safe.

[Max'sMama]

I have always been advised that as long as you are not restricted from sexual activity that breastfeeding is fine. The contractions from orgasms are similar to the contractions from nursing.  So....as long as sex is allowed, nursing should be fine.