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

[cookielucylou]

Hi all, I was on here a long time ago. I concieved my 2nd bubba while breastfeeding and tandem feed for 2years.
We've been trying again for a year now while still feeding my 2year old and have had 2 misscariages in that time. We have just discovered we are pregnant again though very early days so really hoping we have a sticky baby this time.

 

[BellaRosa8302]

Congrats cookie! H&H 9 to you!

 

[busytulip]

Hi ladies I was curious if you all could share with me at what point in your pregnancy it seemed like your milk supply started to suffer, or if it did at all?
I really hope to continue to nurse my DD throughout the pregnancy and beyond if that is her desire, but I worry I won't be able to.
Also if you have any advice as far as nutrition or supplements to help keep up with demand I'm open to it. Thank you in advance.

 

[Rhapsodi]

Congrats Busy!!!!
I am 13 weeks and on progesterone supplements. So far my LO hasnt shown any sign of stopping. According to my LC closer to 20weeks you will start producing colostrum which will cause baby too poo a lot! My LO is going every 2-3 hrs so Im not sure if Ive already started getting colostrum or not. He is happily nursing right now 2-3 times a day and once at night. I have had my supply go up and down some with my progesterone supplements but more so with my calorie intake. I was having low supply last week (he was still nursing just a lot) and Friday I found out I was swverely dehydrated. After they pumped me with fluids my supply has been awesome!
The biggest factor my LC said wasnt as much supply since my LO eats 3 solid meals a day and has water. But that he continues to nurse despite the changes in taste or when my milk changes to colostrum. So far so good. Im hoping when it does change he will at least still "dry" nurse. I want to try to get him to 2 yrs still but most of it will depend on nursing adversion after baby is born.

Congrats again!!!

 

[Rhapsodi]

Congrats Busy!!!!
I am 13 weeks and on progesterone supplements. So far my LO hasnt shown any sign of stopping. According to my LC closer to 20weeks you will start producing colostrum which will cause baby too poo a lot! My LO is going every 2-3 hrs so Im not sure if Ive already started getting colostrum or not. He is happily nursing right now 2-3 times a day and once at night. I have had my supply go up and down some with my progesterone supplements but more so with my calorie intake. I was having low supply last week (he was still nursing just a lot) and Friday I found out I was swverely dehydrated. After they pumped me with fluids my supply has been awesome!
The biggest factor my LC said wasnt as much supply since my LO eats 3 solid meals a day and has water. But that he continues to nurse despite the changes in taste or when my milk changes to colostrum. So far so good. Im hoping when it does change he will at least still "dry" nurse. I want to try to get him to 2 yrs still but most of it will depend on nursing adversion after baby is born.

The biggest thing my dr said was to NOT wean in the first tri no matter what. I was having cramping while nursing around 5 weeks and she said keep going because weaning in first tri can increase miscarriage rate. I have naturally decreased nursing my LO but, not drastically and still on demand he just wants it less due to us increasing his solid intake.

Congrats again!!!

 

[BellaRosa8302]

Busy, Congrats! I'm 13 +2 and I have a feeling my supply has crashed because my DD has cut back A LOT on nursing. (Either that or it tastes funny to her, which I heard can happen?) Before I was pregnant she was nursing morning, afternoon, and night - and taking both breasts. Now, she nurses morning and night - but will only take the left breast. Fairly certain the right has dried up by now, because she probably asks for it every 5 days or so, if that. Her nursing sessions on the left are VERY quick... although if she pops off, I do notice a bit of white on my nipple, so maybe she's getting a small amount.

That ended up being quite a ramble... sorry if it doesn't help, but that's where I am

 

[busytulip]

Thank you both.

Rhapsodi I hadn't heard that weaning during 1st tri increases miscarriage risk, I wonder why that is? J still nurses really frequently, about every 4 hours. She mostly picks off my plate at meals, rather than having 3 meals of her own.

Bella not a ramble at all. My DS1 and DS2 are just over 17 months apart and DS1 ended up weaning himself around the time I was 9 weeks I think due to the taste. It has been a long time since I've nursed while being pregnant though so any advice is helpful.

Right now my production seems to have increased. J seems to be okay with it and has had any aversion to nursing. I'm a little sore, but I think that would be the case whether I was nursing or not.
It's nice that you are both further along and can share what's in store.

Thank you again for responding!

 

[misspriss]

I found my supply decreased slowly from around 12 weeks, but only in my pumping output my son did not seem to notice until around 16-18 weeks, and it just kind of dried up. By 24 weeks, I had colostrum which continued until birth. My mature milk came in on day 2.5, really quick compared to with my son. It was abundant. My son spent one day figuring out if he liked it (daughter of course, newborn, was gaga for it) and decided he was in, he was gaga as well.

We are still tandem nursing, my son nurses to sleep and in the AM, and multiple times during the day. He is still a milkie monster.

 

[busytulip]

Thank you misspriss that is really helpful to know. Did your son just dry nurse during that time period between 19-24ish weeks?

 

[misspriss]

Thank you misspriss that is really helpful to know. Did your son just dry nurse during that time period between 19-24ish weeks?

Yes, but just to sleep and for injuries, etc at that point. He didn't start nursing all the time until I had real milk again.

 

[busytulip]

Ahhh gotcha. Thank you for responding.

 

[too_scared]

With this last pregnancy my milk all but dried up by 8 weeks. I knew because kiddo wasn't swallowing anymore when he was nursing. He started nursing less and less and eventually started nursing only to go to sleep and when he woke overnight or if he was hurt/upset. He started waking much less overnight then too. He continued to dry nurse until my colostrum came in at around 24 weeks. He didn't nurse any more often then but he was swallowing a little milk then. He was in his glee when my milk came in on day 3 after his sister was born. He nursed so much! He actually gained weight! Haha! Milk poops from a 2 year old are pretty yucky. Haha! Thankfully that didn't last too long.

I have horrible nursing aversion and lots of pain nursing him. It started before I even had a positive test. It didn't go away after munchkin was born either. The pain got really bad for a while. But both my kiddos have lip ties and very shallow latches. Munchkin is now 3 months old. The pain is getting much better but the aversion is still there

I was pregnant before munchkin but lost that baby at 17 weeks. My milk didn't start to dip until 12 weeks or so with that pregnancy.

Good luck with everything!

 

[busytulip]

Thank you too_scared. I'm not having a lot of pain, but if she has nursed for a while I do sometimes start feeling annoyed. It upsets me that I feel this way, she is still quite dependent on nursing for sustenance.

I'm so sorry to learn of your loss.

 

[BunnyN]

My experience with supply was simmilar to misspriss, it maybe took a bit longer to go all together. DS loved her solid food and was already cutting back a lot on nursing a lot anyway so its hard to say how much was her choice and how much was the pregnancy. She continued to nurse regularly until half way through tri 3 but she began to skip days and by the time he was born she was going a week or so between nursing. After he was born she nursed once after my milk came in. She loved it but oddly decided the milk was for the baby and never asked to nurse again.

 

[busytulip]

Thank you BunnyN

 

[too_scared]

Thank you too_scared. I'm not having a lot of pain, but if she has nursed for a while I do sometimes start feeling annoyed. It upsets me that I feel this way, she is still quite dependent on nursing for sustenance.

I'm so sorry to learn of your loss.

Thank you.

I think if you're not having too much pain now then hopefully you'll be all good. It was pretty intense for me right from the start. Also, my aversion was pretty intense right from the start. Toe curling, would rather smash my face with a sledgehammer intense It seems like it is somewhat lessening now. I hope it goes away altogether because I don't think kiddo is anywhere near ready to wean.

 

[BunnyN]

Aversion was awful for me too. I remember thinking labour was a doddle compared to that feeling. It made me feel guilty too because I so much wanted to BF her but it was awful at the same time. Eventually I cut back a lot on comfort sucking, night feeds and set a longer time between feeds. I think that was really the beggining of her weaning which wasn't what I was trying to do but there really wansnt another way to make it work. I must be really sensitve though befor because I already had some aversion before I got pregnant.

 

[1babydreamer]

Any mommies have any experience with trying to conceive with a FET while still currently breastfeeding? My boy is 13 months and shows no signs of stopping nursing and I do not wish to wean him until he is ready, but we are talking about trying for baby number two as time is an issue. I'm 37 and hubby is 40. We have frozen embryos and it took us three IVF cycles to get our miracle baby boy.
My period has not returned yet so I'm not sure how successful we will be with a FET but we want to try...

Any input and experience is much appreciated!
Thank you!

Sorry, I know this was from a while ago but no one else answered so just wanted to welcome you!

I don't have any experience to help you. I have a feeling that it might be problematic trying to get pregnant before your period returns because it is a sign that your body doesn't think it is ready to be pregnant. Maybe try some ways to jump start your cycles. Cutting back on night feeds, taking a 24hr break from BFing or increasing calories work for some. Milk suply usually dries up at some point in pregnancy and some babies self wean before that because it changes the taste of the milk. I'm wondering if the hormones you would need to take for treatment would have effects also?

Thank you so much for responding! I'm currently 8 weeks and lo is still nursing a ton! I really hope to make it all the way through the pregnancy and to get him to two years nursing. I've heard that the milk dries up at some point in the pregnancy but comes back. I hope lo will continue to nurse through. I wouldn't mind him cutting back on the frequency of night feeds at the moment though. Currently he's nursing every two hours at night and I'm exhausted! Nipple soreness comes and goes too but we are powering though!

 

[BunnyN]

Congrats babydreamer! Thats wonderful that you managed to get pregnant again!

I just got my BFP yesterday!

 

[busytulip]

Congrats Bunny! That is wild! 3 very close-praying for your patience and sanity. Only teasing!

1babydreamer my LO nurses quite frequently like that as well, it's rough. Good luck making it to the 2 year mark.