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

Hi mango
you are not hijacking at all. You're very welcome.

There is so much conflicting advice out there isn't there, especially on the Internet!
One of the others will no doubt explain much better than me but I think that the 'anti BFing' argument is that BFing released oxytocin which makes the uterus contract and some assume from this that BFing can cause miscarriage or premature birth.

I've done a fair bit of research into this and there is a large body of opinion which says this is nonsense. The oxytocin receptors in the uterus aren't switched on till labour is imminent anyway so BFing is safe in a normal low risk pregnancy.

The only time you'd need to stop BFing is of you were specifically advised to do so by your doctor - ie put on pelvis rest (which means no sex either)

I bought a book called adventures in tandem feeding from la leche league which I've found really informative. It's specifically of interest to me as I do have a history of prem birth (DD born at 31 weeks).

I'm still feeding my DD now, am just about 10 weeks pregnant. I'm not sure whether I'll feed through the whole pregnancy or not, I'm going to take medical advice and see how it goes.

I hope that's of some help. Please do stick around and ask any questions!

Oh and yes I'm finding BFing less comfortable now. I have quite tender nipples, I think some of the ladies on here have found that it passed once they were about 16 weeks ish but I'm sure somebody else will be along to confirm!

Hi mango. No you are not hijacking. Congratulations on your pregnancy.

During a normal pregnancy there is no risk in continuing breastfeeding. We, all of us on this thread have or are breastfeeding our DC whilst pregnant. Unfortunately most hcps are not well informed about this

Here is a starter website with some information about bf and pregnancy and this is an excellent book about it and tandem nursing

Please feel free to read through the rest of the thread and come back for more of a chat later.

hi all!

Oh the difference sleep makes! A week ago i was panicing that i would not cope if i went in to labour. But i feel much more optimistic now. Like your dd kd, ds is going down late, but we are staying in bed...bliss.

Built the pool last night and trialed it. It was lovely. And ds loved it.

Ds was 40+5 but spot on by my dates. Reckon 39+ a couple this time...

My nipple pain was mostly in the first trimester with odd periods later.

Congratulations mango! I'm due in the next few weeks and ds is 19m...i think we have similar age gaps? i've bf'd mostly happily throughout this pg. I've had an mc previously but what i have read has reassured me there is no risk to my pg from bf.

Have to run.

aah ladies many thanks for your reassuring words! I have to admit there have been days when i just can't bear to breastfeed as it feels so horrible so am desperately hoping it will pass...ds is now having more cows milk anyway so I don't mind really if he is cutting down, its certainly hard at times! doc hasn't said anything about feeding, so will see what they say when i have my booking appointment with the midwife...i've been feeling a bit 'period-y' for the past couple of days but am sure its all the normal stuff going on in there - i forget so quickly what happened the first time round, and it was only a year ago!!

moonface - yep the age gaps are about the same, ds will also be 19 months, so that will be interesting!

thanks again, will read that link and be back soon! x

Hi all,
Sorry for the absence: am on holiday and don't MN as much.

Welcome mango! I think we're at a similar stage (DS 19 moths and on two feeds per day, I'm 8 weeks). Nipple tenderness was atrocious last week, seems better this week. DH is v supportive an has even offered to buy me a second copy of "mothering your nursing toddler" because I have mislaid the original. Don't know how long we' ll continue: will play it by ear (well, by nipple). For the moment DS seems happier about his feeds, so maybe things are settling again?.

KD: DS too goes to bed late (9-9.30) but if we try earlier my nipples get mangled and he does not sleep well, so he and I retire together- which has the advantage of me falling asleep on the oxytocin too (am having trouble sleeping due to anxiety about the least birth). Do you get much stick about not complying with uk societal expectations of children going to bed at 7? I do get comments from time to time but am a foreigner so just explain we do things differently and that DS at 7pm sits down for an early dinner with us (how would he see DH otherwise?).

MoonFace: how exciting! Am in awe of those like you who can make that sort choice

Sorry for abrupt departure: DS was calling, had some milk and now is happily asleep again

We are very similar Sui if DD went to bed at 7pm DH would be lucky to see her for half an hour a day. So we all eat dinner together at 7.30

Nobody has actually passed any comment on it. I'm coming to think I might be scarier than my internal impression of myself as nobody has made any comments about me 'still' BFing an almost 17 month old, and those who know I'm pregnant haven't commented on me feeding during pregnancy.

DD tends to sleep till 8.30am so I think most people are just jealous!!

She was however up from 4.30-6 last night, she had a 2 HR nap yesterday afternoon and I think it's unfortunately getting to the stage where I need to even further curtail her daytime naps if I want to ensure a full nights sleep. All she's had today is a 30 min nap in the car on the way to swimming so hopefully she'll sleep well tonight. Fingers crossed. The little monkey just doesn't need much sleep, never has.

we are now settled into the UK and in our own place. Still don't have a consultant appt yet to discuss if having cs or not, but otherwise well. Starting to panic a bit about how BF the second time will go, like there is a expectation that I will of course succeed again. I had assumed that DD would still be feeding and that would make it easier, oh well. Am now 36 weeks

Morning all.

We're up although DS did stay in his own bed until 2h30 this morning (except for a brief resettling at 10pm when he fell out of bed. Oops) So I got 4.5hrs of sleep ALONE in bed. It was bliss. DH is away this weekend, so I really need as much sleep as possible. Will probably have a nap with DS later this morning.

Sui I explain a lot by telling people I'm 'forrin' I don't think they accept it really but it's hard to argue with

We used to sit down together for dinner when DH got home from work, but DS was getting so hungr by 5 o'clock that he was miserable and filing up on fruit and crackers and not wanting any dinner. So I had to change it. I now cook for all three of us and DS eats his at 5ish and we eat afer he has gone o bed. It's not ideal really but it works. He only goes to bed at 8pm usually too but is up at 5-5h30 these days.

Anyway, I'm rambling.

Glad to hear you're settled penguin. I'm sure you and the new baby will be fine. At least you won't have to struggle with a wrestling toddler while feeding a newborn.

Hope every one has a good weekend planner.

I'm 35+4

Wow penguin and mbj you guys are really on the home straight. And moon we're expecting news from you any day!
It must be strange penguin when you had expected to be tandem feeding. I'm sure it will all be fine but I guess it will be like learning to bf again but this time with a different partner. All your experience will no doubt stand you in good stead.

Yes MBJ dd gets hungry too, we have porridge at 4.30 ish which seems to tide her over. She was BLW though and still is very muchmaster of her own appetite so some nights (like last night) she will hardly eat at all, for no reason I can see.

Oh, use that sounds familiar KD. DS was BLW too and no day is the same as the next. I must say I still find it a little difficult to trust him to eat what and when he needs. I know I should, but as he had quite a severe iron deficiency early on, I do get a bit paranoid about what he eats and when.

I am slowly learning to let go, but I really don't want to go back to having to supplement him with iron as it played absolute havoc with his bowels.

hi all!

Penguin i'm so glad to hear you are all moved and settled and hope you get the cs sorted soon.

Kd no one has really passed comment on those things to me either...

Sui and mango, hope your nips get some relief soon. Playing by nipple...lol!

Re food i try to look at what ds eats over several days. He never eats a complete meal but will eat all carbs at one sitting, pinch a lump of cheese from the fridge, then pick at a ton of fruit. Personally i don't trust myself to know ds's needs so i offer him fairly healthy stuff and leave him to it. Years of being told to be a good girl and finish my dinner ruined my ability to judge portions and eat to my appetite.

No news here i'm afraid, and may be some weeks...but i wonder how loopy is getting on...

Sui do you mean choosing a hb? It was an easy choice for me. I'm lucky to be a low risk pg so (statistically) stand a better chance of avoiding intervention by being at home. My labour with ds was long and involved a transfer to hospital but was overall a really positive experience so i'm quite looking forward to doing it again...just as soon as i'm actually ready that is!

hello all hope your weekends have been going well...i wanted to say that its great this thread exists as i feel quite alone in my situation! my latest quick update (am typing on phone so its takioh forever) is that ds is having now a max of 2feeds a day one of which is before he goes to sleep at around 8pm... Am wonderin if maybe he knows how bad ive been finding it all and has decided to wean himself off...not sure how i feel about this at the mo have been trying to give him more cows milk warmed in a beaker during the day but am thinking whether he should be having some kind of follow on milk to stop him lacking in vits or iron etc? Sometimes its so hard knowing what to do thats right for ds (and forthcoming bub2)...ive been getting impression that ds knows about bub2 as hes been really clingy and resting his head on my belly loads which he never used to do b4. Anyone else noticed something like this with theirs? xx

Hi all. Have been thinking about this thread and everyone on it.

mango I'm glad you are finding the thread useful. How old is your DS again?

There is absolutely no reason to give your son follow on milk. After one year cow's milk is absolutely fine (not as good as Mummy's milk of course ) and provided he is eating a varied diet he doesn't need any supplements. I am obviously assuming he is well and not suffering from any deficiencies.

Follow on milk is just a marketing con for the formula companies to sell more stuff and gain market share.

hello realmbj yeh hes fine otherwise no deficiencies so will carry on giving him the cows milk throughout the day. Hes one. Oh by the way i liked ur original name mbj and was thinkin bout the gummi bears cartoon then u refered to it later on in thread!

Thank you

Hi all. Just a quickie as DD wrecking the house.

DH announced this am that he thinks I need to wean DD before DC2 comes along. It was just a brief pre work chat so not in depth. I just said why don't we play it by ear. But he thinks giving a 2 yr old even just a bedtime feed is too much, he says if I keep feeding her I'll be the only one who can settle her.

Will be back later but wanted to quickly offload.

Hi KDO, sorry to hear you're not getting as much support as you'd like. I have heard the 'no one else can settle them' argument before and it doesn't really make sense to me- weaning when neither your DD really wants to will surely cause you both to be more unsettled meaning that you won't be able to settle her either. Also it can cause serious resentment. A really good in depth chat about your and DH's feelings about BF (not just practicalities like getting your DD to sleep) will help the situation, I hope.

Breastfeeding Older Children by Ann Sinnott is a really good book with a chapter about fathers, there might be some things in there that you and your DH will find helpful.

Just a quick one as I better dressed DD is weaned and atm I'm the only one who can put her to bed (despite the fact that DH always used to do it)

Hi all,

Finally some peace! DD just shipped off to childminders so I will shortly be off to bed in the hope of sleep... last night, I lay awake for 4 and a half hours unable to fall asleep. I never suffer from insomnia usually, and didn't feel uncomfortable (well, not too much anyway) or worried, but sleep just would not come. Happened twice this week. I am really wanting to meet baby now - due Sunday. I've been having lots of little signs over the weekend but nothing that is actually it! Thanks for thinking of me Moonface - sorry I didn't update at all over the weekend, but we had a seriously stressful time as our car packed in and we had to buy a new one, but ended up dealing with some rogue traders- still not properly sorted but we have a car that drives, which is the main thing. It was pretty bad timing, though!

My dd was BLW as well, and will definitely do the same with this one. Her eating is very variable and up and down, but she certainly isn't 'fussy' - she just wants certain foods at certain times, sometimes loads sometimes hardly anything. But I feel I am able to be chilled out and leave it to her. Moonface, I know what you mean about being praised for eating up all your dinner - dd's relatives to it all the time, and with them she literally will shove food into her mouth, chew it up a bit and spit it out into her bib in order to get a clean plate and feel like a 'good girl'.

Mango, I think I'm later in the pregnancy than you, but dd has deifinitely had a clingy weekend and I'm sure it's because she senses a change afoot. She is very sweet, and gives my bump imaginary cups of tea and slices of cake 'for baby'. She often stops mid-nursing, says "Not like that side. That's baby's", before switching sides. But she is certainly feeling a bit insecure about it all too, I can just tell.

KD, myself and dh often have 'discussions' about dd's continued nursing. I distinctly remember him saying that she would definitely be weaned by 1 yr / 18 mths / 2 yrs etc. I wish he was totally onboard with her still nursing, but I can understand where he's coming from- he can't put dd to bed, and if she hurts herself it is always me she wants, plus he comes from a family where babies are not bf past about 2 weeks if at all. So although i feel defensive and wish he felt the same as me, I do try to appreciate the fact that he mostly supports me despite not really liking the situation. I think he can see all the positives extended bf brings, but comes from a culture where it isn't normal or universally accepted, where people do often question it, and he is a bit torn. Do you think that is how your dh feels?

Well DD is napping. In her buggy. She doesn't really nap in the cot now that she's not getting her 2pm breastfeed. but she goes off in about five mins in the buggy so not too bad.

I can't believe you're due on Sunday loopy how exciting.
And penguin have you got everything sorted re your CS yet? When are you due? Can't be long.

We will soon have lots of graduates and you'll no doubt all abandon us and start your own tandem feeding thread

So, my DH and his announcement this morning. BFing is actually the norm in his family. He was bf for 13 months which back then (mid seventies) was I think quite hippy ish.
I think he just feels a bit out of it and wants to be more involved with DD and more help once DC2 arrives and this is his thinking. Actually after having pretty much stopped feeding to sleep, DD has been falling asleep on the boob fairly consistently for the past fortnight or so. But I've been letting her as it makes putting her to bed so much easier.

I'm not going to push her to wean I don't think. Apart from anything else DH starts a new job in six weeks, 500 miles away. Because of my pregnancy history we've decided I'm going to stay up here where we have great friend's and family close by and he will commute, with the rest of us moving down once baby is born / comes out of hospital.
So he won't even be here Monday-Friday and I will need all the 'getting dd to sleep' tools I can get!

I just don't want him to feel he's being ignored and overruled. I want to at least pretend I'm taking his views into account

It's a really good point penguin that we might wean her and then still find she only let's me put her to bed. We could maybe consider moving her bf to before her bath or something...

I will let you know how our further discussions go. And at the end of the day the decision may be taken out of my hands if DD self weans when my supply plummets.

I have to say as well, kd, since night-weaning, dd will only be settled by me at night (I still bf her to sleep at start of night), so it hasn't made a difference here either.
I want to at least pretend I'm taking his views into account - I guess that's how I feel too . It's the kind of thing it's hard to compromise on, either you think it's the right thing to continue or not.
Take care, enjoy the napping peace

Just adding my 2 pence worth. Although DH can now settle DS to sleep at the beginning of most evenings, he still wants only me in the middle of the night. Despite being night weaned.

hi all,

Mango i'm with mbj on the follow on milk thing fwiw.

Loopy what a pita re your car....and what timing. Our boiler went around ds's due date. Nightmare, but better than it going post partum (this happened to a friend and her stitches got infected )

Well i'm thinking of you loopy... And bless your dd bringing tea and cake!

Kd i wonder if you dh is having a little panic about having another dc but this is being expressed as a specific worry about nursing iyswim.

Ds is teething and has a sore bum poor lad. His sleep is much better though.

I have been indulging in some hippy crap creative stuff. Drawing and clay birth art and may decorate my bump with henna for fun!