Nursing while pregnant - Page 3 « Back to Group Discussions

[rebecca10]

Anyone else feel crampy when they nurse? It's not particularly painful, just a bit uncomfortable, but it making me a little nervous.

[~Demeter~]

I'm not really feeling any crampiness while nursing... and my LO nurses quite frequently still, she just turned 13 months so she's still getting quite a lot of nutrients from nursing beyond the comfort aspect. Nursing her is a lot easier (thus far) than nursing my then almost 3yr old was when I was pregnant with her.

I'm finding myself utterly exhausted... I've been pregnant or nursing or nursing AND pregnant for the 5 years. I think I need to come up with a very well thought out nutrient tea blend to help replenish my body.

[fazer6]

I'm currently feeding my 2 year old. On the whole he's night weaned but has a cold so at the minute I let him feed at night, he wakes up coughing so I don't want to try to get him to sleep if a little fluid might help. I know Geigerin from the nursing mamas TTC thread.

So far we've had no problems, I'm 7 weeks and concerned about low supply or nipple soreness. To be honest things have been improving. Since before ovulation I had nipple pain. Iniitally I thought it was down to hormones. Until I realised I had really dry sore nipples. WTF, seriously at 18 montjhs I used my nipple cream as a moisturiser as I wouldn't need it any more, and having fed fine with DS just presumed I'd not need it with the next one. What a mistake. I've been using lanolin and it's basically sorted now but no idea where the dryness came from.

[Babymakesfour]

Has anyone's OB said they must stop nursing? This is what my OB told me. I am currently nursing my 10 month old, and feel guilty. Now I'm worried about what my OB will say when she finds out I am pregnant and still nursing. Hmmm.

[Lizbiz]

HI Babymakesfour, 

That sounds really odd for an OB to tell you to stop nursing your 10 month old - and she doesn't even know you're pregnant? 

I nursed my son until he was 24 months - and at that point I was 5 months pregnant with my daughter when he weaned.  

Is there some medical issue that your OB is concerned about if you continue to nurse your baby?  

I did have one OB tell me that I could stop nursing my 6 month old if I desired (which I didn't), but to say that you must stop nursing a baby is a bit odd to me.

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

Nursing is starting to hurt a bit - I think it's because there is less milk so DD is nursing differently.  I am so dreading weaning her and I really hope I can just tandem nurse till she is around 3.  I am sooo not ready for her to wean yet. 

And I have never heard a doctor say you MUST wean during pregnancy - I would definitely consider changing docs or getting a second opinion. 

[Babymakesfour]

Just read what I wrote ... to clarify, she gave me the 'go ahead' to TTC, but said I absolutely must wean first. Now I'm preggo and haven't weaned yet.

[Lizbiz]

Well, some docs maybe think you'd have a better chance of conceiving if you're not nursing, and I believe if you're high risk for miscarriage - some docs would advise not to nurse. 

If you're not in that category though, I'd see no reason to adhere to her advice.  Tons of moms nurse through their pregnancies.  I did until my milk disappeared and my son was totally nonchalant about self weaning at that point.  We just sort of both stopped when I was 5 months pregnant and went from there.  No big deal.  I can't see that it had any impact on my pregnancy at all.  I was however, a bit nursing averse for the last two months of nursing - but I understand that's normal.  

You may want to clarify with your doctor and ask what her specific concerns are... if she's misinformed, then yes, it may be time to scout for a dif't doc, especially if she's insistent about it.

[Babymakesfour]

Thanks, Lizbiz. I was feeling guilty. I am going for my first prenatal app't with my Nurse Practitioner next Thurs, so I'll see what she says. I'm continuing to nurse, although if my daughter self-weaned I wouldn't complain.

[katroshka]

I am nursing my 9.5 month old, and I nursed my first daughter until I was about 6 months pregnant with my second. She self weaned because my milk dried up, she was about a year old at that point. I did have mild cramping but my midwife said that as long as it stopped shortly after the nursing was done it was fine, and I didn't have any problems. In fact, I had been on bed rest with threatened preterm labor with my first, but not my second.

When I miscarried a couple of months ago I had a really bad experience with this random OB I went to see for an ultrasound (long story), she told me before she even did the ultrasound or asked any questions that I had almost certainly miscarried because I was nursing and that I should stop nursing before TTC again because I "wouldn't want it to happen again". I was really pissed and told her that I nursed through most of my second pregnancy and that I knew lots of women who nursed through pregnancies and she acted like I was crazy. Then she did the ultrasound, saw that any development had stopped very early on and grudgingly said that it was probably because of chromosomal abnormalities. All in all a pretty awful OB visit. I have a midwife friend who works in a major hospital birth center and she was totally shocked and horrified about the whole thing and says it is totally safe to nurse while pregnant.

I would say if you can't get a sympathetic care provider it might be best to keep quiet about the nursing and only bring it up if you have specific concerns.

[rebecca10]

BabyMakesFour--If you haven't you might want to check out the book Adventures in Tandem Nursing: http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Tandem-Nursing-Breastfeeding-Pregnancy/dp/0912500972. It has tons of the latest scientific information about nursing through pregancy and may you feel less guilty about nursing and more empowered to stand up to your OB if you do want to continue nursing (not that the book paints an entirely rosey--it is honest about the challenges too)  I know how you feel though. My OB, who I love in some ways, is not very nursing friendly. I don't think she is going to be happy when she finds out I'm pregant and still breastfeeding as much as I am.  I can't decide if I'm going to take the route of just not telling her.  My current thinking is that I won't lie about it but also won't bring it up unless she specifically asks about it.

[Babymakesfour]

Katroshka - How terrible you had to put up with that. Thanks for sharing your story.

Rebecca - Thanks, I'll look into that link. I'm not one to lie about my choices either, but I don't need to deal with attitude about it. I'll be happy to be more informed. I do love my OB in many ways, too. I trust her - she is very professional and caring and knowledgeable, but this recommendation threw me for a loop. 

[sallyrae17]

I'm stunned at the number of doctors telling women to not breastfeed while pregnant. That really sucks! (no pun intended there) I had a miscarriage while breastfeeding my son and in NO WAY did I attribute it to breastfeeding. That's just bizarre. 

Anyone else enter the "ohmygod this is the most painful experience in the world" phase yet? At 7 1/2 weeks, I'm officially there. It hurts so bad nurse. Like nails being sucked through my breast. My son has also told me that the milk tastes like the couch (we have a leather couch), dirt or just yucky. LOL. Yet he insists that he isn't ready to stop. 

[Lisanne]

My daughter is wanting to nurse more lately. I think she knows something is up. She is almost 3 and usually just nurses for a few minutes in the evening and not even every day, but she has been asking during the day lately. Today she seemed really tired and whiny and I let her nurse and she took a nice long nap.It's been months since she has napped so that was nice.

[isras1]

Yes Sallyrae17, we're there. So painful, I hope it gets better soon. Plus, today is the third day of my DS working through a head cold. So he is nursing way more often at night, like a newborn and he latches on and off constantly so that he can breath. OUCH! I try to distract myself by reading a book on my phone, it helps for I can't sleep through it. 

A health care provider also told me to stop nursing due to the increased demands on my body, nutritionally and energetically. Yes, it is draining at times, I'll admit that. Nutritionally, I feel that I am meeting that. It is the fluid intake that worries me, I don't want to dry up too soon (my son is 18 mo) or not at all. Drinking fluids exacerbates my nausea as it did with my last pregnancy. 

Thanks for the book recommendation rebecca10.... my name is Rebekah too  :)

[sallyrae17]

Originally Posted by isras1 

A health care provider also told me to stop nursing due to the increased demands on my body, nutritionally and energetically. Yes, it is draining at times, I'll admit that. Nutritionally, I feel that I am meeting that. It is the fluid intake that worries me, I don't want to dry up too soon (my son is 18 mo) or not at all. Drinking fluids exacerbates my nausea as it did with my last pregnancy. 

I am really struggling to drink enough water during the day. I think I need to make a big jug of iced tea or something. Water just doesn't sound good to me. I seem to be the opposite of all the dry mouth mamas out there.  It's probably contributing to my drop in supply. 

[cc_mama]

DS, 22 months is still nursing. Multiple attempts to nightwean have not gone well over the past three months.  Thought BFP was possible due to nipple pain and supply issues. I nursed DD until I was 20 weeks with no problems when my milk dried up she stopped.  Wondering how this will go.  I did not stop nursing DD even though I've had multiple losses and won't stop for just that reason this time.  Now please let him stop some......LOL

[sallyrae17]

Anyone else asking their nursling what their milk tastes like (those of you who have older ones who will answer, that is)? When I had my last miscarriage, my son all of sudden said that the milk tasted like grape juice (which is apparently the normal taste). Before that he said it wasn't very good. In retrospect, I should have known that something had happened when my milk tasted "fine" again. This time around, I keep asking him because there's still that little fear in the back of my head that I could have another missed miscarriage.

Anyway, I've never really found much information online for what other kids have said and I'm interested to know. So far, my milk has tasted like a leather couch, dirt, yucky and like nothing.

What about you?

[Monk Monk]

I nursed DD1 throughout my 2nd pregnancy and am nursing DD2 this time around. I am almost 8 weeks. I had some painful sessions earlier but things are a bit better, though still sensitive, now that the official nausea has set in. I don't believe I dried up with the pregnancies, so essentially I've been lactating for 5 years 4 mos. straight! By the time the 3rd baby comes I'm sure that'll be stretched out to 8 years +. Ha ha! My kids are pretty intent on nursing.

My provider is the same I had since the first pregnancy. She is mainstream, affiliated w/ the hospital. But she is very understanding and said straight up I was fine to continue nursing through pregnancy if I wanted. She also gave thumbs up to two VBACS. The only time she suggested weaning was when I had a bump a few years back that turned out to be a milk cyst. She said a mammogram would not work as well on a lactating breast. I simply saw a breast specialist in that case and luckily the cyst had subsided without my needing to wean.

I am sure there are some women in high risk categories that would be advised to wean as a precaution (along with other things like bedrest, etc.) But unless you are advised for a specific risk, as long as you are healthy and the pregnancy is normal I see no reason to wean. You just have to look at the whole picture.

[rebecca10]

I had never  thought to ask, and actually didn't really think my daughter would be able to answer.  But I tried this morning--she thought for a moment and said "cheese."  
 

Originally Posted by sallyrae17 

Anyone else asking their nursling what their milk tastes like (those of you who have older ones who will answer, that is)? When I had my last miscarriage, my son all of sudden said that the milk tasted like grape juice (which is apparently the normal taste). Before that he said it wasn't very good. In retrospect, I should have known that something had happened when my milk tasted "fine" again. This time around, I keep asking him because there's still that little fear in the back of my head that I could have another missed miscarriage.

Anyway, I've never really found much information online for what other kids have said and I'm interested to know. So far, my milk has tasted like a leather couch, dirt, yucky and like nothing.

What about you?