Has anyone breast fed whilst pregnant?

[Writerwannabe83]

I found out I was pregnant last weekend and over the last few days I have found breast feeding my toddler (almost 2) really unpleasant whereas usually I love doing it.

Now it hurts, it feels different and I don't like it.

Is this normal and does it pass?

[Luckystar1]

I did for the first 12 weeks (I'm now 18 weeks). I stopped as I wanted enough time for DS to get used to the idea of not feeding before #2 came along.

I don't think I felt any great difference tbh. But I do remember my nipples being more painful certainly for the first few weeks, almost as though we were starting again. It did pass.

I have to say, although I loved breastfeeding, the freedom of stopping (even just the night feed) is absolutely amazing!!

[SusanAndBinkyRideForth]

Yes normal, and might pass, might not.
I fed all through dd2s pregnancy, and now feeding again through dc3s pregnancy.

It tends to be sensitive at the beginning, with some aversion. The sensitivity will probably wear off, the aversion may not. You may then dry up for a time, and your child may wean or want to continue dry nursing.
When colostrum comes back in, in the 3rd trimester, it all gets much easier again, and a lot of mothers then continue to tandem feed after birth. I know lots - it's more common than you think but people just don't talk about it.

Try looking on Kellymom or lalecheleague (lll) websites.

[lilyfire]

There are 19 months between my two youngest. I fed ds2 throughout the pregnancy, but sometimes it felt really irritating/almost painful and so just did tiny feeds. By the end of pregnancy he wasn't feeding very much and for not very long at a time. I tandem fed them after ds3 born and I think it worked well as a way to help ds2 accept ds3.

[GreenTomatoJam]

Yes - by about 3 months my milk had dried up (just like it used to when my period was due)

The pain/chafing from DS (who was 2.5) trying to get what he could was pretty bad, and the big, sad eyes from DS (who was pretty non-verbal at the time) was tough too, but there was nothing to be done, it didn't come back, and he was weaned against his will (only morning feeds by then thank goodness - although he'd upped it trying to get anything out)

[padkin]

I continued to feed dd when pregnant with ds, and had intended to carry on and tandem feed, but dd self-weaned when I was about 7 months pregnant. It certainly felt different in the early stages of pregnancy, a bit uncomfortable, and a bit strange but that passed after a few weeks. I was sad when she stopped as I had wanted to continue, but was also actually hugely relieved as it almost felt like my body had a bit if respite before the birth of the new baby, which wasn't a feeling I thought I'd have. Dd was very interested in the ds feeding as a newborn, but didn't ever seem jealous.

[ThisWasCrownjewel]

Congratulations Writer! We were TTC at the same time as one another last time around - I was slightly behind you in succeeding (DS is 17mths) and am now 39wks with another DC. I breastfed DS past finding out I was pregnant again but he very quickly lost interest - almost to the week I found out! So I guess my newly-pregnant body either couldn't supply what he needed, or my changing hormones made my milk taste odd to him, who knows! Anyway after a couple of weeks faffing around trying to convince him to take it up again, the sickness kicked in properly and I was grateful to be able to hand him to DH for a bottle while I lay down / threw up / sat outside. I'm intending on breastfeeding the next DC for as long as they're interested too - although I'm certainly not planning on getting pregnant again anytime soon!

Best of luck with your pregnancy 💐

[boobybum]

I've done it twice. The first time DD self weaned at around 18 months as my milk supply had dwindled and I think the taste had changed. I was about 5 months pregnant at the time.
The second time DS was just over two and I had to 'encourage' him to wean. I was 6 months pregnant and had really had enough and my boobs needed a few months rest!
I found the first trimesters the worse as I felt pretty sick a lot of the time and my breast were very tender.
Good luck

[Branleuse]

I did, but I have a tiny age gap between ds2 and dd, but managed to still feed him for several months. I could have probably fed the whole way through, but really really didnt want to tandem feed

[SanityClause]

I did.

I really worried about what would happen when the baby was born, so I asked my midwives, who suggested I give my toddler a bottle. By then, she was drinking out of a cup, during the day - breastfeeding was for comfort and bonding, only - so this was a singularly unhelpful piece of advice.

I finally found out from a baby magazine that you could continue, so long as you fed the baby first. This was very reassuring, but in the end, she self weaned before the baby was born.

There is much more and better information available now, I'm pleased to say. This was 15 years ago.

I don't remember it being painful or more uncomfortable, though.

[peacefuleasyfeeling]

I think this sounds like "nursing agitation" or "nursing aversion" (google for lots of good advice on this, in particular from La Leche League). I was a keen breast feeder and thought I would nurse my 2yo DD through my 2nd pregnancy and beyond if it felt right. From about 12 weeks it just started to "feel different", I didn't just not enjoy it, but started to feel as if my skin was crawling whenever DD fed. It felt completely irrational, I remember actually biting down on my bottom lip and clenching my fists to stop myself from squirming with what felt like complete revulsion. Luckily I spoke to a friend who had nursed through pregnancy and continued to tandem feed, and she had had a similar experience. She'd toughed it out, but I just knew it would be hell, so began to think about weaning. As it happened, I think DD had felt that something was amiss, because she dropped off very easily.
Good luck, I hope it works out for the three of you :)

[MintyBojingles]

Going through this myself at the moment- DD is 18 months and I'm 15 weeks pregnant. Had been fine up till about a week ago, but suddenly it hurts like hell, my boobs are so tender, and DD seems to be losing interest. I wonder if this is the end? I'm not keen enough on tandem nursing to push through the pain, especially if she seems ready to stop.

[AnotherStitchInTime]

Yes I had this with dd2 when pregnant with ds, she stopped breastfeeding when I was about 22 weeks pregnant, she just didnt seem interested in it anymore. She was 17 months old at the time and had already begun transitioning to cows milk from 14 months old during the day. It was a good thing as it happens because due to complications I was in hospital from 26 weeks pregnant until ds was born.

[hideandsqueak]

I fed my DS up until 36 weeks. DD arrived the week after. I used to get really bad nausea when I fed him (on letdown) for the first 12 weeks. And sore nipples. And my supply dropped. But I was too tired to even think about stopping! Funnily I still get nausea on letdown now whilst feeding my 5 month old. Congrats writer!