Nursing mamas support thread

[Brisen]

:love I know I'm not the only one...

So far, I've nursed through all of my pgs (well, except the first one) and gone on to tandem nurse for at least a year. It is difficult sometimes, but worth it IMO for those times when both kids are cranky and we can all just sprawl on the couch and nurse... instant quiet. Aaaahhh. My milk has always dried up by the second trimester, though.

[MommaCrystal]

Oh I so need this thread. Any tips to make it through?

[stacey2061]

ahhhh...i'm here...never thought i'd be bf and pregnant, but here i am praying DS doesn't self-wean during pregnancy! lol

[EENS]

Nursing and pregnant here too. I nursed last pregnancy until dd was 2 years and my milk dried up around 5 months. She stopped nursing on her own.

MY 22 month old nurses quite frequently still. I have no tips on how to cope with this other than, sometimes, grinning and bearing it. Thank goodness, she is night weaned.

[firstkid4me]

I'm nursing too, my dd will be 2 tomorrow. If my milk dries up, I won't kick myself too much because she got two good years.

[EENS]

Is anyone's nursling acting fussy? Mine is. I don't know if she is reacting to my unspoken reluctance to nurse due to soreness or if my milk tastes different or if I'm drying up already. My last pregnancy, my dd acted just fine until seemingly one day, I was dry.

[MommaCrystal]

Mine has shortened his nursing sessions considerably. I have to actually encourage him to keep going! That is weird for us!

[dachshundqueen]

Nursing is seemingly going okay. She's a fiend.

My nursling is getting over pneumonia and I have a cold in addition to pretty awful morning sickness.

I'm dehydrated today, but under the care of the hb mw she's said it's okay for me to take three different herbs (thistle, marshmallow and something) to help support supply.

My nursling is 19 months and I was devestated when I found out I was pregnant b/c of the possibility of losing my milk.

Liz

[HeatherB]

I'm still nursing, too, at least a little. My DS is 29mo now and only nurses at night or sometimes after a nap. Our deal is that he can touch (he was a twiddler to start with) only when falling asleep, and then he can have milk when he wakes up (which means during the night, not just in the morning). It's working well now, and he sleeps MUCH better! We had to find a solution that would help him sleep, and I'm grateful that it has, without losing that connection. I also sleep better now! At least until he wakes... I don't think there's all that much milk at this point, as he goes back and forth and will do light sucking for what seems like FOREVER.

At some points I'm eager to be over the frustrating aspects of nursing, like the sensitivity (which is getting a little better right now), interrupted sleep, reaching-down-my-shirt-in-public, etc. But then I am awfully sad to think of him being done. :( So I'm not going to push it anymore past where we are now, and he can be done when he's done!

Today I asked him, right after we got up, if he got any milk out when he had "Mommy Milk," and he said no. But he loves it, anyway! :love

[LionTigerBear]

Is anyone's nursling acting fussy?

Yes. I am wondering if he is responding to hormones in the milk that make it taste funny.

I am slightly concerned about how we will fare because he is only 3.5 months old.

Will be back.

[stacey2061]

has anyone tasted their milk? i checked it last night after reading in Mothering your Nursing Toddler how it changes. it goes through the same change as it does when your nursling weans, increasing it's salt and protein proportions. i tasted it, and it definitely doesn't have the same really mild, sweet coconut milkiness to it...it was a bit saltier...makes me sad...i really have only started to like nursing in the last few months, and i'm so sad about the thought that Adam might wean right now

[HeatherB]

Sounds like we could use some tips on keeping the babes nursing through pgcy! :) Brisen, you said you nursed throughout before - did you have any problems with them wanting to wean?

[IfMamaAintHappy]

i nursed Grace till I was about 20 weeks with Lily, she lost interest after my milk dried up. I nursed Lily will I was 32 weeks pregnant with Felicity, and she weaned when my colostrum came in, guess she didnt like it.

Felicity nurses about every 3 hours, essentially on demand. She doesnt seem bothered by the change in the milk, and has not shortened her nursings. She is 16 mo.

[gottaknit]

I'm still nursing DS (27 months), and we are in the process of nightweaning. I've definitely noticed a drop in supply, and increased tenderness in my breasts.

I'm in the minority - I'm hoping DS will wean during the pregnancy. :o I'm just not up for tandem nursing a three year old and a newborn.

DS is nursing less since we started nightweaning. At first he was switching sides a lot, thinking there would be more on the other side, but I think he's given up on that idea.

[mrsrwbabe]

We are nursing at bedtime and overnight. I am also in the group that hopes she weans during pregnancy.
Although I will miss the extra closeness, I work outside the home and I do not think I could handle the stress of pumping if I were tandem nursing.

[Liam's Mum]

I'm in the minority - I'm hoping DS will wean during the pregnancy. :o I'm just not up for tandem nursing a three year old and a newborn.



I guess I'm in the minority too -- I feel like I won't mind if he does wean (ask me when/if it happens, maybe I'll feel differently), and don't really think I'm up for tandem nursing either. My guy is older too, 29 mos, so I really feel like I've done well for him thus far. But then I never imagined nursing a 2.5 year old, so I never say never now!

It is starting to hurt when he latches :( I hope that passes, and soon. I've asked him now to cut sessions short (e.g. only nursing on both sides once in the morning, he often goes back and forth 4 times!) and though he's not impressed, he's been OK. I may also tackle night weaning soonish (I've been saying this for over a year though) but want to wait until his last 2 molars come in :)

[Brisen]

I'm dehydrated today, but under the care of the hb mw she's said it's okay for me to take three different herbs (thistle, marshmallow and something) to help support supply.

My nursling is 19 months and I was devestated when I found out I was pregnant b/c of the possibility of losing my milk.


:hug I'm glad you're getting some herbal advice, hopefully that will help. Also, while my milk has dried up during all of my pgs, my nursling didn't wean, and they got plenty of milk after the baby was born.

Yes. I am wondering if he is responding to hormones in the milk that make it taste funny.

I am slightly concerned about how we will fare because he is only 3.5 months old.

:hug

Sounds like we could use some tips on keeping the babes nursing through pgcy! :) Brisen, you said you nursed throughout before - did you have any problems with them wanting to wean?

Nope, no problems, so I don't really have any advice. I don't think I could have weaned them if I wanted to. :o Although M seems to be the closest of any of my kids so far to weaning during pg. She switches back and forth a lot if she's not nursing to fall asleep, and even if she's comfort nursing, she only nurses for a few seconds and then is off again. It's like she keeps coming over, hoping for milk, and then decides it isn't worth it -- I still feel a let down sometimes, but mostly early in the morning when she hasn't nursed all night. So, we'll see. She's so in love with babies, I'm hoping that she'll still be nursing when the baby is born so that she'll have something to do while I nurse other than poking the baby!


It is starting to hurt when he latches :( I hope that passes, and soon.

I find that if latching is hurting, making sure that they are right up close to me helps. As my kids get older, I get sloppier with latch and position, but the sensitivity of pg is a good incentive to work on it.

[Mommak]

So I'm also feeling okay with the idea of DS weaning in the near future. He is still waking up 3-4 times a night (is 25 mos. old) to nurse and I am feeling nauseous and irritable when he nurses at night. And my nipple hurts (OUCH). (he's only nursing on one side now...)

[HeatherB]

I guess I'm in the minority too -- I feel like I won't mind if he does wean (ask me when/if it happens, maybe I'll feel differently), and don't really think I'm up for tandem nursing either. My guy is older too, 29 mos, so I really feel like I've done well for him thus far. But then I never imagined nursing a 2.5 year old, so I never say never now!


I totally related to this. DS is 29 months old and while I knew I'd nurse him longer than his brother (15mo), I hadn't planned on nursing this long, necessarily! I would like to have him weaned by 3, I think, which means just before the baby is born. But at the same time I'm sad to lose that! I've always thought tandem nursing was cool, but I'm just not sure I want to nurse past 3, or that he'll even last that long.

[gigismom]

Hi all

I am here with you, too. My dd is 31 months and nurses quite a bit still. She is recently sleeping most of the night in her own bed next to mine so is not nursing at night too much. However, those few nights that she does wake and crawl into bed with us, I do not sleep much.

This pregnancy was a huge surprise for us and I would be extremely sad if she weaned during it. I want her to have some colustrum as she will be in the middle of allergy season next fall.... some extra immuno-boosters would be great!!

Looking forward to sharing this journey with all of you

jen

[naismama]

Hi,

I am so glad to see this thread here. DD is 18 months, and I am not ready to wean her, but night nursing is really becoming too much. She wakes up for "nanny" three times a night and cries if I do not immediately comply. I feel so bad, but I really need a break at night. I thought she'd be at least 2 when I got pregnant again, but oh well:loveeyes: Happy tummies to all!

naismama

[MommaCrystal]

I have to say, its really starting to hurt!

[flowers]

Hi Everyone!

I am so excited to be here! I have been waiting for an Oct. 07 ddc for a few weeks now and YES nursing my 28 month old nursling hurts! But after latch on it's not so bad. It's just when I hear him waking up in the middle of the night looking for me (I am usually hiding on the other side of daddy, lol!) I cringe and have been asking him to just snuggle back to bed. Sometimes he does sometimes he doesn't.

I am at the point where if he weans...that is cool...we have had a great run and I am just glad for the positive experience. But I have a feeling that he might make it through....we will see.

Anyways, looking forward to getting know you all better on this journey!

peace

[stacey2061]

i'm starting to notice that a lot of the time that DS nurses, he isn't drinking/swallowing. i don't know what's up with that, because there's still milk there even though my supply has dropped quite a bit.

Also, he hasn't asked to nurse (he knows the sign for it) in a week or two. i offer and he'll nurse, but it bugs me that he isn't asking for it. should i start offering him homo milk with his solid meals?

i'm getting scared that he isn't getting enough anymore. we haven't been able to use his wet diapers as a gauge for how much he drinks in a while because he wears size 6s and they hold soooo much liquid that a normal pee feels like nothing in them. he still poops at least once a day though...:dizzy:

thanks

[Brisen]

Stacey -- your ds is just over a year, right? Have you just started solids with him?

[stacey2061]

he's 13 months and has been on solids since around 5-6 months. he eats reasonably well, isn't picky, etc...i'm just worried about his milk intake :)

[khaoskat]

I am now into nursing through my 4th pregnancy.

DS1 nursed till the end of July/begining of August 2006, at which point he was around 40-41 months of age. And I entered into my 3rd Tri-mester. He also nursed a pregnancy that ended in early mc at 9 1/2 weeks (preg. #2), and my entire pregnancy with DS2 (preg. #3). He has occassionally asked to nurse again, but when tries pulls away almost immediately.

DS2 is still going strong at around 22 1/2 months of age. I don't think he wants to wean, but I can tell he notices a difference in the milk. He is still constantly bringing me the boppy, but the last couple of days he doesn't nurse as long. I have not noticed a noticeable drop in my supply, as I accidentally squirted him this morning. He also nursed through my 3rd pregnancy, which ended in a full term stillbirth. I am hoping he will nurse through the entire pregnancy and I will again be able to tandem nurse.

Melissa S.

[DahlalLotus]

When this baby is born, I'll have been nursing for 7 years straight, lol. :dizzy:

(this is my 6th preg). Once I wean one, I am preg. again. :shy

[khaoskat]

I have been pregnant and/or nursing for almost 5 years. I don't even have to wean to become pregnant. I usually end up getting my cycles back really quickly.
DS1 (taking domperidon for supply building) came back at 9 1/2 months - 1 month after stopping the dom.
M/C came back immediately, first AF was exactly 28 days after I first starting m/c'ing.
DS2 - (tandem nursing even) came back at 5 1/2 months. We used protection until we decided to start TTC'ing. Prego first month we TTC'ed (actually first attmpet at TTC).
DD1 (full term stillbirth) AF came back at 3 months, prego again now...I was nursing DS2 still and pumping to donate.

DS1 took us actively TTC'ing 6 months. MC 2 months. DS2 first attempt after MC. DD1 first attempt after DS2's birth. This pregnancy tried before AF came back...since Mid Nov., AF came back 1/5 or 1/6.

[Abylite]

Hello!

I "knew" that I could count on MDC!!! We just found out we are pregnant with DC #2... My DD is 18 months and we nurse in the morning ( I work outside the home) and before bed. I took a while to get down to this "schedule" which I love and feel it meets her needs too...

So I'm curious to see how being pregnant may affect things on both sides!

When did your breasts get sore? So far so good for me..but we are only 4 weeks along!

I'm hoping in a way she will wean on her own sometime before this baby is born too. That it will be "natural". I'm proud that we nursed this long!!

Looking forward to a great 9 months!

[Brisen]

he's 13 months and has been on solids since around 5-6 months. he eats reasonably well, isn't picky, etc...i'm just worried about his milk intake :)

Ah. Do you give him any other milk? I think if it's already part of his diet, and you let him have whatever he asks for, he should be fine... I know my dd asks for drinks more now. Of course, if I give her milk, I have to watch her, because it ends up in her hair or on the couch... sigh.

[stacey2061]

Brisen, drinks a drop of homo milk here and there, but definitely prefers water. i think i'll just start giving him the milk option a little more often, but since i posted, things seem to be going a touch better...although he still hasn't asked to nurse...i just keep offering. thanks :)

[knowerofnada]

I am still nursing my one-year old and didn't want to wean her any time soon. So I keep reading people saying their milk dried up during pregnancy. Did anyone keep their nursling milk their entire pregnancy? Please tell me it's possible!

[flowers]

I am still nursing my one-year old and didn't want to wean her any time soon. So I keep reading people saying their milk dried up during pregnancy. Did anyone keep their nursling milk their entire pregnancy? Please tell me it's possible!


Hey mama! My milk hasn't dried up one bit and I know plenty of mom's who tandem nursed. My mw tandem nursed through 3 of her pregnancies and while she was in labor her dr told her it was impossible for her to still have milk. My mw wife grabbed her boob (she is in labor mind you) and squirted milk at him:rotflmao :rotflmao :rotflmao :rotflmao . I love that story.

I think it is really important that you focus on what you want versus what other people's experiences have been. Having any fear or anxiety around the issue will not help at all....it might even help the situation in the direction you DON"T want. I would do what you are doing...search out stories that can inspire and give you hope. I know there is a really good book called Adventures in Tandem Nursing. Visualize yourself nursing your babe nine months pregnant and feel how good it feels. When you hear someone's milk drying up...stop reading the story and think about how good it is going to feel to keep your milk.

I used the power of intention to lessen morning sickness (almost non-existant for me this pregnancy) and then one day I read a thread about how everyone feels so sick and how this means they have healthy babies and sometimes lack of morning sickness means miscarriage:gloomy: . I spent a day freaking out sure I was bound to miscarriage and actually started feeling morning sickness! Luckily I had a friend who gave me a similar pep talk and my morning sickness disappeared and I created a positive visualization for anytime I became focused on my fear of miscarriage. It really worked and now I never read negative or fearful posts. If I do by accident I just switch my feelings to those of confidence and positive intent.

All my support!:hug

[thorn]

I'm hoping in a way she will wean on her own sometime before this baby is born too. That it will be "natural". I'm proud that we nursed this long!!


I'm hoping this too, but my (27 month) DD still nurses like a newborn. She has nursed 5 times already today! She won't drink cow's milk at all. She is not a fantastic eater, so I don't want to deny her milk but on the other hand I am trying to discourage her from nursing out of boredom.

I am glad to see other mamas in the same boat!

[jrayn]

It seems like my dd (25 mnths almost 26mnths) is nursing more but maybe it is just me b/c it feels kindof ... uncomfortable now, not pain but just ugh get away ! I feel bad that I feel like that but they must be more sensitive to touch, she not only nurses but twiddles and that is making it worse for me. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't mind although I am not sure how a baby and a toddler will be able to nurse at the same time, I am having trouble picturing it.

[DahlalLotus]

I am still nursing my one-year old and didn't want to wean her any time soon. So I keep reading people saying their milk dried up during pregnancy. Did anyone keep their nursling milk their entire pregnancy? Please tell me it's possible!

I've been nursing for almost 7 years straight and through multiple pregnancies. I never dried up. So yes, t is possible to not dry up...embarrassingly so, as I still need to wear nursing pads. :shy

[DahlalLotus]

When did your breasts get sore? So far so good for me..but we are only 4 weeks along!

Mine just got sore this week. I was hoping it wouldn't happen. I hope it passes soon. Anyone remember how long this part lasts?

[knowerofnada]

I've been nursing for almost 7 years straight and through multiple pregnancies. I never dried up. So yes, t is possible to not dry up...embarrassingly so, as I still need to wear nursing pads. :shy

I am so glad you posted this. I'm very fearful of drying up!

[HeatherB]

I keep thinking there must not be much milk left, as my DS nurses only at night and now being pg I am glad to skip nursings (totally know that "get away!" feeling). But he keeps telling me he's getting milk and that it's yummy and makes his tummy feel better and all of that. :love And in the shower I was able to express at least a little bit! So, not gone yet...

[zak]

subbing...

I'm a new October 07 Mama and still nursing my 22mo son!

[EviesMom]

I'm nursing my 34 month old, but we did recently nightwean (about 3 weeks ago). She's been in her own bed for a while, but we're still in the same room. She climbs in my bed at about 6am and nurses for hours on and off. That hasn't been bothering me, but the daytime twiddling and flopping around nursing does! I don't know if I want to nurse through pregnancy and tandem or not. I'm definitely not ready to move toward weaning yet. It's a source of comfort and she just started preschool, we're going to be moving, she has issues with her teeth.

[thorn]

I had a really hard time today. Every time she would latch on it felt like my nipples were going to come off! :(

I'm trying to discourage her from "boredom" nursing - if I know she is not really hungry or in pain/upset. Today we were home all day and she just wanted to nurse, nurse, nurse! there's only so many times she will take being redirected. When I wouldn't nurse her in my chair downstairs she led me upstairs to her bed and motioned for me to lay down :(

I guess I'm going to have to plan a ton of outings, she almost never wants to nurse when we're out & about anymore.

[Ltlfaery]

Hello! I'm newly pregnant mamma here. I figured I was preggers because of the sorness, and I haven't made my mind up yet on what to do. I also *just* gotta new job, DD night weaned at 15 months, and now i'll be working swing shift ('t was my return to the workforce while DH finishes school) so DD won't be nursing to sleep anymore either way, and that's ok because she falls asleep just fine with daddy 'petting' her.


now I'm wondering if I keep nursing during the day or not.

[DahlalLotus]

I had a really hard time today. Every time she would latch on it felt like my nipples were going to come off! :(

I'm trying to discourage her from "boredom" nursing - if I know she is not really hungry or in pain/upset. Today we were home all day and she just wanted to nurse, nurse, nurse! there's only so many times she will take being redirected. When I wouldn't nurse her in my chair downstairs she led me upstairs to her bed and motioned for me to lay down :(

I guess I'm going to have to plan a ton of outings, she almost never wants to nurse when we're out & about anymore.

I'll join you in this! I'm trying to avoid boredom nursing, too. Not too successful considering I'm nak right now. :o But my son is 2, yet lately he's nursing like a newborn...maybe he senses his turf being threatened. :lol

[Mommy2Jackson]

Just joining you mamas.....I have a 20 month old who still nurses quite often during the day and a couple times a night.....

I am barely pregnant but it seems like he is getting frustrated because he isn't getting enough milk....tonight he kept switching sides 10 times while he was nursing to sleep and it was driving me nuts too because he is a twiddler and it was driving me wacko.....my nipples are a little sensitive but not to bad.

I am a little worried about him not getting enough milk because he reallly won't drink anything but sips of other kinds of milk. He couldn't handle milk until he was 18 months and he was use to rice milk (which he only drinks sips of) and now he doesn't want anything to do with the organic cows milk I am trying to get him to drink. I just worry that he won't get enough milk from me....I mean I guess if he gets hungry he will drink from his sippy cup, won't he??

I don't think he will wean anytime soon he is quite attached to his "din din".....I am a little worried about tandem nursing if he decides to continue bfing, but I guess we will cross that road when we get there, as I hear a lot of toddler will wean when your milk drys up.

didn't mean to write a novel....just lots of questions :lol

[thorn]

catie won't drink any other milk either. I even bought organic chocolate milk, and she wouldn't drink THAT! definitely not my child :P

[stacey2061]

OH MY GOD, THE AGONY! last night was torture! DS is teething and wants to do nothing but nurse through the night after pretty much nightweaning himself a little while ago...at 3 am i finally had enough and covered up telling DS we were all done and trying to snuggle him back to sleep. in the dark, i could see him signing for milk...it was so sad, but i just could not do it. i have been through the ringer nursing, but never had pain like this...finally we fell back asleep shortly before 5 am...ugh.

[thorn]

so sorry stacey - hang in there!