How is pregnant nursing / tandem nursing going for you?[/QUOTE/
Pregnant nursing wasn't fun. But it was preferable to NOT nursing. I knew my nurslings still needed to nurse and I enjoyed having the ability to soothe them that way. I know my breastmilk is the healthiest thing for them and I want to give it to them as long as they needed it. I just get so irritated and have really annoying nipple sensitivities. But if I can calm down and the nursling is relaxed, all is well. It's that fidgety stuff that really got to me. Lucky for me, we worked out a nursing relationship that only involved short nursing sessions.
Tandem nursing is going well. It's easier this time than it was the first time because the age gap is greater. I also don't nurse them at the same time because I prefer not to. It was sweet seeing them interact while nursing and hold hands and all that, but the sensations were too much and I found myself on the verge of flipping out if there was anything else going on (like a mosquito buzzing, noise that kept them from nursing to sleep, the phone ringing, etc.).
It's also easier than tandem nursing while pregnant.
My son sometimes asks to nurse and it's really cute how excited he gets when I let him do it. I let him do it any time he asks. But he has forgotten how to latch. I try to teach him but I don't think he really wants to. I squirt some milk into his mouth and he goes on his merry way.
Nadia quietly joins me in bed in the morning for a nurse and then we all sleep a few more hours. She has stopped using baby terms for nursing. She and Skanda used to call it nanas. Now she comes up to me and announces "Mommy, I wanna nurse sometimes" and helps me undo my bra. After about 5 minutes, I start to feel twitchy like a momma cat and I ask her to finish up. I count out loud and she counts with me and stops at "10 ALL DONE". I let her nurse almost every time she asks but sometimes I ask her to wait a bit because I'm nursing the baby or in the middle of something. She proudly tells me that she's a patient little girl and can wait her turn. She also likes to hold the breast for the baby to get a good latch.
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What do you love about pregnant nursing / tandem nursing? |
I love that my nurslings all feel included. I remember tandem nursing with my sister and I'm glad I can do that for my children. With my first two, I loved being able to nurse them to sleep at the same time and fall asleep myself so we could all nap together. I love how the older ones think they are teaching the younger ones how to nurse
It's fun for the nursling to poke at the baby in the belly and have them play.
I suspect that nursing while pregnant kept my morning sickness from getting as bad as it was with my first. I suspect that nursing while pregnant helped my labors go smoother and be shorter. Although I also suspect that nursing while pregnant caused me to go past dates even more than I might have gone if I hadn't been nursing. (Not that it's a bad thing).
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Are you experiencing any difficulties? |
I just get really irritated sometimes with all the demands on my physical space and would like to hold a kid without having my breasts pawed. But I don't think that would change much if I weren't nursing, necessarily. I have learned how to cope by distracting myself. I read on the computer or watch TV to distract me. I've noticed it's generally the older one that causes me to feel irritated. Sometimes their latch is lazy and I can feel their teeth. I try to not show my irritation in my tone of voice and that can be a challenge for me. I do relatch them.
I've also developed a way of counting that distracts me and makes me feel like there's an end in sight and I know I won't be irritated forever.
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Do you have any amusing or touching stories to share? |
Not specifically. But it sure was adorable when Nadia was born and Skanda climbed in bed after we got settled and stuck a boob in her mouth and then got himself the other one. He was so excited to share with her
I also love how Nadia jumps up when the baby cries and announces "Mei Mei wants to nurse, Mommy. Go get her and nurse her!"