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

[NDH]

Could she be at one of the "wonder weeks"? I know that more frequent feeds is a sign?!

If that was directed at me, she's never followed any wonder weeks before. And going from 5 feeds in 24 hours to feeding every 15 minutes in the day and hours without unlatching all night is a little more than increased feeds lol.

Anyway did have a better night last night - she fed for about an hour after I went to bed and then about an hour from 4am and I got to sleep in between and pee when I had to and then she let me sleep in til almost 7 she's fed about 6 times this morning in the three hours she's been up.

 

[EarthMama]

You must be exhausted. I know I am. My son has been waking every 45 minutes at night for a few weeks now. I'm only 9 weeks along. I just want to sleep. The sleep deprivation is getting extreme. I feel like it's connected to being pregnant and my supply changing. My son eats SO much both food and milk during the day. I really don't know why he would need to nurse so much at night unless it's for comfort.

 

[jcg0506]

Really sorry NDH. My 15 mo old has also just gone from nursing 3 times a day to wanting to nurse literally all day (he's clawing at me as a write this). Fortunately, I can often distract him and sometimes just say no without too much fussing. He's always been one to suck all night or all nap, which is why I gave up co-sleeping a long time ago. Naps are bad now though because I've usually napped with him to get some extra sleep but I can't get him unlatch and stay asleep and it takes him a VERY long tie to fall asleep on his own. I'm not sure what's going on here, but hoping it gets better soon!

 

[midori1999]

Could she be at one of the "wonder weeks"? I know that more frequent feeds is a sign?!

If that was directed at me, she's never followed any wonder weeks before. And going from 5 feeds in 24 hours to feeding every 15 minutes in the day and hours without unlatching all night is a little more than increased feeds lol.

Anyway did have a better night last night - she fed for about an hour after I went to bed and then about an hour from 4am and I got to sleep in between and pee when I had to and then she let me sleep in til almost 7 she's fed about 6 times this morning in the three hours she's been up.

If it helps, my daughter is 19 months old and in that time she has gone from nursing 4 times a day and STTN to nursing twice a day and STTN, to nursing a million times a day and still STTN, to nursing a million times a day and all night too. I have stopped trying to find a reason, I just keep feeding on demand and know it will change again soon.

Of course, that doesn't mean it's not exhausting when the more frequent feeds happen though.

 

[midori1999]

I was also wondering, has anyone noticed cramping during early pregnancy was more when they were BF please?

 

[Celesse]

I had less cramping in early pregnancy with #2 than with #1 up until uterus started getting bigger and I could feel the contractions from BFing. After uterus got bigger I would get a contraction within 5-10minutes of starting a nursing session.

 

[tardiz]

I dont post on here but I read it all the time. I think our feeding is coming to an end I went through thw above of nathan feeding constantly for the last few weeks and like someone mentioned above it was making my skin crawl!! However for the last few nights he hasn't had any during the day and when I have gone to nurse him to sleep he has had a few sucks and then reached out for his cup of water on the stand had a long drink then turned around snuggled into me and gone to sleep. Im gutted it was starting to feel bearable again. I did try and get some out but after a long timw trying the tinest bit came out. So maybe my supply is dwindling? ?

 

[Lauki]

I was also wondering, has anyone noticed cramping during early pregnancy was more when they were BF please?

I had quite a lot of cramping with this one in the first trimester! Don't know if it's to do with breastfeeding though as Sophie only nursed 3 times a day when I fell pregnant (she's now down to 1 (and a couple of sucks in the morning) before bed, *Sob*)

 

[midori1999]

Thank you.

I've now convinced myself I'm having twins again... I am beyond exhausted and the cramping is really bad. Plus, I feel nauseous already.

 

[Lauki]

Sounds exactly like me! I'm most certainly not having twins !

 

[midori1999]

I'm sure it's just one really, but I've been pregnant with twins twice before, so there's a high chance.

Today I'm convinced I'm having a miscarriage as stupidly I have kept doing tests and I think this morning's is lighter than yesterday's.

Hopefully, it is just hormones doing this to me. I've got at a least two weeks to wait until a scan and that will nearly kill me I think

 

[Lauki]

Relax and breathe! The first weeks can be so stressful, but try not to get yourself too worried! Easier said than done though as I know exactly how you feel! .

 

[patch2006uk]

I am so glad I've got Isaac to help me with engorgement. He's absolutely thrilled by having more milk than he's had in months - he's asking to feed every hour or two and keeps patting my chest.

But it's hard emotionally to feed him. My body seems to know that he's not the baby this milk was meant for. His latch keeps slipping and his teeth catch me now and again, which reminds me that he's not my little newborn. The newborn I so desperately want here with me.

I'm not allowing him to feed as often as he wants, because I need to manage my supply down, not let him drive it crazy! He's gone up from 1 or 2 feeds a day to about 6-8 - I'm aiming for the minimum amount you should feed a newborn to try and avoid mastitis and blockages. There aren't many guidelines around on how to nurse your toddler to manage your milk supply after the stillbirth of your baby. I very much am muddling through.

 

[Lauki]

I am so so sorry for your loss Patch . .

 

[midori1999]

I'm so sorry Patch, I read your update on the other thread and then this and decided to post here.

I can't imagine how hard things must be for you now.

 

[patch2006uk]

Thank you. I think we accepted pretty quickly that he had died. We're just left with a terrible sadness that I know we will carry forever. I honestly can't imagine going through this and not having Isaac here at home with us already.

I have a supply question. I'm getting over the worst of the engorgement now, so I'm not offering Isaac feeds so often. I don't want my body to think it's feeding a newborn.

Does anyone know if my supply will be more fragile? If I only feed Isaac twice a day, is there a chance it will just dry up? My logical side is saying 'of course not', but I also know that it's hard to keep up a supply if you're only feeding once or twice a day. But that really relates to newborns and not toddlers.

I don't want Isaac to wean now because my milk dries up unexpectedly. If that's a danger, then I'll keep feeding him quite often over these next few weeks. But if there's not much danger of that, I'd rather get back to feeding him less often again, because the milk upping has reduced his solids and messed up his sleep (it puts him to sleep in the afternoon, and then he won't go down at bedtime - he's never been easy to get to sleep anyway!!)

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Dk1234]

I would think since he so efficient at nursing you'd be able to maintain a small supply. My friend combi fed from like day 3 for 6 months. She never fed at night and only like 3 times during the day. Good luck Hun, so sorry

 

[patch2006uk]

That's reassuring I imagine my body is pretty much in the swing of milk making now, so I'm hoping I won't have any problems. I just wanted to ask the question

 

[BlondeShorty]

ok so I have a question or maybe two about TTC while still breastfeeding. We're currently NTNP but with more of a lean towards actually TTC.. I'm currently bfing my 10 month old still and he feeds maybe 3 times in a day now. Sometimes more if he's feeling poorly or teething.
I have opks I am using this month and I suspect that I'm supposed to ovulate around the 20/21st possibly. I'm hoping the tests will let me know if I actually am even ovulating yet. I tested off and on since the beginning of the month already and kept getting negatives.
AF hasn't properly returned though.. I get sometimes one day of super super light spotting and that's it. I actually usually notice it if I'm checking CM... But I bloat every month around when I suspect it as well as when I suspect ovulation and get cramps.

Sooo my question is, what can I do to increase my odds of actually getting pregnant while bfing or for getting AF to come back. Wow.. never thought I'd hear myself wishing for that I'm partially worried that when we hit the date of when we want to actively TTC that the still wont have properly returned.

Part of me is thinking I may have to wait until I'm back at work in 2 months and not around DS all the time..but still holding out hope that I can maybe get pregnant before then and just wanted any advice I could get.

 

[JustMeAndInch]

hey guys i need some help on tellinf if i might be pregnant again or not, i am EBFing my almost 5 month old, and my husband and i have been using the pul out method for a few weeks now getting ready to try and concive, well the last few days i have been nautious on and off, one min im so sick i think im gonna puke and the next im fine. When i was pregnant the frist time my nausa started on week 2, i took a pregnancy test and it was negivte but i dont know if i tested to early because i have only had one period so far and that was at 7 weeks PP. so anyone have any advices on telling when to test and what symtoms they had to let them know they were pregnant again while brestfeeding? i have also been light headed, and extremly tired (baby is aso teething), and moody. thank you guys for reading! let me know