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

[chocolala]

When do you start spotting? I have read an LP of less than. I know breastfeeding made my LP very short, only 6 or 7 days and I still managed to get pregnant twice with it like that. I have read that an LP of less than 10 days will cause problems but it doesnt seem to have been true for me.

Ive come to that conclusion over my LP too. I conceived my son while nursing my daughter, the cycle previous to that only had a 6 day LP. No spotting though. My lp currently varys from 8 days to 11 days, and anything in between.

I start spotting anywhere between 5dpo ànd 8dpo. It had been slowly increasing, but last cycle I stupidly cut back my b6, so started spotting at 5dpo again. I also cramp too, and at times that starts before the spotting. Cramping strangely stops either when my period starts, or a couple of days before hand.

 

[newlywedtzh]

My luteal phase was 9 days for every pp cycle (I had 4) conceived on the 4th one!

 

[Praying4babes]

I'm being advised by the nurse at my OBs office to stop nursing... LO is 6 months old and I just found out I'm expecting (I'm about 4 weeks right now). I'm heartbroken, I know DH will vote to listen to the doc but I feel like I'm not ready to stop nursing?! Any thoughts or words of wisdom?

 

[misspriss]

I nursed through my pregnancy, no adverse effects. My son was 18 months when I got pregnant.

I would keep nursing. Check out kellymom.com on nursing through pregnancy. Many women on this board have done it. A nurse is just a nurse, not the ultimate authority. Ask your doctor WHY if the doctor says to quit, if doctor cannot give a solid reason, then don't. Some doctors and nurses just say the "commonly accepted thing" with no actual science to back it up.

 

[Bevziibubble]

There is no reason that you shouldn't carry on nursing throughout pregnancy. I think some doctors just automatically say no because it's something they don't hear of very often. I nursed throughout my pregnancy and the midwife never said it was an issue, just said that the milk may change taste.

 

[BunnyN]

I'm being advised by the nurse at my OBs office to stop nursing... LO is 6 months old and I just found out I'm expecting (I'm about 4 weeks right now). I'm heartbroken, I know DH will vote to listen to the doc but I feel like I'm not ready to stop nursing?! Any thoughts or words of wisdom?

Do you have a specific reason she told you to stop? There may be a valid reason for at least considering it if you have had an issue with something like preterm labour in the past otherwise its just uneducated advice. I nursed all the way through pregnancy. The only thing I'd say is that it wasnt easy. I suffered badly with nursing aversion. I admit I was happy when DS decided to stop on his own this time I got pregnant. If he hadnt I think I would probably have worked on gradual weaning for my own sanity rather than any medical reason. With your LO only being 6 months its quite likely you will need to supplement because most women have a drastic dip in supply at some point.

 

[Praying4babes]

I'm being advised by the nurse at my OBs office to stop nursing... LO is 6 months old and I just found out I'm expecting (I'm about 4 weeks right now). I'm heartbroken, I know DH will vote to listen to the doc but I feel like I'm not ready to stop nursing?! Any thoughts or words of wisdom?

Do you have a specific reason she told you to stop? There may be a valid reason for at least considering it if you have had an issue with something like preterm labour in the past otherwise its just uneducated advice. I nursed all the way through pregnancy. The only thing I'd say is that it wasnt easy. I suffered badly with nursing aversion. I admit I was happy when DS decided to stop on his own this time I got pregnant. If he hadnt I think I would probably have worked on gradual weaning for my own sanity rather than any medical reason. With your LO only being 6 months its quite likely you will need to supplement because most women have a drastic dip in supply at some point.

Thanks for the encouragement!! I'm completely healthy- no issues with baby #1. I called back to ask the nurse more Qs be I was so upset. She said it COULD cause cramping / contractions which may cause preterm labor & i may be depriving the baby of nutrients. The 6 month old has started on solids so I'm nursing 4 times a day at this point. Also my doctors are very conservative. I'm guessing this is just the answer they give out because it may be a problem... Also, my aunt had kids back to back & my friends Mom is an OB but I can't ask them yet as I'm only about 4 weeks along.

Bev, Tank told me to talk to you so it's funny you replied on here, thanks!!

Ps I'll check out Kellymom!

 

[Rhapsodi]

Do NOT stop nursing!!! I had contractions/cramping while nursing my son throughout the pregnancy. J asked my Dr (who manages my low progesterone) and she said to not wean during the first trimester because the drastic change in hormones can cause a miscarriage. She wasn't sure with my contractions that I was getting but she said stopping would increase my risk whereas the contractions/cramping likely was nothing. I was on progesterone support until 32 weeks. If the contractions/cramping start or get concerning ask for progesterone. If not keep going. I also asked myw, and 2 different lactation consultants and all of them encouraged me to continue nursing my son (who was 7mo when I got pregnant.) My daughter was healthy and born at 38weeks (due to pre eclampsia). When she was born and the staff in the hospital found out I was tandem nursing they were all VERY happy. They said it does help the older nursling to transition to having baby around. I completely agree.

Now you may need to supplement during the pregnancy because milk will likely decrease. But watch for dehydration, irritability and weight gain before you decide. And wait for 2nd try!!!

Congrats and good luck!

 

[BunnyN]

The 1st time I never noticed cramping while feeding. DS was healthy at birth and was a surprise 11lbs so I dont think he was under nurished. The second time around I did have mild cramping in the 1st weeks but carried on and it didn't seem to do any harm. Unfortunately we lost that pregnancy at 10 weeks but it wasn't related to BFing. The cramps had stopped by that point and the baby died a week before the MC started so its not like it triggered labour. Reasearch has shown that although BFing can stimulate labour the body blocks its effects until it is actually ready. Using that information some doctors recommend stopping if you have had problems with preterm labour because in that case your body has actually shown it doesnt act normally.

There is some great info here:
https://kellymom.com/category/pregnancy/bf-preg/

 

[Praying4babes]

Thank you!!! This puts me at such ease. I was reading how tandem nursing helps the siblings bond, I would love for that to happen!! I'll keep on keeping on!!

 

[BunnyN]

I BF DD through pregnancy although by the end of pregnancy she wasn't feeding every day. She fed in once after my milk came in and said how good the milk was. I was very surprised when the next time I offered she said no the milk was for the baby. I offered a few more times but she never fed again. A month or two later she did ask one day but had already forgotten how to suck. So tandem nursing only lasted a few days for us, lol. I must say though that they were super close from day one and she never had any jealously toward him and l think that is one of the reasons. Although she stopped she knew she was welcome to feed if she wanted and wasn't pushed out.

 

[newlywedtzh]

Bunny how old was your little one ?

 

[BunnyN]

She was 20 months when he was born.

I got pregnant again when DS was only 7.5 months and he carried on BFing but sadly I had a MC at 10 weeks. I got pregnant again with this baby when he was 14 months and he started a feed one day and then kind of laughed and shook his head that he didnt want it, that was the end of him BFing. A few days later I got my BFP so I wonder if it tasted funny. By that point he had already cut down to minimum milk feeds. He was already majorly into solid food. He ate 5 large meals a day and would eat anything. I think that is actually why I got pregnant my cycles back when he was only 7 months because he took to solid food so quickly and cut back of milk feeds a lot right away.

 

[Praying4babes]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing! GL with this pregnancy!!

 

[Jenny Bean]

My daughter is almost 15 months old and I still bf her about 4 times a day, when I get home from work, before bed, in the middle of the night and in the morning.

She absolutely refuses to drink any other milk, she will take a few sips but that's it, even chocolate milk.

My husband wants me to stop because he says once she is not getting any milk from me she will start to drink other milk.

Also we want to have another baby and he is worried if I BF it will take resources away from the in theory "new baby".

I am torn, of course I want to give my current baby everything she needs but does he have a point?

 

[misspriss]

No on the second point. Your body will divert recources from YOU to the baby, and also from YOU to milk...you are the one who ends up suffering. That is why it is important to eat healthy and keep an eye on things like anemia.

My daughter is also 15 months and nurses 4 to 6 times per day, she drinks nothing but breastmilk and water and that is fine. I nursed her 3.5 year old brother through her conception, pregnancy, and alongside her. He only nurses 1 to 2 times per day now.

 

[BunnyN]

I breastfed DD though DSs pregnancy and he was 11lbs at birth so I don't think he missed out, lol. Usually your supply will naturally drop to almost nothing at some point during pregnancy anyway so she with either self wean or carry on dry nursing.

She might or might not start drinking other milk if you stop BFing. DD did start drinking a lot more milk when my supply dropped but DS stopped BF totally almost 6 months ago and still won't touch cows milk. If he tastes it by mistake he actually spits it out. I just reccon his body would say if he really needed it.

You might find it hard getting pregnant while BFing. Some do, some don't. I didn't have much problem once my cycle returned. I admit feeding through pregnancy was pretty tough because I had bad nursing aversion. I was glad I did it but also quite relieved when DS decided to stop on his own at the beginning of this pregnancy.

 

[Jenny Bean]

Also I had a MC in May, do you think it was because of the bfing?

 

[misspriss]

Also I had a MC in May, do you think it was because of the bfing?

Probably not. However I had a MC at 15 months while BFing, and then a successful pregnancy at 18 months.

 

[BunnyN]

Also I had a MC in May, do you think it was because of the bfing?

It is very unlikely. Unfortunately MC is quite common and most often caused by genetic defects in the baby. Lots of women have had MCs when BFing but that has more to do with how common it is whether you are BFing or not. I had a MC while BFing but also had one when I wasn't. I had one successful pregnancy when not BFing and one when I did all the way through. This pregnancy I was BFing at the start but DS self weaned near the beginning.