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

[TigerLady]

TigerLady:
Cycles returned 14 weeks PP with DS. Fell pg with DD on third cycle when DS was 5 months old. Nursed frequently all through pg -- dealt with pain, thrush, fatigue, BF agitation, slow let down. DD born when DS was 13 months old. Have tandem nursed DS and DD since (both now toddlers).


How's that?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Lovely hun I'll put that and the link on the first page

 

[TigerLady]

Hi Ladies,
Currently nursing my 16month old and pregnant with number 2. Having a slight worry that I am getting quite painful cramps when she is nursing, am I just worrying for nothing or should I stop (really don't want too).

Any help, advice would be ace..

X

I've had similar, although it seems to be easing off now I'm dry nursing. I found this quite a useful article. It's difficult to be completely certain that it's safe, but after reading that, I was reassured that I personally felt OK to continue.

Definitely a personal decision. However, as long as you don't have a history of preterm labor, it is generally considered safe to nurse through pg. Some cramping and braxton hicks should be expected.

 

[Celesse]

I found the bigger my uterus got, the more intense the contractions during feeds got. Towards the end they where as bad as early labour but never developed into labour. They always stopped when feeding stopped.

 

[Hellodoris]

Thanks ladies, her bedtime feed tonight went without pain so I wonder if it was a night time thing. Will keep an eye on it though, the cramps are intense if short lived!

 

[Celesse]

DD has a cold today. And as we all know breastfed baby + cold = lots of feeding. She "stole" all the milk from the left boob before I had a chance to express this morning, so my morning yield of milk ended up being about 2oz less than it has been.

I'm still on domperidone as I was very ill with sepsis from 13-26 days post natal and DS was ill 3-8days post natal. This had a massive impact on my supply. I'm coming towards the end of my prescription so I tried to wean down the amount I took. I'm not sure if there was a drop in supply or an increase in demand from my toddler yesterday, but the baby was feeding more and less settle. Its so hard to tell where you are with supply when you have a newborn supply but are feeding a toddler who one day eats loads, and the next day only feeds once.

So I've decided to make an appointment with the doc and get my prescription extended. It seems crazy to stop taking it a week before the 6 week growth spurt hits when DS is still on 3 bottles a day.

 

[TennisGal]

I BFd Lizzie through my first tri and well into second...she self weaned at 17.5/18 months. So I'd have been 3.5 /4 months pregnant.

Happy to offer advice or answer any questions if I can.

 

[DJ987]

Hi ladies,

Those of you that are further on in your pregnancies (or have now had your babies) when did your supply start to get affected? My boobs seem to be making more milk and have been feeling more full and I have also been leaking during the day (I feed my daughter morning and before bed/at night). Is this normal? I am not sure what to expect as I approach second trimester in a few weeks.

Thank you

 

[TigerLady]

Celesse, I agree. See if you can get the script extended. Hopefully another round of it will get you through the growth spurt and sort out any remaining supply issues you are having.

DJ, the biggest change in supply is from 14-18 weeks gestation (give or take). That is when you are mostly like to see a supply drop. If you make it to about 20 weeks, usually your supply should remain pretty stable until the very end. I think every once in a while women have further drops, but not normally. My supply remained very stable for the last half of my pregnancy.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Tiger, I've been meaning to ask. What did you notice when you got pregnant while BFing? My boobs feel fucking HUGE! Alex hasn't been feeding any more or any less (still approx 2 night feeds). Sometimes I'm dozing off and he's still on the boob, but he always unlatches when he's done. I also have EWCM, if that means anything at all just now, lol!

 

[TigerLady]

My symptoms the second time around pretty much matched the first time around. My bbs got really sore and tender, especially the nipples, I was suuuuuper thristy, I had 1-2 days with that coppery taste in my mouth, I had lots of extra creamy CM that had that "pregnancy smell" to it. Then there were the added BF and pg symptoms -- my let down started taking ages to come and was painful when it did come.

I don't remember if I had a huge difference in bb size right off... It must not have been too significant if it was there because I don't remember it.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Sounds exactly like me just now! I hope my supply doesn't go. If anything, I feel like I'm producing more!

 

[TigerLady]

OOO!!! You might be pg! When can you test?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

If I go by my last AF, I can test in a week I don't know how I feel. I was so sure I wanted to TTC #2, now I'm nervous

 

[TigerLady]

EVERY mom gets nervous when they end up actually pg with #2. They totally freak out, totally start thinking "I can't do this!" and have moments of sheer panic throughout the pregnancy. It's normal, hon. And every single one is so completely over the moon in love with #2 when they arrive and can't imagine not having them.

 

[Hellodoris]

Sorry ladies me again! How did you get your LO adjusted and ready for a new baby, we've given her a dolly which she's only just started to pay attention too. It has a cup which she'll happily use to feed but I've tried "pretending" to BF and she gets insanely jealous. Do you think I can do anything to get her used to the idea? I know it's hard as she is so small and has no concept of the new baby coming yet but I don't want this all to be a shock to her!

 

[TigerLady]

Keep her routine the same. My DS was so young when I was pg (DD was born when DS was 13 months old) that I didn't try anything to "prepare" him. I just kept moving him foward in his own time and own manner. When DD actually arrived, I did everything I could to keep is routine as close to the same as it had been prior to her arrival. By then he understood "taking turns" to some extent and when DD was feeding, I would let him snuggle up next to us but asked him to take turns, his turn would be next. You could also just feed them at the same time if it works for you (created BF agitation in me, so I didn't care for it). I told him "baby is eating" and he understood that because he at that way, too.

Also, just make SURE you have some Mommy/Toddler time once new baby is here. A few times per day for 15-20 minutes at a time. When baby is sleeping or when OH has baby... whatever. But devote those times to your toddler and do something that is special. That way they know you haven't forgotten them. That's what I found most helpful.

Every mom I've seen with a toddler that has a baby has said that keeping the toddler's routine as close as possible to what it was helps the most.

 

[Celesse]

Ozzieshunni, I don't remember getting any symptoms at all until a week or so after I got my BFP. Major difference between first and second pregnancies was with my second I had almost no morning sickness at all, just a little bit of nausea.

Hellodoris, I used to "tandem" feed whatever toy she was playing with. She went through a stage of bringing me toys to feed and I just fed at the same time. We also spent come time looking at tandem feeding pictures in the internet, pointing to the baby and the "big girl" and the mummy.

 

[Celesse]

DS has weighed in at 8lb2 which is a gain of 7oz in a week. Means we can go down to 2 bottles a day. Hopefully in another week we will only be on the one bottle which we intend to keep for daddy-baby time. It also means that expressing wise I'll be able to get enough for both feeds and won't need to use any formula.

I'm one happy mummy today.

 

[TigerLady]

Wow! That's fantastic news, Celesse!!! After everything you have been through, I hope you are very proud of that accomplishment!