If I get PG will it affect BF?

[MoonFaceMamaaaaargh]

DS is 8m. Want to start ttc when he is 11m...if I fall pg quickly will it affect BF?
When will my milk change to colostrum?

Thanks [hsmile]

Hi MoonFace - I have bf through 2 pgs (actually tandem nursed through 8 months of my 3rd pg!). I got pg with DD2 when DD1 was 11.5 m/o and got pg with DD3 when DD2 was 13.5 m/o & DD1 was 33 m/o.

I found that my milk 'disappeared' around week 14 and 'reappeared' as colostrum between week 24-26. Neither DD1 or DD2 particularly cared that there was no milk when they nursed but loved it when the colostrum came in and nursed like demons. Both times I've been really worried about the strange mustard-y diarrhea they've had until DH has pointed out it's toddler nappies on colostrum so my milk's back in!

There is a great book called Adventures in Tandem Nursing by Hilary Flowers (it also covers nursing whilst pg so a good read even if you don't want to tandem nurse). Kellymom has loads of evidenced based advice and information on bfing, pg and tandem nursing.

Any thing else you'd like to know please ask I've packed in 7+ years of bfing in 4.5 years!

Thank you truthsweet! Your story is wonderfully inspiring and very reassuring. I have heard of lo's self weaning and I'm keen to nurse DS for as long as he likes, and tandem feed if that happens. I had worried that pg might put an early end to bf. I recall my colostrum coming in in my pg with ds arouund 24 too so will bare that in mind if ds's poo changes!

WIll definatly look up the book you mention too. Thanks again! [hsmile]

Oh, just to mention you don't have to physically tandem feed - I did for the first 8 weeks with DD1 & DD2 (it was so sweet they held hands whilst feeding and DD1 would stroke DD2 ) but it got too much for me so I started feeding them separately. I have never fed DD2 & DD3 together - DD2 has to wait her turn!

Apparently around 30% of children wean during pg but how much of that is child led and how much is mother led I don't know. The first trimester is difficult to say the least for me as I had VERY sensitive nips when pg with DD2 and had to count to ten and grit my teeth. When it hurt very badly I fed to The Very Hungry Caterpillar as I knew I could stop feeding when it was over. It wasn't so bad with DD3 but it does pay to keep an eye on the latch as letting them get a bit sloppy over latching can make for a world of pain when pg

Good luck with TTC and I hope you have an easy time of it

Yes, definitely get the Hilary Flowers book! I'm 23 weeks and still feeding 2yo DD. Not sure if my supply has changed, I've not had any discomfort or complaints. I haven't noticed any poo differences in DD so I don't think my colostrum's come in yet, I suppose it can vary quite a lot from person to person.

I'm hoping to tandem feed when DC2 comes along but this is all new territory so I'll have to see how it goes!

WIll definatly keep and eye on t'latch then...we can get a little blase about it at times!

Good look with your pg and dc2 EauRouge

I stopped feeding at 7 weeks pregnant (DD was about 10 months) because I was just so tired and it wasn't very comfortable feeding any more but I did feel it was my decision, I did still have milk at that stage.

I was the same as AppleAndBlackberry, I still had milk once pg but the discomfort, tiredness and the epic morning sickness combined meant that it was torture for me and so I stopped.

I wish I had been able to continue, I wasn't ready to finish feeding DD1 but I just couldn't carry on.

ds1 was 6 months when i got pregnant again and we kept going till he was just over 13months. after a few weeks pregnant i noticed supply really dropped so he ended up just comfort feeding. mw said i wouldn't get any colostrum for the newborn if i carried on so i decided to stop cause he was only comfort feeding anyway.

ds2 was 9 months when i got pregnant again and was really not impressed! he self weaned at 11 months.

Wow! That is great, truthsweet. I am very jealous!
My DD did self wean when I was about 3 months pregnant (we'd gotten through all the sore and swollen bits) she was ill for a week, only breastfed, wouldn't eat and the week after, when back on food, point blank refused to have 'mummy milky'.
I never had any problems with my milk when I was pregnant, even when DD was ill and feeding all the time!
Good luck moonface! :)

I don't have any experience of this (yet...) but the Hilary Flowers book is great

Thanks everyone. STill a bit worried re self weaning but sounds like we'd get past the 1yr mark even if i got pg straight away.

Thanks mumby [hsmile]