Breastfeeding in late pregnancy and tandem feeding - some very basic answers needed

[whomovedmychocolate]

I'm 36+ummmm 3? Possibly?

Anyway, looks like he's headed for the exit and having sudden panics about tandem feeding.

DD (20 months) feeds 3 times a day, at the minute I have really painful let down - I did when she was born too so I guess it's my high prolactin levels but my milk has only just (last night) turned from white milk to yellow colostrum. I don't know if that's significant but it's hurting a lot today and my boobs are really sore.....is that normal?

Also, when DD was born she basically wanted to nurse for the first three days continually and I then had an oversupply issue for the first six weeks - I know that's normal but how does it work when you are feeding two? Will I have more milk initially (hope so or DD is going to be a bit cross)?

How, practically do you organise the feeding - do you have to feed the baby first then the toddler, or can you feed them both at the same time - providing of course that you can attach both without either falling off or poking the other in the eye - DD has an endearing habit of pinching anything and anyone in reach while nursing .

Please can anyone whose been in this situation reassure me?

Lactation consultant has been utterly useless on this - stating confidently that DD would self-wean before I got to the third trimester and my milk changed. Instead she likes it more

I personally haven't been in this situation but have a couple of friends who have.

The 1st few days are colostrum then your milk comes in as usual. Apparently one of the bonuses of tandem feeding is that if you get engorged you have another one to relive you.

Toddler start feeding more for a while but usually it'll all settle back down.

Hope this is some help.

Good luck.

Thanks, I was hoping DD would take off the excess - I remember spraying the opposite wall in the hospital because I was so engorged and the wide eyes of midwives when they saw my practically vertical tits which were definitely more torpedo than anything. The MWs have admitted it's quite rare round here for them to be asked about tandem feeding and as they are all focused on trying to get everyone to the six week mark they are just chuffed not to have to hector me!

I hope so. I'm just hoping DD doesn't continually poke DS in the eye.

Mind you, at the mo, breastfeeding just brings on the most god-awful braxton hicks. I actually feel like the baby might shoot out at any minute.

Feeding at the same time is entirely possible and leads to some very cute exchanges between dcs. I know what you mean about pinching though, ds1 is the same still (2.6). I managed never to get engorged with them both feeding and ds1 feeding actually brought on and speeded up the whole birth process, which in hindsight I really appreciated. Every midwife I spoke to said I should wean ds1 by the way. They really are in the dark aren't they. I read a really good book "Adventures in Tandem Feeding", a la leche book I think; that might help in lots of ways, including finding good positions for feeding at the same time.

You've done really well to keep feeding with pain. I felt more sore/sensitive throughout my pregnancy and found it intensely irritating but kept going because ds1 was really not ready to stop. I think it is normal to feel uncomfortable.

I always made sure that when ds2 fed he got first dibs on one or the other breast, ensuring he got fore and hind milk.

Best of luck and well done you.
x

Ooh, meant to say, initially dd's need to feed might increase. That's really normal and, if you can do it, it does get back to normal again. I think initially it really helped my ds1's issues with the appreance of ds2. Mine have 16mths between them by the way.

the pinching... poking thing. ds1 pinched and rubbed ds2's clothes initially, now they poke and pinch eachother whether they're feeding or not but that's a whole other thread! I had to gently take ds1's hands away if he got a bit heavy handed with ds2's skin, then stroked ds2 and ds1 eventually got the meassage.

Lenny101 - thanks that's really helpful and what I was hoping to hear. A bit late to get the book though, I think I'm actually in early labour (ouchy/vomity/poopy stage rather than pushing stage). Am going to go off and write a birth plan and pack a bag I think.

Wow, how exciting. Not too late to get the book though I'd say www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Tandem-Nursing-Breastfeeding-Pregnancy/dp/0912500972/ref=pd_sim_b _2 here's a link - £5.40 for used copy.

Very best of luck. Come back and tell us how it goes xx

Very exciting.

Shall be very keen to hear about your experiences-I posted ealier, but am much less far along in pregnancy than you, so have a little more leisure to learn