Is there a breastfeeding while pregnant thread already?

[MummyBerryJuice]

If not would anyone like to join me?

Experienced and first time feeding while pregnant mums welcome. I'm almost 11 weeks with DC2 and am still feeding DS (15 months). We are currently working at night weaning him (although he is incredibly persistent) and he still feeds 3/4/5 time per day, although he is starting to eat more solids.

I don't know anyone in RL who has fed whilst pregnant or tandemed and it would be great to be able to share frustrations etc with others.

So please come and join me, or point me in the direction of the right thread

but only because DD is 18 months next month

Move: well still at my parents. DH has been working for one week now and seen quite a few properties. Should get to see him on Sunday . Don't think I'll start to settle until we have a place to live and we're together again.

Starting to hate this town now. Forgotten what a chav heaven it was (it's a council estate, in a seaside town in Essex, where we see flashing cop lights most nights). I don't look like I'm around here so get filthy looks from the other mothers when at the park or walking DD (all of which are quite a bit younger than me). I may be a snob now but get me back to a MC environment.

penguin i'm sure your dd won't bother with a silly old sleep regression. How is her sleep now anyway?

My friend is from an essex estuary seaside town originally and feels very much like you do about the place.

Have you been able to discuss your c/s with anyone yet?

Hi everyone.

Is anyone around? I need a bit of a vent. I feel really, really terrible actually. I completely lost my temper with DS this morning and it is all my fault. I am doing my best to feed him on demand (with distraction if at all possible) and still occasionally feed him to sleep for his morning nap, but I am becoming increasingly irritated by it. I enjoy feeding him but when feeding to sleep and he is coming to the end of a feed and starts nodding off he stops suckling properly and sort of lightly nibbles my my nipple which drives me insane. If I try to take him off at this point, he howls and howls and it turns into a proper tantrum and grabs at my boobs and nipples, the only way to stop it is to feed him again, but I just can't

So anyway, we had this this morning, he tantrum Ed for 45 minutes despite me holding, rocking, hugging, letting him lie on the floor on his own while I sat with him, lying down next to him on my bed etc etc. And I lost it, properly screamed at him, which of course just exacerbated it and made him look at me with this confused, hurt expression as he couldn't understand why he was being told off.

I took him for a drive instead and he fell asleep within 2 minutes

I feel really bad about this.

MBJ I replied on other thread. It's sounds like it's a complete one off, you're not perfect, join the club :)

DD has to be left alone. I felt awful the first time I did, but the more we stayed with her the worse it got. Left her and 10 mins later she was asleep. I felt like I had just abandoned or gave up on her. I love the AP style of parenting, but DD doesn't and I had to accept we don't always get the choose how everything works. After a few nights of that she learnt to go to sleep by herself a lot better so I able to resolve it within my self.

Thanks Penguin

DD seems to sleep through half the time with the others having one or two quick resettles. However we haven't had teething for AGES and probably due a regression in the next month. She had one a few weeks before the road trip. Nap are hit and miss depends on waking time. If she gets 10 hours (normal) she tends to go down for two naps easily enough, if she wakes later then she spends the time tired but unable to sleep until the afternoon nap. If she wakes early I groan a bit and then admit she's awake and gets up.

Looks like we have a place to live. If the checks and signing go OK we should have the keys on Fri but won't move in until the bank holiday weekend as it will be easier to co-ordinate moving our stuff in storage from various family members.

I'll ring a local surgery next week to start registering over the phone if I can. Still not spoken to anyone about the birth as they don't see the point. Am measuring small again but even smaller so think they'll keep an eye on that. Still don't have UK notes as they want Oxford to take the history etc. Have anti-D jab on Fri at 31+6 (better late than never)

thanks for reading.

Wow. I'm amazed at how calm you sound about it all. I'd be in a complete flap. But then I am a MASSIVE worrier

Will you be continuing your post-grad research here? Or going into an industry type job after ML?

DS generally only has one nap a day now. Which is fine by me, and I tend to time it with going for a walk or coming going somewhere so he falls asleep in the car. Ihave always been a 'path of least resistance' type and will probably continue like this with the next one.

I had a panic just before we left the states, but until I can practically deal with things I'm very good at just not thinking about it

Not sure if I will get another post-doc or try industry research. There is a materials department at Oxford plus a few companies like Sharp etc. so if we like the place there is scope to stay.

Just waiting for someone to turn up at a unspecified time . Started off me going round when I was ready to her doing all kinds of odd jobs and tacking me on to the end of the day. Still it's her first pg and she's struggling so I should cut her some slack. She's a teacher so on hols.

Oh mbj, sounds like your ds got himself in a right old state, you did really well though believe it or not...there's no way i could have coped with a fourtyfive minute tantrum...i would have exploded after about five mins. I haven't seen your other thread but i hope it and penguin have provided you with some support and comfort...as penguin says none of us are perfect.

Penguin you are a pg wonderwoman! And here's me feeling sorry for myself cause i still need to do my tax return...and smug that i have finished my accounts. All that pales in significance compered to what you're doing. Hope all goes smoothly re your new home.

Good afternoon ladies, thanks so much for your replies and encouargement to my earlier post. I know now that I need to relax a little and take it as it comes, but I'm usually so organised, and such a planner, this is hard to put into practise sometimes!

I've never had a feeding schedule with DS, he just asks when he wants milk, and lo... milk is provided! I think other than early morning milk (he gets in with us around 5.30) and before bedtime milk, most of his feeds are just for comfort, usually when he's tired or upset. I do offer cows milk or water, but they're just not comforting enough - I do wonder how women who don't BF manage to comfort their children - I guess I need to learn how eventually!

And I wanted also to say thanks FrozenMBJ for the link you posted earlier to the Parenting From Scratch blog - it's had me in tears this afternoon. But then I am a hormonal mess at the moment!

Hi all. I am a rather unexpected member of your gang. I'm just six weeks pg w DC2. Not exactly planned. DD is 15.5 months.

I'm feeling tired, made worse by the fact DD has not long started walking and wants me to hold her hand and walk around the house with her. All the time.

I'm unsure whether I'll manage to feed all through my pregnancy as DD was born at 31 weeks so I think I'll need to speak to my doctor about whether it's ok.

I'm also a bit worried that if I keep feeding her (assuming docs ok it) then go into prem labour, I'll then probably need to immediately wean her for the rest of my pregnancy.

Lots to think about but I'm going to wait till I've had my twelve week scan and know everything's ok. Then worry about it!

Hi KD and welcome.

AFAIK whether you have to stop depends on your current pregnancy but you are very unlikely to get fully informed information from your obstetrician. Most are terribly badly educated on anything breastfeeding related. And I would guess that they would be quick to jump to telling you you have to wean.

It might be a good idea to discuss this with an IBCLC so that you are at least armed with good, up to date knowledge. And then you can make the decision whether to continue or not based on informed consent.

In the meantime, we are here for a supportive ear and shoulder.

hi kd, mbj and laT

Kd i completely agree with mbj about misinformation amongst hpcs. There is some up to date info re this in "Adventures..." i can look up the reference if you need it. Basicaly hpcs often advise against bf (and sex) as it was thought oxytocin released might trigger contractions and therefore labour or mc. But it is now known (though not by mw's it seems) that the oxytocin receptors on the uterus aren't "switched on" till labour is immenant anyway.

Also a specialist in mc was on womans hour t'other day talking about some amazing research he's doing. Re threatened mc he described advice to not have sex (and by extension not to bf as the two are often lumped together in this context) as being "at best unhelpfull." this fits completely with the recent study mentioned above, but contradicts what nearly all hpcs seem to say. I imagine their training needs updating.

Apparently there is very little research on the relative levels and affects of oxytocin involved in bf, sex and labour.

You may uncover more evidence that gives compeling reasons to wean...but don't rely on hpcs to provide it! Of course you may wish to wean for other reasons anyway...and i can understand your concerns about having to wean suddenly if you did go in to labour early.

Anyway...welcome!

Hi TheRealMBJ

Yes I was a bit worried that all the HCPs would just immediately say I should wean. I've had friends with no history of pregnancy complications just automatically told to wean (and they did wean, I don't know anybody who fed through pregnancy IRL)

So is an ibclc somebody more qualified than the breastfeeding counsellors you'd get if you called the helplines. And if so do you have any idea how I'd go about finding one?

I don't know if I'm being a bit daft and maybe I should wean DD just in case. But yes it's a big decision and best to do it fully informed.

Thanks very much for your help. And if I do keep feeding DD I'm sure I'll be appreciative of all you guys who are so much further ahead in your pregnancies than me!

Sorry MoonFace cross posts!

Thanks for all that info. I've ordered adventures in tandem feeding from LLL as I thought it would be an interesting read regardless of what I end up doing.

I have my naive fingers crossed I'm going to get a well informed doctor in charge of my care!!

Hello!

We were away for the weekend and I had 2 spa treatments. Feel fantastic.or at did for at least an hour after each.

We have moved DS into a toddler bed. Well, taken the sides off the cot bed. And I ended up falling asleep next to him when I went in to settle him in the night last nigh, so I have a major crick in my neck now. I am hoping that he may be more easily settled by DH if he can just go and lie down next to him and then I have the prospect of at least having to share the bed with just the new baby and DH for most of the night, with DS coming in with us for less time and less frequently. Otherwise DH may have to be turfed out to the spare room, and that isn't something I really want to do.

Hope you are all well.

We were away too but no spa treatments here dh and i did manage to go out for a meal just the two of us though which isn't some thing we've done much really, and was lovely.

Well done you for tackling the bed issue mbj. Ds rarely wakes much now. Even with the current regression (this has so far amounted to the odd night time bf and maybe four night wakings over the past three weeks) but i do sometimes settle him just with a touch in the night. I'm just not sure ds is ready for his own room, so might move in with dh when the baby comes...we will see how things pan out.

I'm feeling huge and hot atm. Ds spent 2hrs snoozeing on the boob this morning, and the new baby had its feet under my ribs through out. Plus ds got up at four and we both fell asleep on the sofa watching something special and so i too have a crick in my neck.

Are you feeling generally well and organised etc mbj?

How is everyone else?

Hi everyone

Sorry not been on for ages, Ds just tries to take over the laptop. He is currently asleep on my lap!

I'm 20 weeks now and found out we are having another boy. Was initially disappointed but am now looking forward to having 2 boys. Least I don't have to buy much.

Still no sign of colostrum but yesterday he only fed when he got up and again when he woke up at 11.30pm.

Anyways, hope everyone is ok.

Hi clarde. It is major saving not having to buy anything new now and they will love playing together when they get a little older.

I am generally well, but getting a bit short tempered as the end of the day approaches tbh, Moon. DS is just so active and demanding and as he has a morning nap, the afternoon really seems to drag on. (But I suppose I shouldn't complain - according to my mum, I dropped all day time naps at 9 months and my brother and I are only 17 months apart. She must have been finished)

I don't feel prepared AT ALL. Physically and mentally, I suppose I am fine. Yoga is helping with preparing for labour I think. But there are so many things I'd still like to buy for DD and we are totally, totally skint . However, none of it is essential really.

Have you decided whether you will be part of OBEM yet Moon? If I had the guts (and cash) to, I'd definitely be opting for a HB, but neither DH nor I really have the confidence, so best stick with the hospital plan, I think.

I hear you re the long afternoons MBJ...ds napped fitfully on my knee for two hours this morning and the day has seemed long...luckily dh is on earlys this week so got home at four. But boy am I glad he naps at all...even if i have to hold him on the odd occasion!

I don't feel prepared either...also some stuff to buy, just essentials (skint too)...but lots of sorting out of spaces and clothes to do. Physical stuff and I have no energy. Have been away a lot lately though and am now officially staying at home so should be easier to get things done on dh's days off.

Not doing OBEM...i want DH with me and it's one or the other!

Why would you need cash for a HB? sorry if I'm being thick...

I sort of lack the confidence to go in to hospital! Once I looked at the stats re intervention and I knew where i wanted to be. I just really really wanted to avoid intervention as much as possible ...though we ended up in hospital last time and it wasn't that bad at all. I guess i had the right combination of hard work/mental outlook and good luck....I think it takes the two really...and there's nowt you can do about that last one.

Clarde I'm not sure what I'm having (i already have a ds) but think if I have a boy I'll quite like being in charge of my little gang of boys...dh, ds1 ds2 and the dog! That's the picture I'm painting of it for myself.

I think we would have to buy loads of new stuff even if we have another boy as so much of it is wrecked...ds is a complete dirt monster.

At least all the early stuff we have is unisex as we didn't know what we were having first time either.

I have booked a birth pool so that is one thing to feel organised abut (till they ring to tell me I've left it too late and none are available)

Oh, should have explained. My community MW is not keen on HB and if I really wanted one, the only way to ensure I got what I wanted would be to go with an Independant MW.

Are they allowed to do that? I thought if you want a home birth then they have to attend. Are you in the UK?

How long has everyone got left now?

Yy. They do but... although she wouldn't refuse she doesn't make it easy. And as I say anyway, I am not confident enough to push for a HB.

that is terrible mbj. It would make me go for a hb even if i hadn't considered it before. They have to attend and that is it. But a combative situation is far from conducive to labour.

Ds is up already...and so so am i.

It's pretty horrid when they get up so early.

DS woke up at 3am screaming because he had wet his nappy through. Luckily it had not yet penetrated onto our sheets (he was in with us already). He also fell out of his new bed last night. Oops.