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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

BF whilst pregnant.?

22 replies

oopsacoconut · 18/09/2009 19:11

Can anyone tell me about BF whilst pregnant. I found out today I am expecting DC2 - DD is 13months and still BF mornings and during the night, occasional afternoons too.

Is it okay to carry on feeding her? The MW was [shocked] when I said I was still BF when I phoned this afternoon.

OP posts:

WoTmania · 18/09/2009 19:16

yes you can. I'm still feeding DS2 (27 months) and DD 6 months.
If you are interested try reading 'Adventures in Tandem Nursing' by Hilary Flower. Worth a read.

Jennylee · 18/09/2009 21:00

Wotmania ? how did you breastfeed through your pregnancy? my milk has all but dried up and baby was very distressed as was mostly dependant on milk as was not so into eating. I'm 7 weeks pg and baby is 14 months

TruthSweet · 18/09/2009 21:19

Definately ok to carry on nursing. DD1 has just recently self weaned at 3.7 y/o so has nursed all the way through DD2's pg and through 34 weeks of my current pg!

I found my milk dried up at week 14 and didn't come back until weeks 26-28 but I don't think this is very common. I just supplimented both DDs with cows' milk in a beaker/cup and made sure they had lots of calcium rich foods.

You may find that your DD goes off bfing or carries on as if nothing has changed. DD1 nursed as normal even with no milk (i.e. same frequency/duration of feeds) but gorged herself stupid when my colostrum came in!

You may also notice feeding gets very uncomfortable in the first trimester and I found the best way to deal with that was to introduce nursing manners and limits. If it got too painful I would cut a feed short or if I knew it would be painful I tried distraction (AKA corruption and bribery ). I'v found 2nd trimester bfing to be pain free.

Bfing will not harm your pg unless you have been put on strict pelvic rest (no sex/orgasm) then nursing may not be such a good idea (bfing releases oxytocin which can cause pelvic contractions) or if you are extremely malnurished (which would harm you rather than either baby). Obviously if you are in those situations don't take advice for me off t'internet as I'm no Dr!

Best place for online advice is here Kellymom knows of which she speaks.

LentilsRMe · 18/09/2009 21:22

Def recommend Adventures in Tandem Nursing - my copy arrived today and I am very impressed - its 314 pages long! Everything you could ever want want to know about breastfeeding during pregnancy and tandem feeding.

duvetheaven · 18/09/2009 21:50

Oopsacoconut - that surprises me . The midwife was shocked tht you were still bf at 13 months. I wouldn't have thought that was unusual

Original poster

oopsacoconut · 19/09/2009 06:49

Thanks everyone, I will look at getting the book. I am waiting for the looks from the ILs too.

Duvet - she was shocked I had exclusively BF to 6 months and that I would want to feed any longer

OP posts:

mrsgboring · 19/09/2009 07:31

I found it pretty painful and unpleasant through most of PG TBH but we survived. Some babies don't like the taste/drop in supply and stop, others don't seem to care one little bit.

Agree that your MW sounds to have rather limited horizons. You can educate her

Tambajam · 19/09/2009 07:57

I bfed throughout my pregnancy and didn't have any discomfort or problems. My supply did drop for a few weeks but then the colostrum kicked in during the second trimester and the volume increased again.

Adventures in Tandem Nursing is a Godsend. I found it also helpful to visit forums like mothering.com and LLL and kellymom where dozens and dozens of people have tandem nursing experience and all its variations. Lots here too though.

WoTmania · 19/09/2009 08:31

jenny. I did carry on nursing through pregnancy but 1st time DS1 stopped when I was i was 17 weeks (he was a year). DS2 carried on through the pg but it got uncomfortable for me due to lack of milk. He didn't care.

PortAndLemon · 19/09/2009 08:41

I also recommend Adventures In Tandem Nursing.

DS bf throughout my pregnancy with DD, although he cut down a lot from about halfway through. He selfweaned completely when she was born (I think at that point he saw bf as something babies did)

Divvy · 19/09/2009 08:51

I am also breastfeeding my 13 month old, and am 6 weeks pregnant....so far so good BUT I have had alot of people say should I still be bf now, I have answered yes Then mc is mentioned, and I have said there no increased risk on a healthy pregnancy (not sure)?

I have asked on another thread but no one has answered so will ask here instead

I am feeling really sick, and have never felt this sick so early before, can it be linked to breastfeeding and the increased progestertone?

He does bf ALOT still, and during the night for comfort (I have now realised this is normal, if not knackering)

alexpolismum · 19/09/2009 14:23

I am also bf during pregnancy - for the second time. The first time, I bf almost right to the end of the pregnancy - ds self weaned about a month before I gave birth (although with hindsight it could have been a nursing strike).

This time I hope to continue all the way through and have a go at tandem nursing. I would like to get a copy of the book recommended here by other posters, but unfortunately Amazon don't sell it direct and the other sellers do not send it to the country where I live .

Divvy - there is no increased risk of miscarriage, although my gynaecologist told me that women who have a history of repeated miscarriage are generally advised to stop bf during pregnancy.

I also felt very sick for the first part during my second pregnancy. I don't know if it was linked to bf or if I would have been sick anyway - some pregnancies just seem to be like that! At any rate, my doctor was not concerned.

roomforthree · 19/09/2009 14:44

Absolutely fine, as long as you are happy to continue.

I unexpectedly fell pregnant with DS2 when DD was just 8 months. Although my supply decreased dramatically DD kept going.

I tandem fed for 8 months, which was a great experience.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Jennylee · 19/09/2009 19:37

it is quite helpful, I think the thing to do is then to keep bf her at night and if she asks even if there is not much there, she only does it for a very short time anyway.

mawbroon · 19/09/2009 21:31

I am 17 weeks pg and still nursing ds who is 4 next month. He tells me that there is some milk there, but not as much.

My understanding is that not everybody's milk disappears completely, and the nurslings are all different with regards self weaning, or continuing to nurse throughout.

Congrats on your pregnancy. And yes, prefectly ok to keep feeding your dd.

Original poster

oopsacoconut · 20/09/2009 06:36

Thanks All

DD is finding she can get 2 good feeds out of me a day or should that be night. She has to have a bottle for bedtime due to medicines I take so she is getting 2 good night time feeds and then just sucks randomly first thing in the mornings for comfort. She asks for a cup of milk when we come down now which I assume is due to lack of milk in bed. She stopped feeding in he day a few weeks ago but is showing no signs of wanting to let go yet so will happily carry on.

OP posts:

mrsgboring · 20/09/2009 07:21

mawbroon congrats on your pg. so pleased to hear your news

mawbroon · 20/09/2009 23:01

thanks

Mummy369 · 21/09/2009 00:12

Lovely to hear all these tandem feeding stories. Would have loved to tandem feed but stopped BF DD1 in June - she was 3yr 1mth - and not pregnant yet. DS1 and DS2 BF for 2yr 8mth and 2yr 1wk respectively - in hindsight could probably have tandem fed with the boys - but didn't know you could! Stopped BF DS1 when 3mth pg. Probably won't get the experience now 'cos family already think I'm mad to try for DC4!

weasle · 21/09/2009 03:43

i am about 6/7 weeks pg and bfing ds2 who is 21 months.

I am much, much less sick so far than in my previous pregnancies (when i was not bf), so in my experience it isn't linked. although there is still time for it to kick in i suppose!

my supply has been dwindling for a while, since ds2 started sleeping through the night really at about 15 months and then he has not been interested in daytime feeds recently. not sure he is getting much out, but i don't think it is related to pg. i am happy to keep offering whilst he wants to, but the less he has, the less there is. i really wanted to feed til 2yrs, but strangely since finding out i am pg i seem less sad about him potentially weaning soon, although would be happy to tandem feed (partly to see the look on my mum and MIL's faces!)

am not surprised your MW is not very clued up OP, but perhaps you can educate her and show her it can be done!

Tambajam · 21/09/2009 06:48

alexpolismum - If you contact LLL Greece I bet one of the leaders will have Adventures in Tandem Nursing to lend or be able to get it for you:
www.llli.org/Greece.html

nappyaddict · 29/09/2009 01:26

Yes of course it is ok, but it can lead to self-weaning because the milk tastes different and your supply can decrease.

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