Breastfeeding while pregnant

[Wispygypsy]

Any advice on this? I'm 6 weeks pregnant and still breastfeeding my 21 month old about 4 times a day and also if she wakes at night. Feeling pretty tired and worn out and a little bit worried there's not enough nutrition to go around?! I'm a vegetarian too and have had constant nausea this week so forcing myself to eat. There's not a huge amount of advice on the topic (none at all on the NHS site, which is usually my first place to look for advice). Any tips or wise words? Not seeing the midwife until next month.

I fed mine up until about 3 or months pregnant. We both happily stopped then. I couldn't deal with the nipple pain any more. Your milk will change while you're pregnant so toddler may reduce feeds by themselves or even decide to stop altogether. There's absolutely no reason that you have to stop. You can continue all the way through and then continue to feed both after baby is born. It's completely up to you. The first trimester is always exhausting, not made easier by having another to look after.

Congrats on your pregnancy, OP! My toddler (15 months at the time) decided to stop breastfeeding on his own when I got to about 10 weeks pregnant - he would latch on, pull a face, pull off and burst into tears. I think my hormones changed the taste of my milk. I was sad to stop, but it was his choice.
You can definitely continue to breastfeed if that's what you want to do though, I would say to just make sure you're staying hydrated. I was very nauseous at first but my body managed to keep me, my baby and my toddler going, despite me not feeling like eating very much.

My toddler stopped breastfeeding on his own too at 15 months (I was 13 weeks pregnant). I'm convinced the milk had changed taste as he kept latching on and then sticking his tongue out looking disappointed! I did find I was very worn out while pregnant and breastfeeding (although hard to tell if this wasn't just normal pregnancy fatigue) so I'd recommend you take really good care to rest and eat (when you can). Good luck with your pregnancy.

Dc1 had his last feed aged 19 months a week before his brother was born. He had gradually cut down with some gentle encouragement, to one morning feed a couple of months before.

I'm 15 weeks and still feeding my 25 month old. He was already night weaned but I cut out a lot of the day time snack feeds when I had morning sickness because it was too much for me. He now feeds first thing in the morning (we bed share) and to go to sleep at night but just recently he has forgotten the morning feed a couple of times.

I'm getting a lot of support from my local la leche league group. Is there one locally to you?

Try to eat meals and snack as soon as you feel the need - I found that my blood sugar kept dropping after feeds and making me so sick so I started grabbing a snack just before a feed which really helped.

I'm 15 weeks and feeding my 3 year old , my milk is starting to dry up now though

I'd recommend stopping before it became linked to the new baby.

I fed my toddler throughout pregnancy with DC2. DC1 was 27 months when DC2 arrived. My milk supply had dropped really low by the second trimester and I was hoping DC1 would self wean as I had nipple pain and nursing aversion by then but DC1 happily dry nursed, thankfully just once a day. DC1 however did self wean immediately after the birth when my milk came in. After months of dry nursing this sudden tidal wave of milk must have been quite a shock!

My DS fed until he was 31 months, naturally weaned himself when I was 6 months pregnant, as think like raindance my milk had dried up so he was no longer interested. At the start of pregnancy he was still feeding first thing, before bed and up to 4 times overnight. All of a sudden he dropped the morning feed and started largely sleeping through, then bed time feed and occasional night feeds were last to go. Unfortunately he's stopped sleeping through again, but finds he settles easily with a cuddle and nursery rhymes. I was glad he stopped of his own accord, as wouldn't have wanted to have tandem fed, but at the same time didn't want to wean him before he was ready. I definitely found eating and drinking little and often helped during the first trimester when I was nauseous and still feeding.

Fed DS throughout pregnancy - currently tandem feeding DS (25 months) and DD (10 weeks).

I'm also vegetarian and struggled with nausea during that first trimester. I was told your body will always feed the babies first. The main problem I had was pain - tender breasts made for uncomfortable feeding of DS.

It's all worked out ok though and DS seems to still want/need the connection; he's a bit jealous of his baby sister getting my time so this helps a lot.

Duggee, did your ds go off feeding at all during pregnancy?

I'm 14 weeks and still feeding my nearly 3yo, but he's long been on just a morning and bedtime "feed". I don't really want to feed through later pregnancy or tandem, so I've been gently restricting and telling him "the milky is going away soon" and he's gradually becoming less interested. I think he'll wean permanently when my milk dries up & turns back to colostrum anyway. (I'll be honest, I don't really want to be dealing with the known laxative effect of colostrum on a toddler...)

You can feed right through and tandem if you like, or restrict and encourage weaning - breastfeeding a younger toddler who still feeds frequently and being pregnant is a lot of energy so do just make sure you snack lots & drink lots of water. A lot do self-wean during pregnancy, either when the mature milk dries up or because they don't really like the colostrum when it comes in.

Gummy no, he fed as normal throughout

Thank you, I don't really like the idea that ds will stop feeding because he's upset and disappointed rather than because he wants to stop! I know I can't influence that but you've made me feel better.

My midwife had never known anyone to breastfeed whilst pregnant so wasn’t much help! Just said to make sure I was taking vitamins.

I breastfed my 2 year old until about 5 months pregnant, he seemed to go off of the taste and was happy to replace his morning breastfeed with a cup of warm milk. He was only having a few sips by the end and even once said ‘yuk!’

I suffered from sickness too and wasn’t able to eat much/keep much down but just hoped for the best and tried to drink as much as I could to stay hydrated.

Wow, thanks for all the replies and advice! I've made a real effort to drink more water and snack throughout the day today, even if I've felt sick, and I have found it helpful. I don't feel so sick immediately after eating, which has been good.
Good to hear all the different experiences. There seems to be quite a few toddlers who self wean, so i wonder if that will happen with us. If she doesn't, at least I know we'll be fine to continue if she feela she wants to.
I'll have a look into a local la leche group, never heard of them before. Thanks again for all the info and advice and good luck to those of you who are pregnant

You're welcome Gummy - I hope all goes well for you

May I please ask, those whose toddlers stopped feeding during pregnancy of their own accord, did they seem overly interested or jealous when the new baby was feeding?

I fed until 20w pg (DS1 nearly two).

I was so tired - didn't realise how much it was draining me until I stopped. DS1 still wasn't sleeping well.

He didn't object at all and never asked when DS2 arrived.

No, mine didn't at all. He's been more interested recently, baby is nearly 8 months! But I think he's a bit jealous of what he sees as cuddles.

Does the milk always dry up? I'm 15 weeks and feeding almost 10mo. He seems happy enough. Exhaustion has subsided OP now that I'm in to the second trimester.

Parney no, it doesn't airways dry up. I had no supply issues when feeding DS during pregnancy