If you nursed while pregnant.... questions

[Jaimee]

I am 9 weeks pregnant and nursing my nearly 16 month old. It would appear that my milk is drying up. How many of you had your milk dry up while pregnant?  When did it happen?  Did it effectively wean your dc?  Or did s/he continue to nurse until the baby was born and your milk came back in? If s/he did continue to nurse, was it even more painful to dry nurse?  Did the nursing pain ever go away?  If s/he did wean, what was the process like?

TIA!

[bethanyclaire]

I nursed my DS1 all through my pregnancy with my DD and then tandem nursed them afterwards. I am currently 14 weeks pregnant and I'm still nursing my 15 month old DS2. I'm planning on tandem nursing this time as well. There are lots of mamas here with plenty of experience with nursing during pregnancy. I've also heard that "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" also had lots of info but I read it a long time ago so maybe someone else is better able to give advice on some reading material.

In my experience...

It is normal for your milk to dry up a bit at first. My supply always drops during the first trimester but usually starts to increase again during the second. My milk dried up a lot this time around, starting around 6 weeks pregnant, then started to increase around 12 weeks. It didn't deter DS much, though I know he felt a little frustrated at first. Make sure to drink extra water and get plenty of protein and calcium. Staying hydrated is key.

If I remember correctly, it is also normal for your milk production to slow down again shortly before birth. I know my milk switched to colostrum at around 36 weeks or so. There was less of it but my DS still nursed without issue.

DS1 nursed well through my entire pregnancy. The rise and fall in supply didn't upset him enough to make him wean, but I know that some babies are frustrated enough to stop nursing when there is a significant decline in supply. So far, DS2 hasn't been discouraged, either. I have never dry nursed as far as I know, there is usually something there, even if it isn't much. Sometimes he will comfort nurse for an extended period and I know my supply gets down to the bottom and he is probably getting nothing, but it isn't any more painful than productive nursing.

As far as pain goes, most mamas find that it gets better as you get further along. This time around 7-11 weeks was the most painful time period. My nipples were so sensitive and painful. Now I don't find nursing to be any more uncomfortable that it normally is, which for me is pretty much not at all unless DS has been teething and has bitten me recently! LOL! The discomfort is usually the worst when he latches on and with let down but it was pretty painful the whole time for a few weeks.

Congrats on hanging in there with it! Nursing through pregnancy and tandem nursing isn't for the faint of heart but it can have some pretty great benefits! :)

[Peony]

This is my 3rd pg that I've nursing during/through. I've lost my milk in the first tri every single time and didn't really produce any for the remainder of the pg. Obviously there would be colostrum at the end but I never heard the nursling swallow and most had forgotten how to effectively suck towards the end anyway. It is VERY painful for me to nurse the first tri, it gets better after that but it is always uncomfortable during the entire pg. It is something I have to make myself do rather then wanting to, I actually truly hate nursing while pg.  Dry nursing for me feels like someone is trying to suck my bone marrow out with a straw. As the pg goes on I get the creepy crawlies while nursing.

None of mine have weaned during pg, they just drastically reduce how much they nurse. I could wean my 2y right now, he rarely asks anymore but I feel he is too little so I offer during nap and bedtime. My girls both went on to wean themselves within 6 months of the new baby being born. It was all very gradual and easy. The only book on the subject is Adventures in Tandem Nursing by LLL, it goes through nursing during pg and beyond. It is a very good book and really prepares you for what to maybe expect. 

[heybella]

There are 8 years between my first two, so thankfully I was not still nursing when pregnant the second time!  I was still nursing my son during this pregnancy but decided to ween.  I know that physiologically it is possible to continue to nurse through the pregnancy and tandem nurse following but I did not want to continue.  I could have lived with the breast discomfort but I was really nauseous and exhausted (mostly because I was hardly eating) so I felt like physically and emotionally I needed a way to decrease my energy needs.  We just finished weaning, 17 weeks pregnant and my son nearly 3.   When you are nursing a younger child, one whose sole or nearly sole nourishment is breast milk, then the decrease in supply can require supplementing.  For those of us nursing an older child, he or she will make up for the decrease elsewhere!

Weaning was really difficult at first-- I began but cutting out daytime nursing and continuing bedtime/night nursing.  I thought that I would give this some time and then when it was "easy" move on to full weaning.  It did not get easy!  He continued to ask during the day and cry through his nap, exhausting us both and he started waking up several times each night to nurse.  After 6 weeks of hoping it would improve, I decided to try full weaning and see how he handled it.  After two days, he was amazing.  Sleeping through the night and no more nap protest.  He talks about the milk and how much he loved it and he tells me that the new baby will need milk when he/she s born.

If you do decide to lead the weaning, be sure to avoid associating the weaning with the new baby (ex. mama needs the milk for the new baby) rather relate it to the child you're weaning 

Good luck,K

[Marissamom]

my two are 22 months apart, and DD is still nursing. I had a gradual decline in supply/switch to colostrum, and had just colostrum by about 22 weeks. DD was not discouraged by the change at all, though I did limit her nursing some because when she was getting a lot of colostrum it gave her newborn poo. I think the discomfort from nursing peaked at about 12 weeks. it never went away, but that's more due to the fact that DD has latch issues, it has never been comfortable to nurse her. 

[Kedrosami]

Hi Jaimee! I am 28 weeks and still nursing my almost 19-month-old. I agree with PPs that the 1st tri was the most painful. It's still pretty uncomfortable but not horrible. I just cut him off if it hurts too much. Sometimes just the feeling of his teeth, not biting, just touching me, is too much!! Honestly the discomfort is the hardest part for me.

My milk gradually turned to colostrum around 4-5 months in, and now there are a few drops of colostrum but not even enough to squeeze out, so we're mostly dry nursing. I hear about 2 swallows each time he nurses so my guess is he is getting a few drops but not much. He also only nurses 3-4 times a day now (morning, nap & night plus for occasional comfort, and even sometimes skips one of those) and he only nurses for 5-10 minutes at a time. I don't see him self-weaning anytime soon and since I've come this far I'm determined to stick it out. I think it'll be worth it when my milk comes in and I can tandem.

I want to tandem 1) to prevent jealousy and help ease the transition for DS and 2) to have someone to help me out with engorgement in the early months! Also I suppose DS getting breastmilk is good too, lol!

Since your DS is still little, in your case I'd try to keep the nursing relationship going in whatever way you can, but from what I've heard some babies just self-wean so I'd be prepared just in case that happens.

But don't worry too much about your supply--if it drops it drops. When mine tanked my DS just ate more food to compensate. Good luck whatever you do!

[crazykittymomma]

I'm 10 weeks and I noticed a decrease in supply as well (nursing my 23 month old). I started taking More Milk Two and it really is helping. I find that it helps with the pain of dry sucking too.

[amaayeh]

With my first daughter, she was 25 months when I got pregnant and continued to nurse until my milk dried up between 3 and 4 months along.  She became disinterested and stopped nursing.  With my second daughter, she was 29 months old when I got pregnant.  I'm 32 weeks now and she is still asking to nurse probably 10 times a day.  My milk did not completely dry up this time until closer to 20ish weeks.  She has continued to comfort nurse without issue from her...for me, it's been painful since I got pregnant.  However, she just simply isn't ready to give it up and although I have been at my wits end many times, I just don't have the heart to force it upon her.  Now we are discussing tandem nursing with her and I'm hoping it will go well.  I'm a bit nervous about it, but have been assured from my midwife and doula that once my milk comes in, she won't be interested in nursing for long periods of time because she fills up quickly.  Who knows.  I'm winging it at this point!!

[Marissamom]

Originally Posted by amaayeh 

 I'm a bit nervous about it, but have been assured from my midwife and doula that once my milk comes in, she won't be interested in nursing for long periods of time because she fills up quickly.  Who knows.  I'm winging it at this point!!

DD was doing 45 minute nursing sessions almost every time she nursed and now that my milk is in is down to 5-minute sessions. 

[amaayeh]

Originally Posted by Marissamom 

DD was doing 45 minute nursing sessions almost every time she nursed and now that my milk is in is down to 5-minute sessions. 

Woohoo!  Right now my DD wants to nurse in the mornings for at least an hour straight.  It's beyond annoying, especially since she just has to twiddle the other nipple.  I'm ready for this to be shortened drastically!

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by amaayeh 

It's beyond annoying, especially since she just has to twiddle the other nipple.  I'm ready for this to be shortened drastically!

Yes, the nipple twiddling and holding is more frustrating than the nursing! 

As for nursing... I have decided to push night weaning.  I simply need more sleep than I am getting.  My ds is a great eater so I know he's getting quite a bit of nutrition from solid foods.  I'll take day nursing one step at a time and see what happens if my milk dries up.  As for tandem nursing, well, honestly, I don't think I could handle it.  I know a lot of mothers do it successfully, but I have a really hard time maintaining my weight and health while I'm nursing ONE, I'm not sure I could nurse two and be healthy and sane.  This whole motherhood gig is quite the balancing act... I may have to let this go in order to be a more balanced mom.

[akind1]

DS was 14 months (to the day) when I got my BFP for #2. at the time, I was already trying to cut back on nursing a bit. My supply decreased rapidly, to the point where there was none, probably by the 10 week mark or so. The last nursing sessions to go for us were the night time ones. Once we night weaned, he was weaned, period. Everyone's experience is different, of course, but for me, the nipple tenderness/pain has increased, not decreased with time, and I am glad to not be nursing through it.  - I am 18 weeks now -

Now, if he should want to nurse when the new baby is born (he will be about 22 months, I think), I am willing for him to nurse again, but think I would place limits on it, even so. I really enjoyed "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" alot of it is to do with pregnancy and has helpful information whether you choose to wean, and unwean after birth, or not, or tandem through pregancy and beyond.

There are times I miss the easy comfort of nursing him, but also, I am a bit glad of a break for the boobs between babes.

[tourist.]

My experience has been nearly identical to Peony.  Milk dried up near the end of the first tri, DS used to nurse at least 3 times a day, now we're down to once at bedtime.  The most awesome thing is that he night weaned.  Sleeping through the night is amazingly awesome (besides me getting up to pee all the time).  Nursing hurt most during the first tri, but continues to hurt now into the third.  Now it mostly drives me nuts, and I'm always anxious for the session to end.

All this change has been amazing though.  DS was an absolute boobie junkie, so the fact that he's down to once a day is so surprising for me.  It used to be that when I would go pick him up at the babysitter he could *never* leave without sitting and nursing first.  Never.  Now, I to get him and he's practically out the door before I am.

[konayossie]

My DS is 24 mos and I'm 19 weeks preg. He was still nursing quite a bit before I got pg but he's gradually cut waaaaaay back to only 4-1 times a day. My milk was still there up until a couple of weeks ago. Easter weekend ds went to stay with my parents so I tried pumping and got nothing. I really think I'm dry now. I'm planning to go as long as he wants and as I can stand it....