Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

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

Flip

Original poster

Pregnant and breastfeeding

16 replies

llareggub · 26/03/2008 09:54

I hope someone can give me some advice on what to do. I am currently pregnant, although it is early days, with my second child. I am still breastfeeding my 17 month old son and had planned to continue.

Getting pregnant so quickly with my second has been a real shock as I had fertility treatment with my first and with my second it just took 2 months of late nights,

I work full time and wondered if I'd be better off physically if I eased him off the breast. He only feeds morning and evening with the odd feed in between if he wants it, which is rarely. What would it be like feeding two? Would I be able to manage? DS was a cluster feeder and he used to feed non-stop after about 5pm until 9pm. What if the new baby is like that?

Any advice?

OP posts:

Original poster

llareggub · 26/03/2008 11:07

Anyone? I don't want DS to be upset by the new arrival breastfeeding!

OP posts:

bb99 · 26/03/2008 11:18

One of the counselors at a m&b club said her 1st child self weaned while she was pg as the bm taste changes (I don't know if this is true or a myth, but she's a good counselor).

I have seen some women on some threads who bf lots of children at once IYSWIM, I think I read on thread where one lady (apologies for not knowing your sign in) was feeding 2 older children on one side and the smallest baby on the other.

I've got a 12 year gap and didn't do extended bfing to that extent , so can't give any other words of wisdom. Sorry.

Original poster

llareggub · 26/03/2008 11:26

Thank you, that is reassuring I think. I will hope for self-weaning in that case and have the 2 babies feeding at once in the back of my mind. Actually, MIL would have a fit if she saw that so it might be worth it just to see her face!

DS will be 2 when no 2 arrives. They share the same due date.

OP posts:

bb99 · 26/03/2008 11:30

Hope all goes well. The same birthday, now that would be really intense! A super b/day present for DC1

MIL

Original poster

llareggub · 26/03/2008 19:56

I'd love to hear from people who have fed two or who have fed during pregnancy.

OP posts:

pedilia · 26/03/2008 20:00

I stopped BF DD about a month ago and I am 26 weeks pregnant.
I stopped as I wanted a break in between feeding DD3 and DD41

pedilia · 26/03/2008 20:00

that is meeant to say DD4 not 41

ScienceTeacher · 26/03/2008 20:02

I have tandem nursed and it is OK. The older child knows that the baby gets first dibs.

Original poster

llareggub · 26/03/2008 20:04

Do you think a 2 year old would realise that? I just wonder because he isn't particularly fond of me cuddling other babies. I think I have some work to do to get him ready for no2.

OP posts:

alarkaspree · 26/03/2008 20:08

I fed throughout pregnancy and tandem fed for about 9 months. I found my nipples were tender and it was a bit painful breastfeeding when I was pregnant, but dd was only feeding once or twice a day so I could put up with it. She showed no signs at all of self-weaning, although many babies do.

She had no problems at all with the new baby breastfeeding. She carried on having her morning feed and didn't want to feed at any other times, so sometimes I fed them both at once but only when I was in bed.

I think it will work itself out for you, I would suggest just carrying on as you are as long as you are all happy. If it starts to get too much for you then consider weaning your ds or cutting down to one feed a day.

Original poster

llareggub · 26/03/2008 20:10

I love mumsnet. Thank you all very much.

OP posts:

splishsplosh · 26/03/2008 20:14

I'm 13 weeks pg at the moment and still bf dd who's 2.2 - usually first thing in am, and last thing at night, occasionally in the day if she has a nap at home. I'm wondering what to do, like you. She's showing no signs of becoming less keen, and it's quite painful when she latches on. I don't want to stop near when baby 2 is due in case she feels jealous, not sure about tandem feeding though. I never planned to bf for so long, but she's so keen...

moodywren · 26/03/2008 20:18

I am 11 weeks pg and still bf my ds2 a 15 month old 4 or 5 times a day. I was bf ds1 when I got pg with ds2 and he did wean himself off when I was about 4mth pg and he was about 11 mths. My mw at the time said it was probably because my milk had changed.
I can't see ds2 giving it up though as he loves it and gets really upset when I say no.

If he still wants it when baby comes I think I will give tandem feeding a go. I think I'm going to have my workcut out getting him ready for baby coming too as he's a real mummy's boy.

PortAndLemon · 26/03/2008 20:26

I'm 39 weeks pregnant with #2 and DS is 3.2.

He was still feeding twice a day when I got pregnant and kept that up up until around 23 weeks-ish, then more-or-less self-weaned (down to once or twice a week) and now has almost entirely self-weaned (down to once every couple of weeks). He may well pick it up again when the baby arrives, though, from what I hear.

I recommend the book Adventures In Tandem Nursing by Hilary Flower -- it doesn't tell you how breastfeeding in pregnancy will be for you, because frankly it's different for everyone, but I found it gave a good overview of the range of normal experience and raises some issues that it's good to have the chance to think through.

bigmouthstrikesagain · 26/03/2008 23:18

I am pregnant and breastfeeding my dd (2 next month) and when I was pregnant with dd I was breastfeeding ds (he was 11m when I got pregnant) - I fed him throughout that pregnancy and tandem fed for about 6 weeks which was quite useful as ds helped with the engorgement which newborns find difficult (he fed first then dd found it easier to latch). By the end ds was feeding very infrequently and stopping was straightforward.

This time round dd is still feeding a lot (a couple or more of times at night as well) - I see no sign of self weaning yet. I have some breast tenderness but it is not unbearable so I am resigned to fact dd may well still be feeding by the time no. 3 arrives. It can be hard in the later stages of pregnancy so I hope to get her to reduce frequency of feeding.

So in all I have been breastfeeding and or pregnant for 4 and a bit years and looks like I have another alcohol free year or two to look forward too!

Good luck and congrats on your pregnancy

Olissa · 29/03/2008 22:06

First of all congratulations
I am 25 weeks pg with my second and feeding my DS who is a month younger than yours. I work full time as well, but work hasn't caused me too many problems as DS only feeds twice a day.

Like PortAndLemon said, I think he is starting to feed less now and I thought he'd stopped completely for a couple of days, but last night he wanted to nurse again.

My CMW says quite a lot of toddlers will self-wean during pregnancy due to both the taste of the milk changing and a drop in milk supply (which I read somewhere affects about 70% of pregnant women, I am definitely one of them!)

I'm just going to keep going and see what happens. I'm happy to tandem nurse if I get there.

Flip