Any nursing Mamas in here?

[woodchick]

Howdy!

I'm 25 weeks along now and am still nursing my (almost) 2.5 year old DD. I've been noticing in the last couple weeks that the baby moves and kicks and somersaults a ton more while I'm nursing than otherwise.

It could just be that I'm finally lying down and still and so I notice it more... But I was wondering if anyone else had noticed anything similar.

It's kind of a cool feeling to be so acutely aware of both of my children at the same moment, in the womb and out!

[milky80]

Awww...I wish I was. My dd quit on me when I was about 15 weeks along. I miss it so. She still rubs at my shirt and says "mamma ninny"....Kudos to you!

[Just1More]

I'm still nursing ds once a day or so. I've not noticed it with this baby, but towards the end my pg with ds, I was still nursing dd, and I would get awful contractions sometimes. Probably after the 34th week or so. I would actually have to make her stop because they hurt so much...and would continue for hours. (They never did anything, but they sure FELT like they were!)

[DreamsInDigital]

My DD will be 2 in Feb. and she is still nursing at nap and bedtime. It was really difficult through the 2nd trimester but is getting better now. I hope to tandem nurse after the baby comes.

[triscuitsmom]

DS is 26 months and nursing constantly still. I don't see any chance of him stopping before February (or before college at this rate )

I'm happy with that though I'm looking forward to tandeming.

[rainbow_mandala]

Still nursing my almost 2-year-old DS...about once or twice a day and a few times at night. I know what you mean about feeling the baby kick and move more when you nurse...I also think it's because I'm lying down so the baby is naturally more active.

[mama-aya]

I'm still nursing a 2.5 yo, too! I almost always lay down now- I don't have enough lap left to comfortably hold him and nurse. I like feeling the baby move while he's nursing, but I am also starting to feel a little anxious about it all. I've got to get him used to sleeping without nursing, I think, or it could be miserable when I'm in the hospital having the new baby. I know people nurse and still go away from their kids for a night or two, but I never have been away from mine, and I just can't tell how he'll react. Ugh. I wish I could have a homebirth. And he's so possessive of me- I'm not sure how tandem nursing will work, but then, the vision I have of NOT letting him nurse after the baby comes is worse!
Is anyone else experienced with these things, or even worrying about them?

[triscuitsmom]

Originally Posted by mama-aya

I'm still nursing a 2.5 yo, too! I almost always lay down now- I don't have enough lap left to comfortably hold him and nurse. I like feeling the baby move while he's nursing, but I am also starting to feel a little anxious about it all. I've got to get him used to sleeping without nursing, I think, or it could be miserable when I'm in the hospital having the new baby. I know people nurse and still go away from their kids for a night or two, but I never have been away from mine, and I just can't tell how he'll react. Ugh. I wish I could have a homebirth. And he's so possessive of me- I'm not sure how tandem nursing will work, but then, the vision I have of NOT letting him nurse after the baby comes is worse!
Is anyone else experienced with these things, or even worrying about them?

You definitely aren't alone in worrying. I'm mostly feeling better about it now, but those were my exact concerns earlier in the pregnancy. He screams and screams when he wants to nurse and his Dad is trying to put him to sleep... brutal for everyone involved. But then he went to spend the night with my Mom one night totally unexpectedly (situation based, and it was decided at the very last minute) and did great. He's done it twice more and done great again both times. If I'm not in the house, and especially when it's not our house (where we all sleep together) he'll go down for her no problem without nursing.

I wasn't really planning or not planning on tandeming, I always just assumed I'd play it by ear. By yes, the vision I have of him seeing the baby nursing and NOT being allowed to nurse is not pretty so I'll follow his lead for sure. Have you tried talking to your DS about it? We talk about things we'll do when the baby comes out all the time, and T will tell me that "This side is for baby and This side is for me!" (which he came up with on his own, I plan on nursing each of them from both sides ) He also talks about the baby sleeping in our bed, and changing the baby's diapers and is generally getting very excited (Not that there won't be rough times, but I'm glad to hear him talking about it now )

Good luck with everything

[mama-aya]

Ha! Triscuitsmom- my little DS says the same thing. He even smiles and snuggles in to nurse saying "This Mmmm for baby, this Mmmm for me." I guess that's reassuring....
I have faith that it'll all work out, I just don't have faith that it will be EASY!

[Just1More]

DD nursed the last time (self-weaned) a week before ds was born. I would have let her nurse again if she had really wanted to, but she didn't really. She did try the milk once, and since it had been so long since she'd tasted it, she nearly threw up. She does NOT like sweet things like that!

In other ways, though, I thought I had prepared her very well for the new baby. After he was born though, I realized she understood far less of what we had discussed than I thought. She was only 26 months, but was extremely verbal, so, I thought she "got" it. The transition to "big sister" was very hard for her. (and it didn't help that he was a screamer...).

This time, I'm going to talk less and do more. DS will be almost 21 months when this baby is born. I've shown him babies and asked him things like "does the baby need to nurse?" when he hands me a baby doll. He gives a cute little smile and nod, likes he's happy to share the happiness, but I don't think he'll be pleased with the baby when it doesn't go away, when it's not just a game. So, just after the New Year, I'm going to install the carseat, and set up our house for the new baby. I'm going to carry around a doll and pretend to take care of it...change it's diaper, nurse it, wear it in the moby, etc. We'll be able to practice getting in the car with the extra baby, and he'll get used to the new carseat arrangements. I'll be able to put it down and break him in a little at a time, instead of shocking him with a newborn.

I don't know if it will really help, but I thought I'd share my plan...

[MomtoXane]

My milk dried up and I weaned my toddler in my first trimester. But he's still asking for milkies ALL the time! I've let him nurse here and there, but it's so uncomfortable. Do you think I should just say no? I'm at risk for ptl...

[mama-aya]

Just1More- I love your plan. I love that you even HAVE a plan! It is good to remember that actions are so much more meaningful to those littel ones than words.... which means I should stop talking and start DOING.

MomtoXane- I'm at risk of PTL too. Last time I was on bedrest for the last 4 months, and the first one was several weeks early. I was certain my OB would want me to wean immediately, but she said no need. She's an osteopath, though, and does all these cool manipulations every week to stop contractions and keep them from starting. Otherwise I start up with contractions and have to stay in bed- I definitely would be anxious about nursing if I was contracting WITHOUT nursing. Are you?

[kohlby]

I'm still nursing my DD who will be 3 in March. I tandemed DS and DD for 25 months. I'm hoping to get to tandem again. I don't notice a difference in movement while DD nurses. She nurses only at night, 3-4 times usually though it's been 5-6 recently!

[Eliseatthebeach]

I am also still nursing my 2 year old. We are down to just twice a day, in the morning and before bed. It has become annoying and uncomfortable, not really painful. The annoying part is just the way she nurses now b/c there is no milk. It's more of a "hanging out" on the breast now. Luckily, she is OK with just a minute or two at a time. There is no way she is giving it up and I would never make her so it looks like we will be giving tandem nursing a shot!

[luv]

Yup still nursing my 15 mo. Nearly dry but not quite. I have had to put restrictions on when and how long for my own sanity. Right now it's when she wakes in the AM before each of her two naps and before bed.

I have a feeling once this baby is born she'll be nursing like a newborn again.

And Yes, I can feel baby 2 'kick' my toddler while shes nursing. I say they are fighting already

-luv

[Luvmy2Joshs]

I'm still nursing my son who is 21 months old. The baby kicks him while he's nursing all the time it's so funny. I'm getting a little intimidated with the thought of tandem nursing... but I'm sure we'll make it work.

[Kraysmommy]

Originally Posted by Just1More

DD nursed the last time (self-weaned) a week before ds was born. I would have let her nurse again if she had really wanted to, but she didn't really. She did try the milk once, and since it had been so long since she'd tasted it, she nearly threw up. She does NOT like sweet things like that!

In other ways, though, I thought I had prepared her very well for the new baby. After he was born though, I realized she understood far less of what we had discussed than I thought. She was only 26 months, but was extremely verbal, so, I thought she "got" it. The transition to "big sister" was very hard for her. (and it didn't help that he was a screamer...).

This time, I'm going to talk less and do more. DS will be almost 21 months when this baby is born. I've shown him babies and asked him things like "does the baby need to nurse?" when he hands me a baby doll. He gives a cute little smile and nod, likes he's happy to share the happiness, but I don't think he'll be pleased with the baby when it doesn't go away, when it's not just a game. So, just after the New Year, I'm going to install the carseat, and set up our house for the new baby. I'm going to carry around a doll and pretend to take care of it...change it's diaper, nurse it, wear it in the moby, etc. We'll be able to practice getting in the car with the extra baby, and he'll get used to the new carseat arrangements. I'll be able to put it down and break him in a little at a time, instead of shocking him with a newborn.

I don't know if it will really help, but I thought I'd share my plan...

Wow! I could have written this word for word! That is our plan over here too. Got the baby doll ready to give as a Christmas gift and everything else is ready too. Hope it works for us...

[Just1More]

It's making me sad, though, that my little guy won't be the baby anymore very very soon. He was such a difficult infant that it's just now that I've really bonded with him. Lately (like in the last month) he has JUST NOW started to let me hold him and rock, or carry him around and talk to him about what I'm doing. It seems so fleeting, and I try to savor every second I have with him as the baby. I pray this new one is easy going and will be content to be put down a bit so I can still cuddle my little guy lots...

[SABE]

My 2.5 year old is nursing once every few days now. I'm willing to tandem nurse again if he's still interested when the baby comes, but I won't be surprised if he weans before that. I haven't noticed the baby doing anything special when ds nurses, but he often kicks ds when ds is sitting in my lap.