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

[Mork]

Well I have been tandem feeding for 5 weeks now and am back in my pre pregnancy skinny clothes as of today!!! I do eat more than i did before i had my children, but am slimmer! xx

 

[soph77]

Recently I felt that my milk supply took a bit of a dive. LO seemed hungrier for my milk despite eating solids like a trooper and began waking starving for a night feed. As my period had recently returned I assumed this was the cause and started taking fenugreek. After a few week I feel I am back to having a decent supply again for my LO, but have just discovered that I'm preg!! Can I continue the fenugreek? Could the fenugreek I have already taken be damaging?
This is a crazy surprise pregnancy, seeing as I am breastfeeding AND on the pill! What about the pills I have taken, could they be damaging?

 

[Betheney]

Mammas a quick and easy question. When did your milk change to colostrum?

 

[Celesse]

Mine disappeared at about 18 weeks and then reappeared as colostrum at 24 weeks. Nursling was 12.5 months at conception.

 

[Tacey]

I'm not entirely sure when my colostrum appeared, but it was in the third trimester. My milk dried up quite early on, so there was a long period of dry nursing.

 

[Mork]

Hey ladies, those of you who tandem feed - I need your help!!!! I have tried a couple of times to feed both children together but find it uncomfortable, so I feed one at a time. However, i feel that i am constantly interrupting my oldest child during feeds as my youngest cries and needs my attention. I feel terrible about this but don't know what else to do, what do you do??????
xxx

 

[youngwife20]

I'm not entirely sure when my colostrum appeared, but it was in the third trimester. My milk dried up quite early on, so there was a long period of dry nursing.

when u dry nursed did u have to sumpliment with formula stupid question maybe or was ur baby old enough for cows milk? also im between 8-12 weeks and my milk seem to have increased?? will it dry up on its own or what?? because my boobs r killing and im trying to wean alittle bit of the pump

 

[Celesse]

I had 6 weeks of dry nursing and just increased her dairy intake. She was approaching 18months at the time and I expected her to self wean due to the lack of milk.

 

[Betheney]

i'm really really REALLY dry nursing, I mean she has about 2 sucks then looks at the boob has 2 more sucks and i can tell nothing is coming out so she just kind of gives up, if i squeeze my boob i get like one drip out and she'll lick it off. lol.

I wanted to tandem feed but don't know if it is all possible because she's not interested in drying nursing.

Do you think she'll be happy to nurse colostrum at 24ish weeks if she stops nursing now at 19 weeks?

 

[Tacey]

I'm not entirely sure when my colostrum appeared, but it was in the third trimester. My milk dried up quite early on, so there was a long period of dry nursing.

when u dry nursed did u have to sumpliment with formula stupid question maybe or was ur baby old enough for cows milk? also im between 8-12 weeks and my milk seem to have increased?? will it dry up on its own or what?? because my boobs r killing and im trying to wean alittle bit of the pump

I got pregnant on her second birthday, so she wasn't reliant on milk. She just dramatically increased how much she ate!

i'm really really REALLY dry nursing, I mean she has about 2 sucks then looks at the boob has 2 more sucks and i can tell nothing is coming out so she just kind of gives up, if i squeeze my boob i get like one drip out and she'll lick it off. lol.

I wanted to tandem feed but don't know if it is all possible because she's not interested in drying nursing.

Do you think she'll be happy to nurse colostrum at 24ish weeks if she stops nursing now at 19 weeks?

From what I've read and heard from others, some children wean in pregnancy, then go back to it when the baby is born. I have a friend whose three year old started again when her little sister was about 8 months old. You may find she starts when the colostrum comes in too.

 

[Betheney]

i'm really really REALLY dry nursing, I mean she has about 2 sucks then looks at the boob has 2 more sucks and i can tell nothing is coming out so she just kind of gives up, if i squeeze my boob i get like one drip out and she'll lick it off. lol.

I wanted to tandem feed but don't know if it is all possible because she's not interested in drying nursing.

Do you think she'll be happy to nurse colostrum at 24ish weeks if she stops nursing now at 19 weeks?

From what I've read and heard from others, some children wean in pregnancy, then go back to it when the baby is born. I have a friend whose three year old started again when her little sister was about 8 months old. You may find she starts when the colostrum comes in too.

Thank you so much for your reply.

I've been saying all along that i never even considered tandem feeding so i don't really care what happens but now she's possibly not feeding anymore i'm actually getting really upset our little breastfeeding journey might be over, it's some of our favorite time together. It's our little bonding time. It's sustained her and helped her

Previously when she's sucked on the boob and it's rather empty and she detaches i can say "come on Eva eat the booby" and she'll lean in and try again. But last night after her two sucks if i say "come on Eva eat the booby" she'll shake her head and whinge... so she well and truly just doesn't want it.

Is it completely bat shit insane of me to consider pumping? i mean i think the previous weeks we've been getting a tiny bit out and now it's absolutely zilch, if i go back to a tiny bit she might want to feed again.

Am i acting to psychotically desperate?

 

[motherofboys]

I'm going to have to give up for now, I have a serious ongoing throat infection and the only thing that deals with the pain and inflammation are NSAID painkillers, which can prevent ovulation and interfere with implantation. Also my temperatures are all over the show as the infection sometimes raises my temperature, sometimes no. Not that we had much chance anyway as my luteal phase was only about 5 days long the last few cycles even with a cycle length of nearly 60 days . I'm still taking my vitamin b6 and seeing if it makes any difference to the luteal phase when I am hopefully fully recovered in a month or so's time xx

Just wanted to let you know I have a 6 day LP, I took B6 for one cycle 100mg a day, and it extended my LP by 5 DAYS! I haven't taken it since and gone back to 6 day LPs as we are taking a little break and I wanted my body to get there naturally but I'm not sure I can last much longer with the b6 calling to me in the cupboard LOL

 

[elohcin]

Just saying hi. I am no longer nursing (my 2 year old (3rd child) stopped "early" because I had surgery for an ectopic pregnancy and he couldn't nurse for 2 weeks, and he just sorta stopped. I have nursed for 6.5 years straight though, through 2 term pregnancies (one tandem nursing), and was nursing 3 for a short time after my 3rd was born. I can't wait to start the process over again, I'm very sad to know I have no nurslings right now. It's a new feeling for me for the first time since I became a mother nearly 7 years ago!

 

[Debi]

i'm really really REALLY dry nursing, I mean she has about 2 sucks then looks at the boob has 2 more sucks and i can tell nothing is coming out so she just kind of gives up, if i squeeze my boob i get like one drip out and she'll lick it off. lol.

I wanted to tandem feed but don't know if it is all possible because she's not interested in drying nursing.

Do you think she'll be happy to nurse colostrum at 24ish weeks if she stops nursing now at 19 weeks?

From what I've read and heard from others, some children wean in pregnancy, then go back to it when the baby is born. I have a friend whose three year old started again when her little sister was about 8 months old. You may find she starts when the colostrum comes in too.

Thank you so much for your reply.

I've been saying all along that i never even considered tandem feeding so i don't really care what happens but now she's possibly not feeding anymore i'm actually getting really upset our little breastfeeding journey might be over, it's some of our favorite time together. It's our little bonding time. It's sustained her and helped her

Previously when she's sucked on the boob and it's rather empty and she detaches i can say "come on Eva eat the booby" and she'll lean in and try again. But last night after her two sucks if i say "come on Eva eat the booby" she'll shake her head and whinge... so she well and truly just doesn't want it.

Is it completely bat shit insane of me to consider pumping? i mean i think the previous weeks we've been getting a tiny bit out and now it's absolutely zilch, if i go back to a tiny bit she might want to feed again.

Am i acting to psychotically desperate?

Aww My DD has been the same for weeks and weeks, she only sucks for a couple of secs and then runs off to play. Just to let you know that she is still doing it and i'm sure if my milk came back she would feed properly again. Hopefully it'll be the same for your LO.. I can't wait to see her wee face when my milk comes back in after the baby is here I'm not sure if pumping would do anything to increase your supply at this stage, as the supply and demand process is out the window due to your hormones. I may be wrong though xxx

 

[lovealittle1]

Mammas a quick and easy question. When did your milk change to colostrum?

24 weeks

 

[lovealittle1]

i'm really really REALLY dry nursing, I mean she has about 2 sucks then looks at the boob has 2 more sucks and i can tell nothing is coming out so she just kind of gives up, if i squeeze my boob i get like one drip out and she'll lick it off. lol.

I wanted to tandem feed but don't know if it is all possible because she's not interested in drying nursing.

Do you think she'll be happy to nurse colostrum at 24ish weeks if she stops nursing now at 19 weeks?

From what I've read and heard from others, some children wean in pregnancy, then go back to it when the baby is born. I have a friend whose three year old started again when her little sister was about 8 months old. You may find she starts when the colostrum comes in too.

Thank you so much for your reply.

I've been saying all along that i never even considered tandem feeding so i don't really care what happens but now she's possibly not feeding anymore i'm actually getting really upset our little breastfeeding journey might be over, it's some of our favorite time together. It's our little bonding time. It's sustained her and helped her

Previously when she's sucked on the boob and it's rather empty and she detaches i can say "come on Eva eat the booby" and she'll lean in and try again. But last night after her two sucks if i say "come on Eva eat the booby" she'll shake her head and whinge... so she well and truly just doesn't want it.

Is it completely bat shit insane of me to consider pumping? i mean i think the previous weeks we've been getting a tiny bit out and now it's absolutely zilch, if i go back to a tiny bit she might want to feed again.

Am i acting to psychotically desperate?

B! I totally understand and if K decided he was done I would be very sad too. All I can suggest is to keep offering now and again and if she takes great but if she decides she is done give yourself a big pat on your back for going for so long and giving your baby the best food for her! Also take comfort in knowing that she chose when to end the nursing relationship. She was not forced into it. Soon you will have a brand new nursling and Eva will probably nurse her dollies beside you!

 

[Mork]

Hey ladies, those of you who tandem feed - I need your help!!!! I have tried a couple of times to feed both children together but find it uncomfortable, so I feed one at a time. However, i feel that i am constantly interrupting my oldest child during feeds as my youngest cries and needs my attention. I feel terrible about this but don't know what else to do, what do you do??????
xxx

Any tandem feeders left???? xx

 

[elohcin]

Hey ladies, those of you who tandem feed - I need your help!!!! I have tried a couple of times to feed both children together but find it uncomfortable, so I feed one at a time. However, i feel that i am constantly interrupting my oldest child during feeds as my youngest cries and needs my attention. I feel terrible about this but don't know what else to do, what do you do??????
xxx

I rarely nursed mine together because with two completely different sized children it's definitely difficult and uncomfortable, but what I found best was "football" hold for both of them and to sort of bring my knees up a bit to hold their heads so that I didn't have to lean over as much. But it still wasn't very pleasant.

 

[elohcin]

Mammas a quick and easy question. When did your milk change to colostrum?

16 weeks for me during my last 2 pregnancies. I tend to be on the earlier side. (I never have a "dry" period in between)

 

[Celesse]

I currently feed them together with the baby in cradle hold and the toddler sat next to me.