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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

My GP just told me to stop bf as I'm pregnant?!

29 replies

redclover79 · 31/08/2007 17:33

Should I stop bf ds2 because I am pg? ds2 is 19 weeks old and I'm pg again by accident. gp reckons I will be too tired to bf while pg, is this true? I reckon I'm 6 weeks pg and I don't feel any worse than I did last time... It's the last thing I expected to be told and it's thrown me because I was so proud of myself for bf this long, was hoping to carry on til ds2 is at least 1 year old... Anyone got any advice? tia

OP posts:
callmeovercautious · 31/08/2007 17:36

As far as I know there is no reason to stop unless you get too tired etc (as GP said) no medical reason.
Ticktok may know more about what you do towards the end of your pg so there is colostrum etc for the new lo.

Congratulations on your news - bet you are a bit shocked

mears · 31/08/2007 17:36

You do not need to stop feeding and indeed can breastfeed both toddler and baby if you wish. That is called 'tandem feeding' and there will be other experienced mumsnetters along who can share their experiences. Congratulations

MrsBadger · 31/08/2007 17:37

gp is talking rubbish

if you decide to stop beacuse you are too tired that's your choice
there are no medical grounds to stop

Lucyand2 · 31/08/2007 17:37

I'm pregnant and I breastfed my Dd until last month when she decided to stop. You can keep breastfeeding, don't listen to your doctor! The La Leche League will be able to give you more advice. Also I'm sure I've got a book about breastfeeding that covers this...if I could just remember the name!

berolina · 31/08/2007 17:39

I'm 38 weeks and still bf ds

It's been fine. I even bf with placenta praevia. No sign of self-weaning here...

Original poster
redclover79 · 31/08/2007 17:56

Thanks for all your responses! I am feeling tired but no worse than I did with ds2 (obviously still very fresh in my mind!). I always take what my gp says with a pinch of salt (there's a whole catalogue of dubious diagnosises (not a word I know!) and rubbish advice!).
Mears - that's what I thought, but wasn't sure if it was just related to feeding twins etc. thanks for the congrats (and from cmoc!), think I'm in denial or shock or something!!
I'm really pleased with myself for getting to 19 weeks, I've actually been doing ebm for all of that time nearly, don't seem to have much luck going down the 'traditional' route
lucyand2 - how did you find bf while pg? I think I'm doing ok, now the gp is making me doubt myself...

OP posts:
Original poster
redclover79 · 31/08/2007 17:59

MrsB - I gave the gp a look, that just made her more insistent!

OP posts:
Snarf02 · 31/08/2007 20:08

hi i got pg when only feeding twice a day when lo was 15 mths and bf til i was 16 wks pg when it got to painful for me and my daugther self weaned which is what i wanted ideally. Its perfectaly safe to bf when you are pg.

A really good book about bf in pg and beyond is called Adventures in Tandem Nursing which is by Hilary Flowers i think

Congrats on your pg

x

Pennies · 31/08/2007 20:10

load of tosh. got pg when dd1 was19 weeks and bf'd her until she was 10 months and I was 4.5 months pg. you might find ds self weans because you milk changes a bit. I felt that was a bit the case with dd1 and have heard it is quite common.

Chirpygirl · 31/08/2007 20:26

I got pregnant when DD was 11 months and researched tandem feeding, was quite happy to carry on but unfortunately had already had to cut down on daytime feeds and she stopped of her own accord by refusing to feed!
I was gutted as I was really looking forward to tandem feeding actually as a bonding thing, so bollocks to your gp and carry on as you are!

(but let me be a little , if you don't mind!)

Original poster
redclover79 · 31/08/2007 21:37

Now I've had chance to think it through, the gp made reference to my continuing to bf affecting the unborn baby - don't know whether she meant in terms of growth or nutrition, is that rubbish too? (I'm guessing it is as I'm sensing a pattern here!)

OP posts:
bubblepop · 31/08/2007 22:19

hiya, don't know much about this, but my guess is that if mother nature still makes the milk for your babe when your pg again, then thats ok so carry on!

LittleBella · 31/08/2007 22:22

Oh imagine my surprise

Another medical professional who knows sweet fanny adams about breastfeeding, but thinks they do and can give crap advice to their patients.

FFS.

Print off a page from Kellymom and take it into your GP next time you go.

fadingaway · 31/08/2007 22:28

I tandem fed too.

Stupid bloody GPs

ProjectIcarusinhercar · 31/08/2007 22:29

Def worth trying to get the wee one latched on if you can. It can be a nice rest for a pregnant woman lying down feeding a baby!

Original poster
redclover79 · 31/08/2007 23:36

thanks everyone!! project - do you think that's still possible after 19 weeks?!
I'm so glad I mnet, I knew there'd be loads of people to help!!

OP posts:
ProjectIcarusinhercar · 31/08/2007 23:40

Did you see someone about his latch? What problems did you have?

some people do have success latching on even at 19 weeks. You don't know unless you try . Lots of skin to skin, go in the bath together, just keep offering him the chance and don't stress if he doesn't take it.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 31/08/2007 23:50

Your GP is a grade 1 fuckwit redclover.

There have been a few tandem feeders on MN - Harpsichordcarrier was one.

I'll email her a link to this thread for you.

Spidermama · 31/08/2007 23:53

Just do what you want redclover and ignore that fool -- or better still, put him right.

I fed no1 throughout pg with no2 and tandem fed for another year or so ... then again fed no2 through pregnancy with no3 and then again with number 4.

I found it really helps with jealousy and with the bonding of the toddler and the new baby.

ProjectIcarusinhercar · 31/08/2007 23:55

ITA with Spidermama

No jealousy here, just occasional over zealous helping the baby to get latched on lol!

Spidermama · 01/09/2007 15:09

I did give up on Spider ProjectI, because everyone kept saying, 'You're not Spidermama are you?'

Peachy · 01/09/2007 15:18

Have your ead a book on BF? yes? well thats mroe than most GP's I've met.....

If you need reassurance call the ABM or la leche, but they'll tell yu the same (am BFI trained btw) its fine, dandy and pretty amazing to continue feeding baby through pg if that suits you.

Original poster
redclover79 · 01/09/2007 23:44

projecticarus - had a few problems with latch, no real help round here though as I'm in the sticks without a car to get to any drop in sessions. Also had problems with ds2 flinging himself about while feeding so although I could get through the first pain barrier it was the subsequent pain barriers that had me reaching for the breast pump!!
VVV - fuckwittage seems to be a recurring theme at my gp's practice, they're all at it! I only stayed there through my last pregnancy because I had a really good midwife, but I'm planning on looking into moving practices when ds1 goes back to school.
spidermama and peachy - thanks for your advice. thanks to everyone who's posted, I have carried on this weekend without any inner turmoil!

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 01/09/2007 23:48

hello sorry I am massively late to this thread!
I fed through dd2's pregnancy and tandem fed both of them for oooh I forget now
it was all absolutely fine, a wonderful experience actually.
my pregnancy was pretty much trouble free and I felt very energetic, I also hardly put on any extra weight and was back into my normal clothes in about a fortnight .
dd2 was a healthy 8lbs 3 oz.
I found tandem feeding a great experience and a good way to ease the first few months, no sibling rivalry at all, lucky me.
the only thing I did was make sure the newborn was fed first. other than that. I just went with the flow.
good luck and congratulations.

superalienstitch · 01/09/2007 23:52

lot s of peopoeli have read about online have tandemfed.
hoever, it isvery hard on your own body. you may cope with it, you may not cope with it. yougp is treating you, not you adn ds1 as a single unit, and yes, for you personally, it would be bbetter for your health to stop.

from what my father told me about rearing cows in a village in the himalayas, they always stopped milking the cow a month before the calf was born, otherwise themilk wasnt ood enough quality, an dthe cow was very very weak.

many babies self wean when themother is pregnant

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