Pregnant and breastfeeding

[jennimoo]

I can't seem to find a thread for this so have started this one! If I've missed it let me know.

I'm 5 weeks pg with DC2 and BFing my 2.3y DD.

Hi jenimoo

I was sure there was an established thread about this but like you have failed to find it so far!

I'm 10wks pregnant with DC2 & still feeding DD who is 20months. She only really feeds to sleep , we co-sleep so a few overnight top ups & once during the day if she's very tired. I'm not sure what the future will hold for us - I'm feeling v agitated when I feed her at the moment not sure if I'll see when she chooses to stop (which was Plan A) or whether we'll have to try & night wean - I really don't think I'd like to feed two DCs at night but not sure.
How's it going for you?

jennimoo apologies

Hello

We night weaned at 14 months and am so glad we did as DD was having up to 4 feeds a night still, although I think it must be harder when co sleeping.

I'm ok still BFing so far, but very slight discomfort sometimes. DD feeds anything from 2 feeds a day up to about 6 depending on what were doing!

I am still bfing my 2.3 yr old who sleeps with me. He has a feed pre sleep and occasionally one for comfort in the day. He has cut down loads since I fell pregnant.
I am 24 weeks now. I wondered if milk tasted different?
I am more worried about how I will manage the co-sleeping post new arrival.
Both in the bed!! [sceptical]
I am just hoping things work themselves out...

Hello. I wonder if my milk is less / tastes different as DD keeps saying "not work"!

DD has really runny nappies the last few days, is this likely to be related to the changes in milk do you think?

Hello, I'm 10w with #3 and still bf my 14m DS2. Down to just 2 feeds a day (unless the little scoundrel spots me napping and pounces!), but they're gradually getting more painful...ideally I'd just wean him, but he seems too little to be made to give up
Interesting thought about the runny nappies, Jennimoo - similar here, but I hadn't thought there could be a link because he seems to be getting so much less milk now (although he's having just as much fun).
Really not sure how I feel about tandem feeding either, think I'd always be panicking about whether the baby's getting enough.

I'm 13 weeks and have a 16 month old DD who I co sleep with and uses me as a dummy all night long! She doesn't feed during the day except for her nap as she can only be fed to sleep.

I think I need to night wean but I have no idea how. Advice anyone?

How are everyones supplies? My boobs are tiny now and I have hardly any milk. I tasted it yesterday and it's completely changed taste. Its disgusting!

Hi Chocolate
My supply has definitely changed, i think there's less milk and I wonder whether the flow has slowed? DS2 is feeding regardless though, whereas DS1 went on a nursing strike almost as soon as I got pregnant last time so saved me all this bother!
I've got no useful advice for night weaning; DH had to do it a couple of a months ago when I was in hospital after an operation - I think there was a lot of shush-patting for a few nights. I'd definitely leave it until you're not feeling sick or tired though, that would be the pits

Hi condiments, did you find that your DSs solid intake increased when your supply started changing? DDs diet was probably 90% milk a few weeks ago, where as now, she doesnt stop eating!

I'm quite worried that my milk will dry up completely as I really wanted to bf DD until she was two.

I agree, couldn't think of anything
Worse than attempting night weaning when still feeling sick!

I think DS already eats tonnes, so I haven't really noticed a difference. Makes sense though, doesn't it?
I've been looking at lots of stuff on kellymom and searching on here, and it sounds like if toddlers (big babies!) are happy to nurse through pregnancy, they'll cope even if no milk comes out at all. I just wish it would stop hurting

Hello, I am 15 weeks with DC2, still BFing DD who is 18 months.

I was having trouble finding info so I bought the "Adventures in Tandem Feeding" book off Amazon, it's by the La Leche League and is quite "American", but has loads of information and anecdotes from ladies from around the world. It's about BFing in pregnancy as much as afterwards, so worth a read if you can get hold of a copy.

One of the things I was surprised to read was some toddlers wean themselves when the milk changes taste, then start right back up again once the baby is born, if they are allowed to.

My milk supply definitely decreased, DD suddenly went from 2 feeds a day to 5 or 6, probably trying to get more out! Now she's settled back down to 2, sometimes 3. I've started to feed her lying down on a morning, so I can get an extra few minutes in bed. It's getting interesting now my nipples are super sensitive and her top teeth are coming through. That and she pulls herself off constantly when she's distracted, without breaking the suction first - arrrrgggh.

I suppose it's as much about comfort as it is about milk.

Bumble, I ordered that book a while ago but I'm still waiting for it to come.

I think we're going to wean :( Only 7 weeks but down to 2 qui k ones the last few weeks and she didn't mind when I skipped the first thing one in place of a cup...

Feels weird after so long (2.3), but seems like it might be the right thing.

I breastfed my toddler up until I was about 5.5 months pregnant, when she just decided she didn't want it any more. My supply had definately dropped right down and in the last week of feeding Dd went from feeding day and night roughly every two hours to just going on for a quick suck on each side then pulling away. I think the decline in supply and the taste changing put her off.

Dd is 22 months now and I am 35wks pregnant. She still likes to ask for boobies and have a quick suck on each side, but I wouldn't by any means class her as breasfeeding any more. Think she is just checking what it is like. As she still has such an interest, I am wondering if she will start again when baby is born. I don't mind this but Dh is quite against it.

I think I was lucky though because I never had any discomfort from her feeding whilst I was pregnant.

NAR4, that's interesting, my DD is doing something similar when she goes on, especially in the morning, like she's wanting to check in but then wants to move onto her breakfast. I think she's probably checking as well to see what it's like today!

Do you know why your DH is against it? Mine seemed a bit at first until I could tell him about the benefits for us all.

I'm quite prepared for DD to wean herself by the end of the pregnancy, but it would help having her to BF with a younger sibling - apparently a more experienced child can really help with blocked ducts, which I did have a bit last time.

Jennimoo - hope you're OK, I bet it's really bittersweet when they decide they've had enough.

Me, I hope! Depending on the outcome of a scan on Wednesday (hoping implantation bleeding), I'm 7 weeks and still bf my 10 month old approx 3 times a day. She's been a bit fussy but OK, eats loads and has slept through for years, but she is too young to wean - I'd like to keep going until she's 2 ideally.

Trying to get hold of adventures but its expensive everywhere I've looked.

Dh was very pro breasfeeding with all our children and wasn't bothered by the age of my Dd still breastfeeding a lot. I think it is as a result of his mum constantly saying how I shouldn't continue to breastfeed whilst pregnant as she felt it would be too draining for me and the same goes for feeding a baby and toddler. He wouldn't try to stop me if thats what I did as I think he has my best interests at heart. Just he is finding his mum quite conviencing.

I have to admit that I was quite disappointed when my Dd decided to stop and it happened so quickly as well.

Poocatcher - congratulations

Adventures is quite expensive (think I paid £17 for mine) but I figured DH is always buying electronic gizmos and saying it's "for the family", this is me doing research "for the family". Plus it's the only pg book I'm getting this time (and I got loads of hand me downs last time). I imagine you'd be able to borrow a copy from a local LL group though, or library? Or maybe ebay?

NAR4, I've just got to the bit about health/research, it seems it's only "draining" if you're malnourished (as in medically rather than "oops I forgot to eat breakfast again"), in which case you can lose needed body fat. It's a very common concern apparently for those not in the know, but more recent research says otherwise.

Things I've learned from the book:
BF while pg doesn't harm your bone density, but actually helps to recover it.

BF reduces the risk of cancer, the more you bf, the more protection.

For the existing DC it's only a problem if bf'ing is their main source of nutrition, as the qty decreases.

Tandem feeding can provide a lot of mothers an excuse to slow down a bit with the DC and have some special time with the older child (this is why I'm really keen to keep going) or as a trio.

Tandem feeding is not as uncommon as you'd think, and apparently a lot of people have been doing it "secretly" for decades, they just didn't want to be judged.

Still reading about how it affects the bump...so far it seems to be back to "same as normal pg as long as you're not malnourished".

The chapter "dealing with doubters" just says it's like any parenting choices - basically it's up to you and DH how you want to raise your family, and people have to try and accept it or mind their own business (MIL has been skeptical about most of our choices, but she's had to back-track on everything so far...we'll see how bilingualism works out ). It also says a lot of mothers keep their tandem feeding private, and there's nothing wrong with that, though if you can find supporters it makes it all a much more positive experience, obviously.

I think from my perspective if anyone asks I tell them I still bf DD, but I don't go around broadcasting it (even if I seem like a bit of a nutter on here!)

Sorry just read this again and it should be "breast cancer" as opposed to all cancers! D'oh

Thank you! I have been looking for this thread for a few days and finally found it in threads I'm on because I posted on it. The good news if my scan showed a sticky bean, and I've got a follow up on Monday, but I'm feeling fairly optimistic at the mo.
my boobs do feel smaller and dd does come off and look at them a bit more but usually goes back on and sucks a bit more. I am thinking about offering both sides from time to time which I never have.

Does anyone know if you can build supply for the nursling at this point? As she is only 10 months she is too early to wean I think - I wanted to get to 2 with her ideally. Luckily her diet is mostly made from food.

Also does anyone else feel their uterus contract while they feed? It's unnerving.

I'm 7 weeks pregnant and still bf ds who is 20 months. I started to might wean about 3 days ago as he was still waking up to feed at least 4 times a night and frankly I was knackered! He cried for about half an hour each time for the first 2 nights but he's slept better since and stopped waking to be fed. We're still co-sleeping and I'm amazed at how quickly he's adapted. Last night I didn't even breast feed him to go to sleep and then he slept right through.

I think we'll work on getting him into his own bed next and try and get it down to just 2 feeds a day.

Mw advised to stop bf'ing about 3 months before the baby's due so that he has time to forget. Not sure about that yet, but will so whatever feels right for us.

night wean. Bloody sausage fingers.

Binary - are you planning on stopping or was that general advice from the midwife?

It was general advice from the midwife. She didn't entertain the possibility that I might continue! I'm happy to carry on if I can get down to just too feeds, otherwise I'll never leave the house!!