I've never nursed and been pregnant at the same time before so I thought I'd start a support thread. It's gotten a little tender, but nothing I can't handle, yet.
Has anyone else had experience with this? I'm excited about tandem nursing, but hoping it won't be too painful. It seems since I've been pregnant I started producing more milk and my breasts are swelling, which is a good sign, I hope not to lose my milk since DD is so young.
Me neither! Mine are tender too. But not like that first cycle! OHMY! I was SO SURE I had thrush... but it was just my cycle returning!
I am the opposite though. I really don't want to tandem nurse. I dont enjoy nursing. I am hoping DS will self wean, because I would probably never forcibly wean him, but I am ready for him to be ready to leave. He will be 2.75 years when #3 is born so, I figure thats not too young to wean naturally. He just nurses SO MUCH still. I feel like I spend all day trying to distract him from me just so I can get things accomplished. He will follow me to the bathroom and ask to nurse. Every hour he wants to nurse. He still barely eats regular food, gets down, and wants to nurse!! Its just crazy! So I am ready. I just pray the next baby isnt a frequent nurser like DS and we will have a more enjoyable nursing relationship. Because this one feels like saran wrap with honey stuck to my face!
Last night he literally "nursed" (perma-suckled) from 2am THROUGH 8AM! Every time I tried to get home off he screamed. Finally at 8am I had to get away and handed him to my husband and I went downstairs to start cooking for Thanksgiving. He cried for like less than a minute and then came downstairs and I was like, 'mommy's meme just need a break for a little while.' "meme break mommy." hahah. too cute. Then DH kept him pretty entertained while I cooked. But if I was home with just the kids... he would have been standing next to me the whole time in the kitchen asking to nurse, even if he has both sides, 20 minutes later if he see's me, he asks again! my friends joke that its like cigarettes-addiction. But it really is like that. He demands to nurse even when I am driving the car. He knows its not possible. But he keeps asking anyways, over and over until he loses it. Ugh. Its really miserable. I hate it.
Of course, like I said, I wont forcibly wean him. So I may end up tandem nursing. Although. I only know one person that has done so. Everyone else I know their babies weaned at tri2. But they were all older than 14 months though!
I nursed dd through ds's pregnancy, and it was hellish. She was COMMITTED though. My supply totally tanked at 6 weeks, and definitely turned into "weaning milk", with the higher salt content, because dd was suddenly asking for water after nursing all the time. She's still going too. Like you, MyKids, I would like her to wean, but don't think I'll be able to force it. DS is still nursing too, and he does the perma-suckle thing from 2 or 3am until I have had *enough* and just get up. But, he's only nursing once or twice during the day.
Anyway, bla bla. My breasts are sore this time, but not so much my nipples. Hoping that continues! Technically, nursing while pregnant *is* tandem nursing, so rah rah for all of us! That makes me a triandem nurser. Holy. I really never thought I'd have a breastfeeding toddler, never mind a breastfeeding preschooler, breastfeeding toddler and a babe in the belly all at once. Phew.
If any of you ever come across any literature on the science of milk production in pregnancy/tandem nursing, I am really, really curious to see it. I haven't had much luck finding any. I'm just really curious about the interplay between the milk being tailored to the nursling, while simultaneously being "reset" for the babe on the way. All I can do is hypothesize, 'cause I know the body prioritizes the developing baby. I've recently read an article that recommends nursing the older child on only one side (always the same side) by the end of the 2nd trimester, as a sort of compromise because studies in other mammals (cows, specifically) show that their newborns don't do as well if there hasn't been a lactational "break" between babies. I know I'm trying to be more conscious of my own nutritional intake.
What are you guys thinking about this stuff?
Heh. I'm so glad my DD hasn't been a marathon nurser lately, I would lose my mind. MyTrees, I can't imangine having a nursling want to nurse so often.
Quantum, that is amazing that you have two little nurslings, well, big nurslings and one on the way. Go mama!! Yeah, I've been thinking about all that too. I would love to know what you find out on that subject. I want to make sure the new little one gets what he/she needs. It would be nice to nurse on just one side and then let DD have either side when milk comes in to help with engorgement after birth.
though I'm sure it's coming!
Pretty sure that I am arbitrarily weaning my dd. The past few nights have been hellish. I feel really awful about just drawing a line in the sand like this, but I think it might be the best course of action. She used to fall asleep after 5-10 minutes at the breast and that was it for the night. Now, she nurses for 20-30 minutes, at which time I cut her off because her methods for increasing milk flow become unbearable. And then it takes a full hour of screaming, hitting me, kicking the wall to her brother's room, crying, etc, etc, before she finally lets me rub her back and she falls asleep doing that hiccough/cry thing. Awful. Interestingly, she tells me that there is less milk, and that it tastes different, but that it's still really yummy. She'll be four in less than a month, and I do feel like we've done "enough" breastfeeding-wise, but I wanted the end to be mutual, and I don't like parenting as a dictator. Maybe we just need to change it up a little. Nurse for five minutes on the couch before going to bed, or something. I get really frustrated when she doesn't go to sleep, because I am *expecting* her to go to sleep and looking forward to the evening to myself. Also, my patience level has hit new lows with this pregnancy. Wow. Gotta work on that. Perhaps going to bed would be helpful. ahem.
Pretty sure that I am arbitrarily weaning my dd. The past few nights have been hellish. I feel really awful about just drawing a line in the sand like this, but I think it might be the best course of action. She used to fall asleep after 5-10 minutes at the breast and that was it for the night. Now, she nurses for 20-30 minutes, at which time I cut her off because her methods for increasing milk flow become unbearable. And then it takes a full hour of screaming, hitting me, kicking the wall to her brother's room, crying, etc, etc, before she finally lets me rub her back and she falls asleep doing that hiccough/cry thing. Awful. Interestingly, she tells me that there is less milk, and that it tastes different, but that it's still really yummy. She'll be four in less than a month, and I do feel like we've done "enough" breastfeeding-wise, but I wanted the end to be mutual, and I don't like parenting as a dictator. Maybe we just need to change it up a little. Nurse for five minutes on the couch before going to bed, or something. I get really frustrated when she doesn't go to sleep, because I am *expecting* her to go to sleep and looking forward to the evening to myself. Also, my patience level has hit new lows with this pregnancy. Wow. Gotta work on that. Perhaps going to bed would be helpful. ahem.
Argh, I feel for you... that does not sound like fun. Have you tried preparing her for the shorter nursing sessions in advance? At 4 hopefully she can understand reasoning fairly well and if you explain it to her before she gets upset it may help? Your idea for nursing in a different place for a short time sounds good too.
I hear you on the patience thing too. I totally lose mine when I'm tired or stressed.
We nursed for 5 minutes on the couch, and then I laid down with the beast. We talked about it beforehand, and I didn't have to hold her to keep her from hurting me, so that was a plus. I rubbed her back for a long time, and then we both fell asleep. It probably took 45 minutes, but that's better then the hour+ it took the last few nights! She's not ready to wean - I can see the panic in her eyes when I talk about it, so we'll take it slow. Really, five minutes a day is NOT the end of the world, especially if it helps her feel a little grounded as she goes to bed at night. She really is an awesome kid, even if I do forget that amidst the frustration sometimes.
quantam, I'm so glad it went a little better this time. I'm sure it will get easier and easier.
I'm dreading getting to 7 weeks when I know its going to be a lot more painful. I also feel a little sadness because we didn't mean to get pregnant until DD was two. She still nurses a lot and I really hope we can get through this and keep on going because I know she needs it longer than this pregnancy, esp. when there is a new babe taking all my attention. Crossing my fingers we can do it!!
So I now know that I'm 6 wks + 2 days. My nipples are sore now but I haven't noticed any breast changes. I think in my past pregnancies my BBs have started getting bigger by this stage but I guess nursing is slowing or preventing that process. Does anyone know when the milk supply is likely to decrease?
Anytime after now! Most women seem to find the decrease happens in the second trimester though. Some women don't notice a decrease at all! Mine bottoms out pretty much as soon as I conceive.
Anytime after now! Most women seem to find the decrease happens in the second trimester though. Some women don't notice a decrease at all! Mine bottoms out pretty much as soon as I conceive.
Hmm okay, it seems like my DS is still finding milk but my supply may have decreased, it's hard to say. I would like to tandem nurse and he isn't showing any sign of losing interest in his milkies so that may happen
Still going strong over here. Not really too sore yet. Still making milk here too.
We are still nursing as usual over here (2-3 times/day, sometimes once at night), milk supply is fine, boobs and nipples surprisingly un-sore. In fact my boobs feeling fine is why I waited so long to test.
I am not specifically planning to wean or to tandem nurse but figured I would just play it by ear, see how it goes.
I nursed Monkey (who turned two at the time) through my pregnancy with Bee and then until she was 9 months (just after he turned 3). I set out to do it as long as it worked for us.
-I set limits. We were already night weaned and I got strict about nursing deliberately (not sip, play, sip) and in a position that was comfortable for me.
-I found that lying on the couch and letting him have a short drive bye, kept him feeling connected and good to go play quietly for a while and let me rest.
-I got mild thrush from antibiotics and nursing provided just the right amount of friction to scratch the itch.
-my milk sure dried up, then came in around 32 weeks, but he kept on going.
-for me it was never uncomfortable, so I never really put much though into stopping.
-My midwifes were good with it as long as I did not nurse in labour. They said the unplanned homebirths the see are often when mama stops to nurse before heading to the hospital.
Tandem nursing I loved. They held hands and my older one would pat his sister. It was great for jealousy because the could share and have as much of me as they needed at the same time. Only trouble is your are at your multitasking limit nursing two at once, no free hands for the computer.
All that said, I weaned Bee this weekend (by saying no half a dozen times, so she is in a ready sort of place) and am really tempted not to start again. Mostly because she has taken to it so easily, but I am still trying to make up my mind.
That all said Bee is nursing right now so the terrorist toddler will sleep and leave me in peace.
Hey everyone, just joined this group, I'm due July 31 officially but will prob go in to August bc I always go over! Anyway, I nursed til 21 weeks pregnant last pregnancy, and am nursing this pregnancy as well. I had to quit last time bc I couldnt gain any weight, actually i lost 12lbs, and I am small as it is!! My milk supply never dropped and I never had sore nipples (and dont this time either). I hope to go a little longer this time, but plan to wean before the birth because when I am really big and pregnant I know I couldnt handle the extra nursing anyway :)
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