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

[Celesse]

Ozzie, do you just go off ov from dates or do you go by other signs as well (eg cm, horniness)?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Ozzie, do you just go off ov from dates or do you go by other signs as well (eg cm, horniness)?

All of them, lol.

 

[lilyanne]

Ack! Give me the strength to go on. I am in so much pain everytime ds nurses. It is only before nap, before bed and a few times throughout the night but it is so painful. There is very little milk so I think he is mainly comfort sucking/dry nursing. Ouch! Any tips to get me through this? Will there be a point in my pregnancy when I start to produce more again or will it not be until my milk comes in with #2? Are there anyways to increase supply during pregnancy??

I'm at the same point and I dread when it is time for nursing (before naps, before bedtime, and in the morning). It hurts so much and my nipples are dry and cracked. LO wants to nurse a lot even though there isn't much there.

 

[mumandco]

At what stage in pregnancy will my milk change?

 

[LoPanda]

Hi all Looks like I'm a breastfeeding and pregnant mommy too! Was just going to ask the above question myself

 

[Celesse]

My supply started dipping as I entered the second tri, was totally gone by 18 weeks and came back as colostrum at 24 weeks. From reading what other tandem mummy's have written in past experiences vary greatly but women with younger babies seem to maintain their supply better.

 

[Spunky]

Well, James decided to self wean last weekend and I am respecting his wishes. While it makes me sad, I know it's the best for both of us as I am not mentally prepared to be a tandem feeder. He was frustrated as there was just no milk anymore, I was frustrated cause it hurt. All for the best.

Interesting side note: My doc who has 3 boys said her two older boys self-weaned about 16-17 weeks as milk changes and supply decreases, and what do you know? james stopped at 16.5 weeks. Weird.

 

[Betheney]

that's funny i'm 16.5 weeks and Eva had about a 5 second suck last night and then wandered off....

 

[roomaloo]

Think I may have to but some opk's. My bbt is all over the place, and not had a period yet. Just a quick question, when your period came back while bfing was it pretty regular or all over the place for a few months?

 

[Tacey]

Think I may have to but some opk's. My bbt is all over the place, and not had a period yet. Just a quick question, when your period came back while bfing was it pretty regular or all over the place for a few months?

For me, in the 6 periods I had, the shortest cycle was 27 days, and the longest 31. The big variation was in luteal phase which ranged from 4 days (!) to 12. My period didn't come back until 19 months.

 

[Betheney]

Think I may have to but some opk's. My bbt is all over the place, and not had a period yet. Just a quick question, when your period came back while bfing was it pretty regular or all over the place for a few months?

My first cycle which returned 6 months after birth was about 60days long then they went 26,27,28,31,29, 30, 25, 26.

 

[lovealittle1]

I have some great news! My colostrum has arrived! Nursing is way less painful, ds is way more interested, I can hear lots of swallowing again and he is sleeping better probably from all the sleep-induscing high-fat colostrum

Stick with it ladies. It is effin hard work but it does get better!!!

 

[Betheney]

I have some great news! My colostrum has arrived! Nursing is way less painful, ds is way more interested, I can hear lots of swallowing again and he is sleeping better probably from all the sleep-induscing high-fat colostrum

Stick with it ladies. It is effin hard work but it does get better!!!

Thanks so much for this Lal, i was happy we were sticking with it but was concerned she'd lose interest when colostrum arrived, glad to hear that wasn't the case for you, maybe i have a chance after all.

My nipple pain yesterday was the worst it's ever been, it feels like the tip of my left nipple is damaged yet it looks fine, but they're so itchy and i was nearly ready to throw in the towel, but if things improve when colostrum arrives i'll try stick it out a little longer.

 

[patch2006uk]

Hello! I had my dating scan today - baby is due a fortnight after isaac's second birthday! Isaac is still feeding 4 times ish most days, with a long morning and bedtime feed and a couple of shorter feeds. There have been a few painful days, but nothing that's been horribly uncomfortable.

I'd like to BF until Isaac is at least 2, but if he weans due to pregnancy I wouldn't be devastated. We'll see how things go!

 

[Mork]

Patch2006uk - I am living proof that not all babies wean (with the same age gap as yours) my 2 year old still feeds a minimum of 3x a day and my newborn is now almost 4 weeks old. Good luck xxx

 

[patch2006uk]

Thanks! I'd like him to keep feeding for a while longer really, and isaac's still very enthusiastic about BFing, so I'm cautiously optimistic he won't wean just yet. My SIL nursed through a pregnancy and tandem nursed, so there is support in the famiy for it. Just got to wait and see what Isaac decides to do really

 

[Betheney]

My nipples can get slightly dry this last week, they have just a few flaky dry bits of skin. They don't look really badly dry, just a little bit.

Tonight breastfeeding hurt like a total bitch!!! and i had to take Eva off, i noticed i have a CRACK/SPLIT!!!! on the base of my right nipple that is now slightly weepy/bleeding. I was super annoyed at Eva to begin with and thought "you've been feeding for 20 months and you now decide you can't attach properly!" but then wondered if it happened because my nipples have been dry... but they're not really that dry at the base of the nipple just kind of a little bit on the tip. Last night Eva decided to crawl away while still sucking my nipple and it hurt like a BITCH!! so maybe she damaged it last night doing that but i only really felt the effects when she attached today, because it really did start hurting the moment she latched.

My poor nip nips.

 

[lovealittle1]

ouch! Betheney I would say to do the same as when you are nursing a newborn. Nipple cream (lansinoh I don't know how to spell it??) and lots of air and if you can express any milk to rub on the crack. Hope it heals up quickly and Eva is more gentle.

 

[Betheney]

yeah i'm being more consistent with the lansinoh now, i hate using it because it's so oily and sticky and leaves residue in my bras but it's just as uncomfortable to wear tissues or breast feeding pads. But i guess you just gotta do what you gotta do.

She's really likes to swap between boobs during feeds to and the constant reattaching sucks. She drink from the right then tries to pull my left side out and when i say no Eva this booby and point to my right she whinges and grizzles and tries for my left again, but then after a few minutes there she swaps back and forth over and over. ARGH!

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Bethany, try to get some washable ones. They feel better than the disposable breast pads.