Anyone breastfeeding and pregnant?

[mama2ashlynn]

I am breastfeeding and pregnant and was wondering if anyone else was doing the same? If so, was wondering how it was going? :wink

[tempestjewel]

Yup, I'm doing it. DD is two and nursing mostly twice a day, but sometimes more for a quick session. Its a little painful for latch on or when she presses on my chest to let me know she wants to nurse, but not unbearable. I plan on continuing for the forseeable future, as long as DD continues to want it! I still seem to have an adequate supply and am very curious to see what happens to it!

[earthie_mama]

I kind of am, its irritating. He's weaning himself, so he just plays mostly (I can't STAND that personally) But no soreness here, not since last Friday when they burned so bad when I pushed them on anything!! I hope to get him actually nursing more, either that or cut him off completely, I get very irritated when he plays.

[The Lucky One]

Me!

My ds2 will be 2 in 10 days and he still nurses ALL the time.

Frankly, I'm feeling really conflicted about this whole thing. One one hand I want to do CLW with him, but on the other I do not think I can tandem nurse (mentally). This was an unplanned pg. *sigh*

The thought of taking away his 'mee-mee-yas' makes me want to cry. Even if we do wean, it will be a very gradual process and I won't even start until after the summer is over.

[gr8tfulmom]

Frankly, I'm feeling really conflicted about this whole thing. One one hand I want to do CLW with him, but on the other I do not think I can tandem nurse (mentally). This was an unplanned pg. *sigh*

The thought of taking away his 'mee-mee-yas' makes me want to cry. Even if we do wean, it will be a very gradual process and I won't even start until after the summer is over.
:yeah: Only our little guy is 7 mo. Supply has started to dip so I have upped the water and oatmeal to ridiculous amounts, in hopes we can build a respectable supply back up. If anyone has any supply boosting tips, I would love to hear them!

[Octobermama]

Me, too. I had already started to ssllloowwwwlllyyy wean my dd. She is almost 30 months. So I decided this week to cut out sessions that weren't before or after sleep. She is still asking some but is surprisngly easy to distract. I think in a few weeks I will try to get her to lay down at night with out nursing, then move to nap time without nursing, then stop wake up time sessions. It is sad in some ways but we are talking about having a weaning party and trying to celebrate the wonderful nursing relationship we have had as we move onto a new phase.

[mama2ashlynn]

Its so good to know that I am not the only one in this boat. :wink I like the More Milk Two formula for uping breastmilk supply while bf'ing and being pregnant. It is by Mothers Milk I believe. I will need to double check though. It comes in a blue bottle and is in liquid form.

So I was wondering, are any of your worried about your child possibly weaning around the time your milk turns thick and to colestrum? I heard one mama say it happens around 6/7 months of pregnancy and most kiddos dont like it then. I am real worried as I dont want to wean my daughter before 2 years. I am thinking I might pump for 3-4 months like when I am 2- 6 months pregnant so I have a frozen reserve of breastmilk. That way we can try to give bm to my dd in a sippy or possibly a bottle if we start trying early. That way I can tandum nurse when my new baby is born and my daughter Ashlynn can then wean when she is ready. I know some kids go past 3 years and I would love to leave that option open for her. I am willing to and hoping to be able to tandem nurse. Any one have any experience/thoughts on this?

[Sleeepy]

I am! I'm 15 weeks pregnant and nursing a 2yo dd.

Dd has noticed a big change in my supply already. She started complaining about 'Num-mums broke' before I even got a positive pregnancy test. She's still nursing constantly, though, so I'm thinking she might be one of those kids that just nurses right on through. I'm pretty ambivalent about tandem nursing, so whatever she decides is fine with me.

[tannersmommy]

I'm breastfeeding my 19mo DS...and boy, am I breastfeeding him. He is SO clingy and asking to nurse many times an hour. I'm assuming that he senses that something has changed over the last week. I hope my supply isn't already going down, because he still nurses for a huge portion of his daily calorie intake (I'd guess about 2/3 of his calories come from breastmilk). I looked at Wild Oats for the Mother's Milk product that was recommended, but I couldn't find it. Do you have to order it online?

My first clue that I was pregnant was sore nipples when he latched on. I'm already getting used to it, but I hope it doesn't get worse as the hormones increase. Does anyone know? I would be happy to tandem nurse, but I would also be happy for him to wean before the baby arrives. He will be 27mo in Jan. I will leave the decision up to him.

[mama2ashlynn]

It's actually made by MotherLove and it is called More Milk Two. Here is the link:
http://www.motherlove.com/product_more_milk_two_glycerite.php
I havent actually seen it in stores. I buy mine on Ebay.

[TattooedMama]

Hey, I am nursing my 19 month old ds too! I didn't realize that he would be 27 months old when this baby comes until I saw someone else's post (Tannersmom?)
He nurses at sleeptimes mostly, I have been "not offering" and "refusing some" (when he lets me) for many weeks because I was getting sore nipples even before I was pregnant. My original plan before TTC was hoping that he would wean during pregnancy but I am open to tandem nursing. We'll see what happens.

[ninafrijol]

I am nursing my ds too. He is 15 mos. and nurses 2-3 times a day. I have noticed a dip in my supply too and I think he has as well, because he has been nursing a lot more these days. I don't want to wean him but I want to make sure the new baby gets as much nutrients as he/she needs. I guess I have to check out the tandem nursing forum.

[monocyte]

Me too!!

DS will be 3 in June, and has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Im due around 1/11/06....sooo hoping that this is for real!

[PortraitPixie]

Another pregnant nurser here....and my nips have been soooooo sore lately!! :scared :(

He is down to about twice a day tho.

[JJ'sMom]

me too. nak actually. DS is 21 mts and started to nurse more!! i'm5 weeks in and nipples not as sore as last time. Thankful for that:wink

julia

[Ahappymel]

I don't make milk anymore but my 4 yr old still occasionally wants to suckle...
One word....
OUUUUUUCCCCCHHHH!

[ninafrijol]

Does anyone know if the Mother's Milk tea by Traditional Medicianals is ok to drink while pregnant?

[Octobermama]

My box of Mother's Milk tea says pregnant women should not drink it unless recommended by a trained herbalist. I don't know if that is just a disclaimer or if there is a legitimate reason.

[mrsfatty]

I've been exclusively pumping for my son all along (he's 11 months now--and his main source of nutrition is breastmilk)--he's never had any formula...I'm getting worried though...cause pregnancy has cause a significant decrease in my milk production.

[kalisis]

<------------ raises hand

We're prolly going to end up tandeming, but I'm up for it.

It was hurting really badly the last couple of weeks, but the pain is tapering off now. YAY!

[mama2ashlynn]

I've been exclusively pumping for my son all along (he's 11 months now--and his main source of nutrition is breastmilk)--he's never had any formula...I'm getting worried though...cause pregnancy has cause a significant decrease in my milk production.

So you still pump right? Can I ask how much you get out of each pumping?

[mrsfatty]

So you still pump right? Can I ask how much you get out of each pumping?

Before being pregnant (and not during my cycle--during my cycle--I had a HUGE decrease in production)...I would get around 4 and 3--for a total of around 7 ounces per pumping. Now I'm getting more around 5 ounces per pumping combined...but it's starting to go up again--I just pumped 6.5 ounces...

Why? :)

[mama2ashlynn]

Before being pregnant (and not during my cycle--during my cycle--I had a HUGE decrease in production)...I would get around 4 and 3--for a total of around 7 ounces per pumping. Now I'm getting more around 5 ounces per pumping combined...but it's starting to go up again--I just pumped 6.5 ounces...
Why? :)

I tried to pump twice thinking that if my milk disappears for a month or two during this pregnancy (like I have heard it can/does) i would offer my daughter EBM during that time and then when the colestrum came in offer her the breast again as I hear some babies dont mind it. That way I can tandem nurse when baby #2 arrives. Anyway the two times I pumped I could only make a bit over an ouce :( from both sides! I am even taking More Milk Two. I need to buy more Oatmeal though as that also seems to help. I think my DD gets more milk than an ouce when she BF though because I can just kinda tell. Not sure why I dont get as much when I pump, but only getting an ounce totally made me so sad...got me thinking I might be out pretty soon. :crying

[Josette Marie]

My little guy is 7 months old and my supply is depleting too. I nurse at sleepytimes...in the meantime I have started him on baby food and formula. Someone told me that the breast milk supply would dip and that if you nursed more it would increase, but it's just too much for me. I am feeling quesy these days and him nursing and nursing (because I am drying up) make me nauseous.

[niki_73]

My DS nurses all the time but i'm so worried about my supply as he is only 9 months old. Hopefully my oversupply will be a blessing and I can nurse him for a while still.

[mrsfatty]

I tried to pump twice thinking that if my milk disappears for a month or two during this pregnancy (like I have heard it can/does) i would offer my daughter EBM during that time and then when the colestrum came in offer her the breast again as I hear some babies dont mind it. That way I can tandem nurse when baby #2 arrives. Anyway the two times I pumped I could only make a bit over an ouce :( from both sides! I am even taking More Milk Two. I need to buy more Oatmeal though as that also seems to help. I think my DD gets more milk than an ouce when she BF though because I can just kinda tell. Not sure why I dont get as much when I pump, but only getting an ounce totally made me so sad...got me thinking I might be out pretty soon. :crying

Have you pumped before--or are you pumping regularily now?

Pumping does NOT pull the milk like a nursing child does...you have to have OVERSUPPLY to produce for a pump...how long were you pumping for your pumping session? MASSAGE your breasts to assist the milk ducts to release the milk...the first few times I pumped I only got 2 ounces for several days a pumping...and I pumped almost every hour...since I'm so used to pumping now--and because my body is so used to the pump...I can produce for the pump (but if you're body isn't used to pumping you have to do it quite a few times for your body to respond to it)...

[mama2ashlynn]

Have you pumped before--or are you pumping regularily now?

Pumping does NOT pull the milk like a nursing child does...you have to have OVERSUPPLY to produce for a pump...how long were you pumping for your pumping session? MASSAGE your breasts to assist the milk ducts to release the milk...the first few times I pumped I only got 2 ounces for several days a pumping...and I pumped almost every hour...since I'm so used to pumping now--and because my body is so used to the pump...I can produce for the pump (but if you're body isn't used to pumping you have to do it quite a few times for your body to respond to it)...

Well I have pumped before. For the first month or so when my daughter was born as she was in the NICU and special care nursery and then had attachment problems. Thank goodness we finally worked it all out after about the first month and I only pumped now and then after that. I havent pumped in a long time though but I do remember pumping every two hours of my life with both a manual hand pump and a Medela Lactina hospital pump. I am use to how it works and feels. I do massage my breast while I am pumping and use a lot of meditaion and visual images in my head to try to help, but unfortunately both times I only got one ounce. And going by what I am feeling when my DD breastfeeds, I think I am losing my supply... I am sooooo sad about this. :guilty

[tannersmommy]

:bump:
Bumping this back up to page one for the newcomers.
Also, wanted to say....OUCH!!! :lol I don't know about you guys, but this is really hurting! One of my friends who is tandeming nursing said that it gets better during the second trimester (yeah!) but then it hurts worse again during the third trimester (boo!). I really want DS to nurse for at least 2 yrs., and I will feel bad if we don't make it to that goal. He is 19 mo now, and will be 27 mo when the baby is born.

[velveeta]

Hi Ladies! I also just found out that I am pregnant. The super sore nipples should have been a clue! LOL! My little DS just turned three, but he still nurses a lot, especially since he just got over chicken pox, and reverted back to night nursing.

Is anyone experiencing trauma to their nipples? In addition to soreness, I am finding that I get these little sores when DS nurses "too much". I actually got it a couple months back when DS began to rev-up on nursing, and my supply had dropped somewhat.

Do y'all notice that the teas do help? I was going to discuss it with a midwife, but my LLL leader friend tells me that with an older child like mine, supply won't really come back until after the baby.

OTOH, you ladies who have younger babies have a much better chance than I do of keeping up your supply throughout pregnancy. So, that's good news! I definitely see tandeming in our future! LOL!

I highly recommend "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" even if your child is younger because they have a great section on nursing while pregnant.

I am so thrilled to be here! This baby is a surprise for us, but I like surprises! :-) I am eager to learn more about y'all and your pregnancies, too!

Jean

[angel0123]

Pg and bfing here. I have a 25 mth son who nurses several times aday. No sore nipples here... and I don't think anything has changed with supply or taste. If so he's not complaining. I have relactated b/f b/c my milk dried up due to stress. So I am aware of the pain with no milk.

My main concern is that he going to wean prematurely due to being pg. I don't have any reserves from pumping and I couldn't pump if I wanted too. I have the support of my LLL leaders that have nursed threw pregnancies. If ds weaned I think I would have more hurt feeling than him.

I just love that we are so like minded... most ppl think I am nuts when I tell them I nurse a 2 yr old.... you guys rock!

[Shenandoah]

Does anyone know if the Mother's Milk tea by Traditional Medicianals is ok to drink while pregnant?

I don't know. My box says consult a midwife or physician before using it while pregnant. I suspect it is just a legal disclaimer. My supply dipped immediately when I became pg. I'd really like to know for certain.

BTW, I'm lurking here. My original edd was 12/30 (or 31)/ 06. After u/s this week it is revised to 1-9-07. So maybe I'll be joining you all.

I also have a 3.5 yo dd and 19mo ds.

[SarahO]

nursing here, too! my 20 month old nurses twice a day, at naps and bedtime. its a very special time for her....she still seems to need it so much at those times. i feel very conflicted about what to do....i planned to continue until 2, but now i'm not sure. i dont think i really want to tandem, so i'm not sure if continuing for a few more months will make things harder for her when the new baby comes. i guess i'm going to just play it by ear, since thats the strategy that has gotten us to this point so smoothly. soreness is definitely present, but its not terrible....yet.

[ilovemyavery]

I am nursing my 27 month old daughter. Somewhere between 3 and a million times a day. She has big ups and downs with her "deedees" she'll be just a couple weeks shy of three when I have this baby. I am not planning on tandeming. I hope to very gently wean during this pregnancy-- starting with night weaning in the not so distant future. At this rate, it might be sooner than I had thought. I am SO sore and she has been biting/pulling. Although she hasn't said so, I think it is because there isn't as much milkie as there use to be. We had previously nightweaned up slid back to frequent night nursings when she was sick. I think she'll adjust pretty quickly to the old routine. I am very sad to stop nursing, but I know that I don't want to tandem. DD has been a "nurse often" child since day one and I know that I can't do it with two!

[Neldavi]

:wave

Another pregnant lady with a toddler on her boob here. Ds is 25 months. He nurses a bunch. I'm not planning on weaning him (although I did nightwean him several months ago) but I'd be ok with him weaning himself now. I don't think he will though, he likes it so much. That's ok too, I know it's so good for him and so convenient for toddler meltdowns as well. My supply dropped recently (before I got pregnant) too.

My nipples are starting to feel sore, but I went through about 9 months of super-painful thrush and cracked nipples starting when he was around 11 months so I feel like I can take anything now. :lol

[ninafrijol]

Does anyone know if nursing my 16mo ds could cause me to spot and bleed during this pregnancy? I am trying to find a cause and I am worried that the nursing might be it.

[Nicola]

This is my biggest concern! My DS - aged 2 is so into boobies I swear I must still BF for about 4 hours a day and I have NO idea how many times, If I'm trying to have a sit down I get jumped and my top hauled up, its most undignified.

I have a friend who tandem nursed and she said that she wouldn't do it again, she was completely exhausted. I know it would be different if DS just did it to go to sleep or occassionally, but I know I have a difficult decision ahead of me. Is anyone else in my boat? Anyone thinking about weaning?

Nicola

[Neldavi]

This is my biggest concern! My DS - aged 2 is so into boobies I swear I must still BF for about 4 hours a day and I have NO idea how many times, If I'm trying to have a sit down I get jumped and my top hauled up, its most undignified.

I have a friend who tandem nursed and she said that she wouldn't do it again, she was completely exhausted. I know it would be different if DS just did it to go to sleep or occassionally, but I know I have a difficult decision ahead of me. Is anyone else in my boat? Anyone thinking about weaning?

Nicola

I'm kind of in your boat. Ds is 25 months and nurses a lot. He would nurse more though if I let him. I nightweaned him around 22 months and will often say no during the day now too ... like if he just nursed for a long time on both sides 20 minutes ago and now wants to again. It's really saved my sanity and I'm kind of counting on those beginning limits to help us when the baby comes.

At this point I'm not considering weaning him completely. Have you set any limits with your ds?

[storychick]

Not this time, but I did when I was pg with DD. I lost my milk around 4-5 months but DS just kept going. I found it very uncomfortable, so at that point I limited him to just first-thing-in-the-morning, nap, and bedtime. I wanted to tandem nurse as I had always heard it helps with the jealousy issues. I didn't find that to be true unfortunately (I think it made it much worse) and after 6 months of tandeming I weaned him, because it was just too much.

I was really tired and dizzy and nauseous during the pregnancy with DD, too, and I wonder if I was able to nutritionally meet all our needs. I suspect not.

Anyway, I give kudos to you mamas doing it... its hard, and at least for me got harder. In retrospect I think I would have used the opportunity of my milk drying up to say "oops, empty" and leave it at that. I had hoped to do CLW but it didnt work out with either kid so far, ah well.

Good luck to you, mamas!

[SAHMinHawaii]

Add me to the list. My dd is 26 months old and nursing. This is my second time to be nursing and pregnant. My first dd self weaned 1 month after the baby was born, though she nursed my entire pregnancy even when i dried up. Supringly i am having no breast or nipple soreness. With my other two dds that was my first symptom. Anyhow..good to see other mamas nursing and pregnant.

[velveeta]

Does anyone know if nursing my 16mo ds could cause me to spot and bleed during this pregnancy? I am trying to find a cause and I am worried that the nursing might be it. Hey there! I hope you are doing great. According to "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" they say that the uterine contractions that can be caused by nursing are no stronger than those caused by orgasm, and if your health care provider has not contraindicated sex, it should be fine. Also, your cervix is much more "friable" (sensitive and fragile) during prenancy, and so even just contact with the cervix (checking it, sex) can cause bleeding.

I had spotting at 12 weeks, when they gave me a Pap smear at the first prenatal exam. I am not doing a Pap this time! Live and learn!

I am nursing my three year old, too. Having said all that, I think that you should contact your provider and tell her how you are feeling. For me, a professional can definitely allay fears like these!

Take care, Mama!
:love

[jilly]

I'm nursing a 20 mo. old. He is SO voracious and such a difficult nurser that there is no way I could nurse him and a newborn --especially if they are like he was as a newborn. He swich-nurses about every 3 min. and kicks and wrestles with me to try to pinch my nipples and sings and rolls on top of me . . . it just wouldn't work.

So now I'm trying to figure out how/when to wean him. He is at a really anxious pre-independent stage right now, and I just re-night weaned him after his 2 yr molars popped early, so he is very anxious about having his "nums" during the day. So I think right now I"m just going to offer him food and drinks every hour or two to try and keep his tummy full (this cuts him down to about 6 - 8 nurses a day instead of his regular 12 +), and refuse if he's just nursed 30 seconds ago or if we are just about to eat.

When my supply really cuts out in a few months, in August or Sept, then I'm going to wean him. I doubt it will be easy because he is very high needs, but I want to give us a few months to work it out before the baby comes. Also we are going away for most of August, so I don't want to lose the chance to comfort nurse when we are in unfamilliar places, becuase he doesn't adjust to new places / people quickly.

I found soy milk and oatmeal were great for keeping my supply up.

[JesiLynne]

I am and it HURTS

Ds2 is 16 months and he normally just nurses in the morning, and does the occasional flyby for a couple of seconds during the day and it is killing my boobs
It feels like he is biting but he isnt :(

[velveeta]

I had been having such severe nipple pain, and I started 50 mg of B6 about a week and a half ago, and my nipples are much stronger! YAY! Also B6 is supposed to help with nausea in early pregnancy, which I had a lot of with my first child. So far, no nausea, and much better feeling nipples!

Try it!

[MoeInfinity]

Hello--I'm here as well. I have a dd who just turned three. Although nursing has been a bit painful a few times, it has been fairly limited. The girl has grown up a lot lately, so I would e OK if she decided to wean herself during this pregnancy. However, I do like the idea of keeping the option available for her when she is sick etc.--she has been a very healthy girl--i don't want that to end!