Breastmilk during pregnancy...PLEASE HELP!!!

[Yulia_R]

I’m 6 weeks pregnant. We found out on this Valentine Day!
This was such a great surprise as I was considered infertile and our first baby was conceived through IVF (in vitro fertilization). Needless to say how happy we were, but now I’m realizing more and more that there is a bitter side to it.

My milk supply, which was always good, did diminish. However, so far it is still enough for one baby. My baby boy is almost 9m.o. but is almost exclusively breastfed. I mean, he does eat some bananas and pears, but in small amounts, sort of more like for fun, not as a meal. He hates cereal which is the only real food at this stage.

Anyway, I have a lot of questions (sorry for that) and my first question is if pregnancy affects breastmilk’s quality? I have noticed that since I got pg my breastmilk got sort of watery. It also stopped helping my baby’s eczema (it did help before when I applied it on his eczema area every evening). Now his eczema got really bad. I also think that my baby became fussier since I got pg. Can it be that he became hormonal or something like that (pg women considered to be hormonal, so can my baby get that too through my milk)?

I am beginning to panic. What if my milk got watery and it doesn’t have all necessary nutrition any longer and my baby doesn’t receive everything his growing body needs?! What if my milk supply will diminish even more? What if it dries up? I’m afraid even to think about it…what am I going to do if this happens? Give my baby crappy formula?! Even organic formulas are still just crappy formulas, aren’t they? I have heard that some mamas make an organic goat milk formula, so I guess I will be able to do that. But what if Jonah doesn’t like it? And how exactly I will make him to drink it if he never ever took a bottle?! When he was about 7m.o. and was sick with high fever and too weak to breastfeed for one day we did offer him a bottle with bm quite a few times, but he wouldn’t take it no matter what. Also when I was out of home my husband was offering him a bottle with breastmilk or water few times and every time Jonah treats the bottle like he has nothing to do with it whatsoever (we tried different bottle designs and also plastic and glass bottles, but it didn’t make any difference).

I’m so scared. I guess I just need to hear some stories of success. Has anybody had nice milk supply throughout the pregnancy and was able to successfully breastfeed through the pregnancy (by this I mean not just to have a baby pacifying on an empty breast, but to actually have enough milk to breastfeed a high need nurser who wakes up nearly every hour at night to nurse himself back to sleep and also breastfeeds a lot during the day)? Do you think I will be able to mountain nice milk supply through my pregnancy if I eat for 3 and drink for the whole neighborhood?

Sorry it’s so long. It just I was holding it for so long time (just to not jinx this miracle pregnancy we decided to not tell anything to anyone, even our parents and friends until I’m at least 12 weeks). But today I felt so upset and scared thinking that this pregnancy can make my baby Jonah starve and suffer, that few times I had a horrible thought that I wished I’ve miscarried. This thought just freaked me out, I can’t tell how horrible this thought was for me considering the fact that this pregnancy is a true miracle for us, so I realized that I need help and support and a lot of it and right away!

Thanks everyone who read this super long letter! I’ll appreciate so much every your opinion and advice!

Yulia.

[Soxfan Mom]

Congratulations! What a super Valentine that must have been.

I am about to fall asleep here, so I am sorry my reply will be short. I just wanted to reassure you that you will be fine. Your body knows what to do; trust it. You are looking for success stories, so here I am. I nursed during two pregnancies (and subsequently tandem nursed twice) and had no difficulties whatsoever with supply. Your Jonah is 9 mos.; mine were a bit older than that, but still avid nurslings.

The only problem I had was the second time around, when the nursing got to be very uncomfortable during my third trimester. I cut sessions short many a time. I believe it was my body's way of conserving energy, as I was getting older (turning 40!) and I ended up growing a very big baby boy who was two weeks postdates.

That is my happy anecdote. Kellymom can help you more with facts and figures and such. Here is the link, and good luck:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/tandem/li...gpregnant.html

[Yulia_R]

Soxfan Mom, thank you so much for sharing your story and your support!

Funny that we totally forgot about Valentine Day (you know how it is with a small baby in the house) and wouldn't remember until late evening! But when we realized that we learned about the pregnancy on this wonderful day we were very happy and I enjoyed thinking that perhaps it means that everything is going to be great with the pg!

Soxfan Mom, what bothers me the most is quality of my milk. The fact that it became watery and that it stopped helping with eczema makes me wonder if it still has all the good stuff and nutrition into it as it should. What if my baby is no longer receiving everything he needs with this milk? I can't find this information anywhere.

Did your milk get watery while you were pg?

Thanks again so much for your help!!!
Yulia.

[Soxfan Mom]

Originally Posted by Yulia_R

The fact that it became watery and that it stopped helping with eczema makes me wonder if it still has all the good stuff and nutrition into it as it should. What if my baby is no longer receiving everything he needs with this milk? I can't find this information anywhere.

Did your milk get watery while you were pg?

Yulia, I must confess that the only time I noticed the consistency of the milk was when I was pumping. I think the "thickness" probably changed from week to week; maybe that's what's going on now with your little guy. As far as the eczema, maybe there are environmental factors at work, too, and this is just a coincidence? Not much rain in your area lately, right? Perhaps the very dry air contributes to it. Must admit I've never had experience with eczema, so maybe someone else here can have some input on that.

Try not to stress; everything will be fine. Good luck!

[Siana]

Congratualtions Yulia_R on the wonderful news!

I'm another mama who nursed successfully through pregnancy to a fairly high-needs nurser. I had a hard time dealing with nipple sensitivity in the first trimester. There were three days when I was really tense evey time I nursed my DD and I had some serious thoughts of weaning her. On the fourth day, I'm not sure what got in to me, but I just psyched myself in to just focusing that this was no ones "fault" and that my nursling and I would get through it. It was hard none the less, especially during the night when I was so tired that I felt the stimulation especially hard to deal with.

I'm very greatful that my nursling didn't wean, especially since there were many times in the early days when I tried coercing her to unlatch because of the discomfort (which was sometimes unbearable for me).

It's important to remember that every mothers experience is different, and you and your nursling can get through it -- both your body and that of your nursling knows what's best.

A great book to read about nursing during pregnancy and tandem nursing this is "Adventures in Tandem Nursing: Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and Beyond by" Hilary Flower

As for your LOs eczema, do you know the cause(s)? For my LO, I had a strong feeling his were food related. I did an elimination diet, and found many of his allergies and sensitivities, though he has a damanged gut and very recently his eczema has returned (though very mild compared to before). I also found for myself that I have a damaged gut which might has exacerbated his issues. I hang out on the "Nutrition and Good Eating" and well as the "Health and Healing" forums and the mamas there were wonderful with allaying my fears. I still have a long, long way to go to healing ourselves, but I feel I'm on the right track.

I you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask. I remember feeling very overwhelmed by my sons eczema, and every little bit of help and encourgagement did wonders for my peace of mind.

[Yulia_R]

Girls, thank you so much for the support! I’m so glad that I’m not alone in this journey!

I will sure read the book that you have recommended.

As far as eczema, my husband has it and so the baby does . I have ordered a new cream, hope that will take care of it.

Thanks again,
Yulia.

[Ruthla]

I went through something very similar 10 years ago- only my baby GIRL was 9mo when I found out I was 6 wks pg!

She got rather skinny during my pregnancy, but then she filled out by the time her sister was 2 weeks old. In retrospect, I probably should have supplemented her with some kind of milk or formula during my pregnancy, but I was too stubborn. It worked out well in the end because I didn't have to worry about her getting "too fat" from all the rich milk after giving birth.

If I found myself in a similar situation again I would continue to nurse on demand and supplement with a milk-based formula as needed I'd use either home-made or a commercial formula- between the baby being older and still getting some breast milk, I wouldn't be as worried about home made formula being "incomplete."

[beanma]

hi yulia,

i tandem nursed my two, but my older dd was 2 when i was pg with my younger dd. the website for the adventures in tandem nursing book is www.nursingtwo.com . kellymom might direct you there, too. not sure. it really is a great book and talks a lot about nursing during pregnancy as well as nursing two after the baby is born. i really wishi had read it sooner during my pg. as for my experience -- my milk supply did diminish, but dd1's nursing appetite did not and she continued to nurse throughout my pgncy and they both are still nursing today. i think you can do it, but read the book!

[crysmomofthree]

I nursed during my pregnancy but weaned in the 8th month (regret it) I think you milk quality should be fine, make sure you eat a high quality diet with enough protein and water. You could weigh your little one every two weeks just to double make sure he is still getting enough.

and if you decide you need to supplement you could use a suplemental nursing system while nursing him and put either formula or pumped milk, or just goats milk in the sns and he would still be nursing.


but I really think you will be fine and both of your babies will thrive.

Good luck
Crystal