Help! EBF my 5 mo DS and just found out am pregnant. How can I maintain supply? (Will concern myself with maintaining sanity later)

[Paddingtonblue]

My DS is a happyand healthy who has been EBF. He shows no sign of being interested in our food and I had no intention of trying to introduce anything in the near future. I had been expressing an 8oz bottle for my husband to give him every second night so that they got some feeding time together, but had noticed in the last week that this bottle was taking a long time, many sittings, to produce.
Then this morning I did a pregnancy test and it was a BFP. Am still in shock I think as we used contraception, and DS toook months of trying. I am about 6 weeks based on last period. I am also concerned that my milk supply might be dwindling as DS is coming back for thirds and forths at each feed and I am lucky to get an ounce when expressing.
Can I continue to take fenugreek tablets, and is there anything else I can do? I really want to keep BF DS for as long as I can.

[Paddingtonblue]

bump

[Reesie]

I'm not that sure as I know that your breastmilk supply can reduce whilst pregnant. Howver, I know lots of people who have successfully breastfed whilst pregnant (although none have been quite as early as yourself). Nature is very clever so I'm sure your body will sort things out!

I wouldn't ask your HV (unless their really BF knowledgeable) but have a chat will people at the Le Leche league or is there a breast feeding specialist at your local hospital? Have a chat with them and they should give you some fab advice. Good luck with it!!!

[moondog]

It will be fine.Lots of MNers fed 9and feed) while pg. Don't worry about the baby coming back for more.The more you feed,the more you make. Supply and demand.

Congratulations

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Is your 'E' referring to 'exclusively' or 'expressed'?

Milk supply can drop during pregnancy, but not normally until the second or third trimester.

I'm still feeding (several times a day, but obviously not exclusively) 2.2 yr old dd and am 14 weeks pregnant. Dd did seem to feed more often initially, but has settled down a bit now.

My advice would be to just feed on demand for a while, to ensure that your supply is maintained at the level that your ds needs.

[Paddingtonblue]

Thank you, I will keep feeding him as long as he wants it. I had thought I would go to a year at least, but will have to position him carefully over an 8 month sized bump. That doesn't bear thinking about.
Have just read that fenugreek is not a good idea, so will just work on the supply/demand thing and keep my porridge in the morning.

[moondog]

Also what you express is never an accurate indication of what you are producing.

[Paddingtonblue]

Thanks CantSleep - I meant exclusively. Good to know that supply shouldn't drop for a while. Maybe he is going through a growth spurt and I am losing my expressing skills.

[Paddingtonblue]

One thing I forgot to mention is that DS is also bringing up his first teeth which is making him comfort feed more in the night so that is probably also making me feel less full in the mornings. Thanks for all your advice, this is all a little much to take in and my first thoughts are with my DS and keeping things right for him.

[FunkyNora]

Hi Paddington,

Congratulations!

Ive also found that I am pregnant - I have a 6month old. I have been breastfeeding morning and most nights. That explains why ds has been squeezing my breasts like bag-pipes, but yielding very little milk.

I'll be following this thread with interest.

Congrats again.

[Paddingtonblue]

And congratulations to you Funky - love the bad-pipes analogy!!