Nursing and pregnant

[sweetred]

I'm bfing my 22 month old ds, but now that I'm pregnant I really don't like it and am considering stopping. He digs his knees into my stomach and kicks sometimes when nursing. He climbs over me a lot before he falls asleep at night. Should I worry? Could this harm the baby? I am night weaning right now and am thinking of going cold turkey (but know I wouldn't ever do that to him). I am just frustrated and am wondering if others of you are still nursing and what it is like for you.

[kavamamakava]

It's fine to set limits. I started off this pregnancy nursing two and my son weaned when the supply dipped. He was 3 yrs 9 months at the time. My daughter slowed down when supply was low but now that it's back, she's back to nursing more frequently. She's 2 1/2.
If he digs his knees and kicks, ask him not to. Gently hold his legs still and remind him that there is a baby in your tummy and you want him to be gentle. Your baby is very protected in there and nudges and kicks from your toddler won't harm it at all. No need to worry.
But nursing while pregnant can be uncomfortable. My nipples are extremely sensitive. I am very picky about latch. I now make my daughter open wide and watch as I guide the nipple in because otherwise she has a lazy latch and slurps the nipple in. OUCH! I just distract myself really well for the initial latch discomfort and then nursing is fine for the rest of the session. If I'm feeling really touched out I ask the nursling to finish up. I count to ten out loud in a silly voice and make it take about a minute. Then I announce ALL DONE. It works like a charm. Sometimes I use my finger to help unlatch the nursling but if there is resistance, I say "Let's do another 10 and then finish."

For me, I am willing to put up with some discomfort if I can find some coping mechanisms. But I also think that communication is important. When my daughter fiddles with my belly button and wants to nurse at the same time, I tell her to choose. If she can't choose, I make the choice for her. She may NOT play with my belly button while nursing and I will unlatch her if she doesn't stop playing with it. It's a good situation for discipline and learning personal boundaries. It's OK to not be an open milk bar and to set limits for a nursing toddler if it is causing you emotional or physical discomfort. Nursing while pregnant can be challenging, but you don't necessarily have to wean to deal with the discomforts.

[~Megan~]

dd is 30 months and we are night weaning. Leaving the before bed and occasionally when waking up times though.

At this point his wiggling and kicking will not hurt the baby. S/he is snuggled deeply in you.

[mom2threenurslings]

I am currently tandem nursing (a 4.5 year old and a 2.5 year old) through this pregnancy ... and I've previously nursed one through one pregnancy and tandem nursed through another pregnancy.

Toddler nursing acrobatics cannot hurt the baby ... it takes a LOT of force to do any damage. Try putting a pea in a full water balloon and trying to squish the pea...it just kinda moves out of the way in its' liquid environment.

Some moms who find nursing a toddler during pregnancy challenging find that setting limits on nursing behavior (teaching nursing manners) helps a lot. For example, if the kicking bothers you, you tell him that if he kicks, he's done nursing for a while. He kicks, is taken off the breast and put down. You can determine the amount of time you need to collect yourself and go back to nursing ... he should get the message eventually. Many moms who nurse through pregnancy find the first trimester the most challenging because of the hormonal changes. Some find that practicing relaxation techniques while nursing helps immensely (and is good preparation for childbirth!).

What is pregnant nursing like for me? I LOVE it. This is the third pregnancy I've nursed through and I relish the one-on-one (or two-on-one!!!) time I have with my kids while they're nursing, as well as the opportunity to sit down and relax for a while!

[Mommay]

I just want to thank you for your posts. I am about to embark on nursing while pregnant and probably tandem nursing, and it is nice to hear other people's stories about them. I myself am feeling kind of guilty because ds loves to nurse and loves the milk, and I may be depriving him of the latter for a little while.

[mom2threenurslings]

I recommend reading "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" by Hilary Flower (available through LLLI) ... it has lots of info on pregnant nursing and tandem nursing. There is also a good chapter on the subject in "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" by Norma Jane Bumgarner. You may also want to check out "Nursing Through Pregnancy and Beyond" and "Nursing Two, Is It For You?" also available through LLLI.

[excitedtobeamom]

Thank you for all your posts! I am also pregnant and due Sept. 2nd and nursing a 15 month old. She has been nightweaned since 13 months but we nurse a lot during the day. She also nurses to sleep and anytime after 6am. I look forward to the "challenges" of tandem nursing.