TTC/Pregnancy while Breastfeeding and Tandem Nursing: Information and Support

[Tacey]

I think you're right to just see what happens, especially if you're not convinced that you or she are ready. I'm nervous about how it will work, but have the benefit of knowing lots of tandem feeders who've found it's worked really well for them. I suppose it's like breastfeeding the first time. You don't know how it will be until you try. There will be hiccups, but you work through them. Good luck!

 

[LittleMissV]

I suggest getting Adventures in Tandem Nursing. I've been reading it and it is so wonderful and so encouraging! The link is on the first page

I never thought of looking at books...my heads all over the place atm but thanks for the tip...will take a look now

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I suggest getting Adventures in Tandem Nursing. I've been reading it and it is so wonderful and so encouraging! The link is on the first page

I never thought of looking at books...my heads all over the place atm but thanks for the tip...will take a look now

Correct me if I'm wrong ladies, but I think it's the only book out there exclusively about Tandem Nursing

 

[DJ987]

Don't feel bad for falling asleep whilst nursing, it's exhausting! I use it as an excuse to have a little rest it is getting much better for me now, you're not far behind me! Xx

 

[LittleMissV]

Don't feel bad for falling asleep whilst nursing, it's exhausting! I use it as an excuse to have a little rest it is getting much better for me now, you're not far behind me! Xx

Thanks for that...nice to know I'm not the only one who just wants to

I'm not actually too sure how far gone I am I don't have epriods on my own so have to take provera to induce and not sure exactly when my last cyle was as i didn't write it down...oops! Will have to wait till my scan to find out for sure but not got it booked yet and not seeing MW until 28th

With Verity I was exhausted until about 18weeks...really hope that's not the case this time round! When did you start to feel better? Is this pg different from your 1st?

 

[DJ987]

I'm still really tired and still being sick (I've just been put on meds now) but I don't feel AS exhausted as I did.

It's different from my first as I discovered I didn't really know the full extent of first tri exhaustion until I went through it with a young LO and breastfeeding and my sickness has been worse, but it's absolutely flying at an almost frightening pace! Xx

 

[grandbleu]

Hi All!

I used to Temp in the morning to get my BBT and chart my cycle precisely and know when I ovulated (helped me get to know my body and figure out in general the best time to time sex).

However, LO is getting up still 3-4 times a night so I never have a big chunk of sleeping time which is necessary for charting. How can I get to know my "new" cycle without taking my temperature? or is it possible to still temp?

Should we just be BDing every two days since we don't know?

 

[Tacey]

I didn't temp for those reasons. Not sure if it would have worked or not though. I found keeping an eye on CM, and mild aching gave me a clue when I was about to ovulate, and I used internet cheapy ovulation sticks to confirm it. We DTD every other day in the middle of my cycle to make sure! I'm not expert on TTC, but I definitely felt I got to know my weird cycles a bit better by doing that.

 

[silver_penny]

grandbleu. do you co-sleep? I have found that I can still chart because I don't actually get up during the night, all I have to do is turn over Both of my boys don't STTN, so I still end up waking 2-4 times a night.

 

[heaven]

I'm 8 weeks and have two tests w/ faint lines.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

How do you feel, heaven? Maybe wait a week and test again to be sure. How many weeks PP did you DTD?

 

[heaven]

How do you feel, heaven? Maybe wait a week and test again to be sure. How many weeks PP did you DTD?

What is DTD? We are 8 weeks post partum.

Kinda in shock b/c we feed every 1-2hrs and co-sleep which is supposed to deter ovulation. I want to be able to breastfeed my baby all through if so.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

DTD=do the deed

I don't think you have ovulated this soon after birth. Could the hormones still be working out of your system? I would get to the GP though

 

[heaven]

DTD=do the deed

I don't think you have ovulated this soon after birth. Could the hormones still be working out of your system? I would get to the GP though

3wks post partum we DTD

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Eeeek, you might be pregnant then.

 

[Laughing Girl]

Hi everyone,
Sooooo glad to have stumbled across this sticky thread as I am currently 32 weeks pregnant and am breastfeeding my 22 month old daughter. I'm very excited and also nervous about our new LOs arrival and the challenges and joys it will present, tandem nursing being one of them. Isla is at the stage when she sometimes sleeps almost through the night - last night she slept from 9 - 4 which was about as good as it gets, then breastfed for 5 mins (I have not produced milk in any quantity since I was 9 weeks pregnant), slept for 1 hour, breastfed for another few mins, slept til 6.30 and then was up for the day. I'm hoping that with my new milk production when the baby is born Isla will feed back to sleep in the early morning more easily - it is so touch and go at the moment and we have had a lot of 4am wakenings followed by a very restless couple of hours not to say very uncomfortable ones as my bump grows!
I'm very nervous about my ability to cope if Isla reverts back to waking throughout the night on a regular basis as I am not good when I am exhausted. Night weaning is something we have tried with limited success and I am not prepared to put her through the unhappiness it caused her again until she has all her teeth as I think she really needs the comfort breast milk and feeding provide. So it really is up to me to find a way, and also get as much support as I can to offload stressy thoughts!
Sorry to ramble on, but its good to get it all down .
Thanks for reading and all help and support sooooo appreciated xx

 

[Ozzieshunni]

:wave: Welcome!

 

[Tacey]

Hi Laughing Girl!

Wow heaven - let us know when you get news one way or the other!

I'm feeling pretty crappy lately. I'm starting to get some colostrum in, and it seems Alice likes the taste as she's wanting to nurse constantly. When she naps, she's latched for ages. I can't stand much more than half an hour, and take her off and she wakes up screaming at me for more, and pleading saying 'Just a tiny bit! I'll be really gentle!" and I keep having to say no. It's awful, because motherhood is all about making sacrifices, but I can't do it. I could make her happy again in an instant, but I won't do it because the crawling, horrible sensation is making me feel so angry towards her. I'm worrying that I'll not enjoy nursing the next baby now. Please talk sense into me!

 

[Ozzieshunni]

There was some advice for this in AITN, Tacey. It said to play a game, like, "We're going to nurse for the alphabet song. Ready? Go!" You can sing any song or count. Hope that helps.

 

[Laughing Girl]

Hi Laughing Girl!

Wow heaven - let us know when you get news one way or the other!

I'm feeling pretty crappy lately. I'm starting to get some colostrum in, and it seems Alice likes the taste as she's wanting to nurse constantly. When she naps, she's latched for ages. I can't stand much more than half an hour, and take her off and she wakes up screaming at me for more, and pleading saying 'Just a tiny bit! I'll be really gentle!" and I keep having to say no. It's awful, because motherhood is all about making sacrifices, but I can't do it. I could make her happy again in an instant, but I won't do it because the crawling, horrible sensation is making me feel so angry towards her. I'm worrying that I'll not enjoy nursing the next baby now. Please talk sense into me!

Oh I know this all too well! The whole nap thing has been really tough for us, and the only way I have found to get around it is that Isla rarely naps in bed now. When it gets to her nap time, usually 11.30ish, we go for a walk and she has warm milk or hot chocolate in a sippy cup and she falls asleep in her pushchair. Then I leave her downstairs in the hall to sleep when we get back home. I have found myself feeling so angry towards her when she wants to be latched on for ages and ages that I decided to avoid bed during the day as I just can't cope with the feelings. I've had some ridiculous situations where she has been napping asleep in bed latched on and I've moved away and she'd woken up crying and I've picked her up, plonked her in the pushchair, grabbed my coat and stomped around the block with a crying toddler - not the way I like to do things but in the heat of the moment so hard to find a better way.
So thats how we have got round the whole thing - maybe this would work for you? Maybe you've already tried it and its just not happening. Soooooo hard
xx