Breastfeeding while pregnant

[PracticallyImperfectInEveryWay]

We are not frantically TTC#2, but wouldn't be disappointed if it happened. However, I am a bit confused about what happens with breast milk whilst pregnant.

I have been told that my milk will be gone at around 7 weeks pregnant (not sure if this is true or not) and returns at around 24 weeks. DD is 10 months and suppose, for arguments sake, that I was a few weeks pregnant. If milk goes at 7 weeks she would be about 11 months old.

What would happen nutritionally if I had no milk for her (but obviously would be continuing to 'feed')?

Hope that makes sense, apologies if it's a bit muddled

Well i am 17 weeks and still have milk. Something changes though because I can't feel let down any more. I think it varies from woman to woman.

Have you read tandem feeding in pregnancy by Hilary Flower? Worth a read.

I've nursed through 2 pgs (and tandem nursed through to 8m with DD3's pg), both times my milk 'disappeared' by week 14 and came back between 24-26 weeks pg as colostrum. My DDs still nursed as though there was milk but I did limit the duration of feeds when I had sore nipples (mainly in the 1t trimester). 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.

Some women have no dip in supply during pg but their child still weans due to change in taste, some women have no milk but their child feeds through out the pg (and vice versa) or they may find they have a temporary lull, it's on a continuum.

It really is a case of finding out whether you would be comfortable with your DD weaning soon or if you would be happy to supplement with cows' milk/formula (depending/amount/variety of other foods eaten). It does seem though that I was in a minority at having absolutely no milk between 14-24/26 weeks (could ask DD1 in 3rd pg if there was milk or not) so you may not notice any change other than tender nipples (I'll be v v jealous if that's the case though)

I found DD1 ate more foods to make up for the lack of milk as it dwindled but with DD2 it didn't seem to make much difference. They both had cows' milk as an extra to their diet (2 or so beakers/cups a day).

A really good book to read is Hilary Flowers' Adventures in Tandem Nursing even if you don't plan on tandem feeding as it has loads of info on bfing in pg.

Kellymom has some great info as ever on tandem/pg nursing.

Thanks both, I really appreciate the responses.

I will have a look at the book, sounds like it's worth a go. I would be happy to tandem feed (I think!) but I guess will have to see what happens.

I did have a look at Kellymom and couldn't see a mention of whether there would be a nutritional gap without breastmilk before 12 months, but I may have to have a more thorough look. Glad to see though that it's not necessarily a hard and fast rule that the milk will disappear at 7 weeks.

TruthSweet I take my hat off to you, what an amazing and inspiring thing you've done :).

Oh, just in case it isn't clear, even if you tandem feed you don't have to feed both babies at once, you can make them take turns

I fed DD1 & DD2 together for about 2 months before deciding it wasn't for me (the sensations of nursing two at a time was too much for me) so fed them separately from then on. It was very beautiful feeding the two of them - they would hold hands and DD1 would stroke DD2. DD2 & DD3 have never been tandem fed and I don't think their bond has been 'damaged' by not feeding together (for want of a better word).

I'm 30 weeks and 2.2 yo DD is still breastfeeding like a champ I've no idea what happened to my milk supply but she's never complained and she knows how to say "it's empty" (like when her drink of water has run out) so I can only assume that my supply never stopped.

A word of warning though, when your colostrum comes in you'll get some interesting toddler poos.

I third the recommendation for the Hilary Flowers book, it answered all the questions I had.

Oh and make sure you eat well because it can be pretty tiring!

EauRudolph I'm happy to read that your supply didn't disappear, fingers crossed I can have the same!

Sounds like a lovely time of feeding your dd's TruthSweet :). Like you, I don't think that I could feed two at once - I don't really even like DH sitting really close to me when I'm feeding DD, makes me feel a bit crowded out.

I'll invest in the book, and then all I need is DC2 .

Yes, I don't recommend tandem nursing random children

I don't think my supply ever went either, DS never complained