contraction/cramps while nursing?

[SummerLover]

Has anyone else experienced this in early pregnancy ?

This started happening to me during a pregnancy last fall. I miscarried when I was 9 weeks along. I guess I'm looking for either reassurance that this is okay in early pregnancy, or that maybe I should quit trying to get pregnant until after my dd is done nursing.

Thanks.

[ShellyK.]

Let me qualify that I'm only 99% sure that I'm pg, and only about 4 weeks along, but I think I've been feeling contractions. I thought it was strange this early on, too.

[RachelGS]

I had some early cramping in my pregnancy, too. Everything was fine. It can be totally normal-- just the reaction of your uterus to swelling with blood as it prepares to grow your baby.

[SummerLover]

Shelly~ Congratulations!!

Rachel~ Thanks so much for responding. Did you get the cramping only while nursing, because that is what happened to me.

[RachelGS]

Hi. Nope, this is my first baby. It makes sense to me, though. If cramping is normal, which it seems to be, I wouldn't necessarily worry. You might ask your midwife or OB, though, to put your mind at ease.

[FreeRangeMama]

I often get cramps while nursing ds. (I am about 8 weeks) It took me a while to associate the 2, but it is definately only while nursing. I know its common later in pg, so I'm not concerned at this point.
HTH
Laurie

[MysticHealerMom]

oxytocin is released during orgasm, brastfeeding and labor - so, it could be a factor.

you could try taking some crampbark tincture to relieve the cramping, if it's troublesome. it works very well isn't contraindicated in pregnancy or breastfeeding and won't interfere with normal uterine function.

Also, you might be dehydrated.

cheers!

Lori

[heps]

I am not pregnant, but I have just started feeling a little cramping when ds nurses and he is 17 months. I did feel a lot of cramping when he was a newborn, but it has been months. It just started up in the last couple of weeks.

[DaryLLL]

Studies have shown that there are cells called oxytocin receptors on your uterus that don't mature and activate until late in your pregnancy, when the baby is "ripe" and ready to be born.

The huge majority of women can therefore nurse throughout a pregnancy without the oxytocin realeased during bfing causing labor.

Of course, if it is time, and labor is not kicking in, then nipple stimualtion can sort of boost things along.

That said, if you miscarried while pregnant before, and your cramping was quite strong while nursing, you may want to think about it a bit. Call an IBCLC lactation consultant and talk things over. We all have inidvidual responses to hormones, and need to be in touch with our bodies.