Pregnant And Breastfeeding Support Thread

[maggieruth]

Elsa's mom,
its great to have you here!
in answer to your question bout boobs.  i am with you on soreness only when latching on, made it really hard to notice pregnancy symptoms!
my ds is 13 months and still feeding three times (sometimes 4) a day.  i haven't thought about weaning OR tandem feeding but think that if my ds wasn't as interested in BFing any more when my milk becomes colustrum again for the new baby that i would be fine with that (in fact, it might just be the easy fix!)
would love to write some more but am at work and must get my butt to a meeting!  take care! x

[owelley]

I just have a question .  How safe is it to bf while pregnant??  Doctors in the P.I. advise their pregnant nursing mums to stop immediately.  You are all ok right??  What's up with that??

[elsa and jethro's mum]

lizjackson, here's a little info for you to peruse on breastfeeding and being pregnant:

Is it safe to breastfeed while pregnant?
http://www.kellymom.com/nursingtwo/faq/01safety.html

Will nursing affect the nutrition of my unborn child?
http://www.kellymom.com/nursingtwo/faq/03fetalnutrition.html

Links to more info:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/tandem/index.html

Hi owelley,
These links should help!
Basically it's fine, and lots of people all over the world do it all the time! I don't know about there, but in the US and lots of europe there is lots of paranoid and misguided medicine being practiced.

HTH
L

[VickyB20]

Hi everyone!  I hope you're all well and those that are pregnant are feeling good (and not too sick!)

I just found out on Friday that I'm pregnant!  (I knew before really - throwing up in the middle of the night kind of gave it away!)  It's pretty early on... last period was 15 May so I guess about 6 weeks.  Number 1 (Ella) is coming up to 10 months and mostly has 3 breastfeeds a day although is increasingly less interested in the mid-afternoon feed.  She loves her solids though and drinks plenty of water so I'm not worrying too much about her milk intake.

I do feel, however, that my milk supply is already dwindling.  Ella is now bobbing on and off the breast and getting a little frustrated.  Any tips for keeping supply up?  Or is it just to be expected with the pregnancy?  I'd like Ella to be able to breastfeed for as long as she wants to.  She's never been a comfort-feeder and I worry that if the milk isn't there, she just won't suckle at all and therefore my supply will just get less and less.

Hugs,
Vicky
x

[x95stocchier]

Hi all, hope you don't mind my asking, but had you gotten your preiod back before you got pregnant?  if not, how did you know you were pregnant?  DH and I are not actively trying, but not activbely preventing either, and I wonder if/when I'll know I'm pg.
Thanks!

[deenz]

Hi, I did have my period back, but it was by no means regular, so I had no idea about when to expect a period.  In fact I was getting a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to get pregnant yet, as I didn't think my body was doing the right thing yet (unbeknownst to me I was already pregnant!).  What eventually prompted me to get a pregnancy test was the fact that I was sooooo tired!  That and the sore nipples when feeding.  When I found out I was nearly 7.5wks along.

[Monika aka annamum]

So, I am now 22 weeks pregnant and the milk is gone. Completely. Only 4 weeks ago I still had my normal supply and then over the course of my vacation it just disappeared. Anna is still nursing occasionally here and there but it is a far cry from what she used to nurse, I think she cut it down to 1-2 times a day. Sorry, this is TMI ... her poops are also different now.

So how are you pregnant nursing moms, still got milk, who is still nursing?

[maggieruth]

just this morning, Ethan only fed about 5 minutes and signed milk and cried a bit when trying to latch on afterwards!     this could be the beginning of the end....
i am not that bothered if Ethan weans himself over the course of this pg, i only hoped it wouldn't be me running out of milk and both of us sad!  time will tell (i am 15 weeks pg BTW)

[Bryony's mum]

We're still feeding once a day.  I dropped the morning feed a couple of weeks ago, a happy accident as Ben slept in until 7am for the first time in a long time, so it seemed best to get on with breakfast.  He still seems happy with the bedtime feed though. 

I fed Bryony until I was 7mths pg, and to be honest I couldn't really tell whether my milk supply was any good, and whether at some point she just sucked on very little for comfort.  I'd like to wean Ben by the time I'm 6 mths pg, which gives me another 2 mths or so, but I don't know how I'm going to go about it.   Part of me wishes my milk would start to dry up and he'd just lose interest.

[maggieruth]

Part of me wishes my milk would start to dry up and he'd just lose interest.

I SO know what you mean!  except i would also (in maggie dreamland) also like Ethan not to really notice or be upset by the change! dream on!

[CaedensMama]

Haven't posted on here in awhile - I think for some reason I stopped getting the notifications and forgot to come check!

Anyway, jsut had to stop and tell you -  we are almost done nursing and I am feeling kinda sad about it.  We were at 4-5 feeds a day still 2 weeks ago and I started dropping the midday one when we were out and then for the last week we have had a crazy schedule and been gone alot so I haven't nursed when we were out and had him down to 2 times a day easily over the weekend. And then the last 2 nights we went to bed without it - so we just have the morning feed left. I am not sure I want to give that one up yet - ya know!
He is doing fine with it and I think he would drop the morning one with little problem over a couple days, but I am still offering that one. And night time if he asks, not offering - he has to be asking for it.
Anyone else here too?
It's kinda bittersweet. I know I want to wean him before the next one, but now that I am actually doing it....................

[CaedensMama]

Just read some of the last posts...............

Hi Monika! Glad to see you are doing well, haven't seen you around much! 

In answer to the periods questions - I was one of those "against the norm" ones who got it back 2 1/2 mo pp Still nursing 3+ times a night and honestly at that point during the day it was almost more "on demand" then any routine yet! Totally surprised me!

I know Jodie, can't remember her user name, got preg before her period. She tested as they weren't using any protection and were kinda trying and I think they were going out and she was wondering if she could have a drink or not and so she tested and got a postive! Otherwise I think I would wait till you started getting some symptoms! 

[x95stocchier]

thanks for the replies about periods and pg.  I test every so often, since not using protection but still no period.

Hope you all are feeling ok, and <HUGS> to those of you dropping feeds/weaning    Must be a hard point to be at.....

[elsa and jethro's mum]

Vicky,
sorry you posted ages ago so you might never read this:
my LO never used to be a comfort feeder at all: she'd latch on suck madly and then spring off to get on with the next thing. she's nearly 1 now, and really different as my milk has dropped and she only feeds twice a day: she'll have a leisurely 20min feed in the morning now, and if she doesn't fall asleep first the same at night. I reckon they respond to all the changes and kind of work out a new way of being. Having said that, she's not bothered about feeding in the day at all now, unless we're travelling or something. so maybe that's why.
HTH
L

[OneMagicMummyv2]

i am breastfeeding my 10month old son and planning on having another too so was wondering what to expect for being rpegnant and feeding.  what might happen.  will DS go off the milk? what can i do if he self weans before 12 months.

what can i do to keep milk up as i get really sick.

any advice would be great

Kiz