Pregnant And Breastfeeding Support Thread

[Jocasta]

Hello ladies, can I join?

The thought of my milk drying up like it did last time terrifies me tbh.  I love my nursing relationship with DD2 and would definitely consider tandem nursing - just hope I get the option   It's early days for me anyway - when did you guys first notice a supply dip (assuming that most of you did)?

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Mine was at about 2.5 months that I noticed she was less interested....although my nipples were also so sore, I think I was cutting the feeds short.

[Jocasta]

Erin, did you end up weaning around this time?

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Yes - I like to think she "self-weaned" but it was really with encouragement from me. We were down to about 1-2 feeds a days when I got pregnant and between the nausea, the nipple sensitivity and the decreased supply (which seemed to make her play around more on the breast - which was SO uncomfortable!), I just decided to stop offering and change up the routine a bit. Then she stopped asking.  I had sort of tossed around the idea of plowing through and tandem feeding, but I just couldn't get there.  I think if it hadn't be hurting me so much I just would have continued - she was eating well otherwise, drinking cow's milk...I just liked the idea and the extra immunological properties she would have got even from the colostrum.

[Jocasta]

Erin, that's exactly how I'm feeling.  Mae will be one a week tomorrow so I'm confident we'll make the one year mark.  She won't ever have to have formula but I still am really really upset at the thought of things coming to an end.  I won't go as far as saying I'd *like* to tandem feed - I think it'd be bloody hard work!  But the thought does appeal to me considering how young Mae still is and being honest, I'd set myself a personal goal of 2 years   I guess I'll just have to wait and see - it could be end game this time next week for this pregnancy anyway so I may be worrying for nothing regarding me drying up... 

Thanks for sharing your experience. I think I have to accept that I'll more than likely struggle to keep nursing Mae long term...

[fifibobandmore]

OK I'm going ot join you all now. I'm 4 weeks and 1 day PG and I'm still BFingmy 19.5 month old son. He does only BF first thing in the morning and at night and I am hoping he dedcided to give up BFing before I dry uip if I dry up that is as I do have a big supply. Now the thing I am concerned about is I still have to express once a day to prevent me from getting engorged with me being PG even thoughit is early on should I stop expressing or will I be OK to continue with it only being once a day. I'm not sure about tandem feeding as I always said I wanted to do BLW after Edward turned 1 but unless I dry up while PG I don't see an end of BFing Edward. He is a dedecated nurser and wont even have cuddles unless he is having a BF. I have mixed feeling right now and I just don't know what to do

[Jocasta]

Alison, you don't have to make a decision re: tandem nursing right now.  The fact is, the decision may be made for you but if not, you do have several months to reach a decision.

Regarding pumping while pregnant, this really isn't recommended as it carries a miscarriage risk.  These risks don't apply to a baby actually nursing due to the bio-chemistry behind the nursing relationship (hormones etc), but you don't have that same "understanding" between mother and pump - yk?

As your pregnant, it should take your body much less time to respond to a drop in demand...

Hugs and congrats

[cbald1976]

following along with all your posts.  been a rough week here with major OT & DS still doesn't want to sleep so, just getting around to posting.  i noticed a change in supply also around 2.5 months & nipples are now super duper sore.  DS is digging in teeth in an attempt to really get as much as possible which is not helping.  The OT is connected a bit to the BF supply drop as he cries after he's attempted to BF.  Very upsetting for both of us.  I think if he wasn't acting so mopey & depressed about BF not being as filling, I'd be okay with weaning.  As it is now, it seems it's really tough for him.  Not to mention he gets a slight rash from cow's milk usually on his cheeks.  Tried heating it to make it easier to digest & he turned it down....even after DH put choc quick in it!!!  wouldn't drink it cold either, so not like we can just make the switch over to cow's milk. 

really hoping that if i persevere, and allow him to nurse on demand (last 2 days & maybe 1 or 2 more if i can stand it) my supply will bounce back?!?!  trying to increase my water intake, but finding I'm really annoyed with having to drink so much water this pg.  Last time, I couldn't get enough water.  not sure what gives.  fingers crossed everything evens out soon.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Charlotte, unfortunately no amount of stimulation will increase your milk supply after a certain stage of pregnancy.  Your body stops producing "milk" and only produces colostrum once you reach a certain point.  And it's just not as filling...   The nipple soreness may improved, and if you decide to continue, he'll still be getting a lot of nutrients and immunological factors, however.  {{hugs}}

[Jocasta]

This will probably sound rediculous to most of you, but, I'd so wanted to feed Mae to two years so long as she was willing.  If my supply dips really low, could I use an SNS to keep her at the breast until my milk comes in with the new baby?  That probably sounds really daft and quite freaky to some people but I know that babies don't tend to go back to the breast once they've weaned - especially at Mae's age...  I just want her to self-wean and not be forced into it by a diminished supply

[cbald1976]

Even more ridiculous, What is an SNS? 

Also, my colostrum came in very very very early with DS's pg....like around 4~5 months pg.  I still have milk at this point, just very little of it.  When do you think the switch over will happen?  I had heard one place that when you're BFing & pg, it doesn't happen until month 8~9 of pg?  Any truth to that? 

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Doesn't sound daft at all to me, Jo.  I know I set a 2 year goal with Sam too, and I would have done just about anything to make it.  You do what's right for you and Mae.  You know you'll always have support here.

A SNS is a supplemental nursing system - basically, there's a tube that goes from a bottle of formula or EBM at one end, and right next to your nipple at the other end.  So when the baby nurses, she gets some milk from your breast, also stimulating production as she sucks, but it's "supplemented" by what comes through the tube (ie. the formula or EBM).    Great for things like relactation or low milk supply.

Throughout pregnancy, there's SOME milk - it's just that it's the colostrum.  So you'll see some beads of milk if you try to express, but it's not a full supply.  This is from Kellymom:

The changeover between mature milk and colostrum production begins, on average, between the 4th and 8th month of pregnancy, but some mothers start producing colostrum somewhat earlier than that. Many mothers who nurse through pregnancy have noted that their milk contains mostly colostrum during the last month before baby is born. You will continue to produce colostrum throughout the latter part of your pregnancy - your older nursling cannot "use it up."

[Jocasta]

Well guys, Mae's down to two feeds a day - she'll bob on and off during her other two feeds but she's not really interested.  Yesterday she only had on feed and that wasn't great.  I offered about six times and she had a few sucks each time but was just playing around   Is this the end for us?  I'm going to look into the SNS now and see if I can get one and give that a go.  Wish me luck.

[fifibobandmore]

Good luck Jo well edward has decided to wean fully so I am no longer BFing. Well he asked once in the night last night and I gave it him as I was in so much pain as I was so full and he had a good 30 min BF which he hasn't had for long time so I think he is justing going to BF once every 2-3 days which I'm happy with as it means he is getting the milk and I also get some relief from the pain of being engorged.

[cbald1976]

Hey guys....thought I'd pop in for some moral support.  I was going through a very similar drop in supply around 8-11 weeks.  We were only BFing for the morning feed, so I honestly thought that my supply would dwindle out pretty quickly, but to my surprise, around 14 weeks, it seems to have leveled off.  He is happy to BF in the morning on demand for the first 40 min or so of the day.  I usually bring him into bed with me/us, lay down & allow him to nurse from either side as much as he likes.  It helps I think when he takes his favorite blankie in with us as then he relaxes a bunch more & is happier to stay calm & quiet while nursing.  WIthout it, he can get too 'awake' and want to jump all over us & pet the cat at the foot of the bed, etc.  So, don't despair yet.  Hope may be just around the corner.