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

[Beatha]

Hello, I would like your opinion please beacause I'm really scared. My son is 21 months old and I'm pregnant with no2. When I found out I was pregnant my son started breastfeeding less and I was afraid he was weaning but after a while he started breastfeeding like before. He nurses a lot, a lot. Especially during the night, I've lost count of his night feeds. I'm very tired but mostly scared. I'm afrafid that nursing all night long is not good for the baby. I don't know maybe it's the hormones but I'm really scared. Also, he's started biting me and he never did that before. How often did your little ones feed when you were pregnant?

Please, I would really appreciate some replies.

Thank you.

 

[FeistyMom]

I had never really thought about tandem nursing before, but I'm starting to think I should consider it. With my first two children, they were slowly self-weaning leading up to my pregnancy. I did not use any form of birth control, as nursing was highly effective for me. Even pre-pregnancy and TTC I had been on the mini-pill, as apparently I am highly susceptible to hormones.

One of the early signs of my 2nd and 3rd pregnancies was definitely the increasingly sore nipples during feeds, but also the nursing child would look at the breast funny - like something had changed. Well, DD1 and DD2 were content to completely wean by 19 months. However, DS seems *more* interested lately! He was down to 2 feeds a day - an early morning feed, and an evening feed. Now he is waking in the night and taking a full feeding, and seem's like he'd do 2 or 3 during the day if the opportunity presented itself. He is in daycare during the week though, and its been quite a while since I've done the pumping thing. DS is 20 months old now. I had issues with weight loss during the early parts of my 2nd pregnancy, which related to trying to support the pregnancy and breast feeding simultaneously. I didn't have to worry about it long though because DD1 weaned shortly thereafter.

I don't want to forcibly wean my DS - he is an active little boy, and nursing is some of the only cuddle/snuggle time he is willing to give! But I am worried about this pregnancy. Doesn't help that nausea is plaguing me right now, and I'm finding it incredibly hard to keep my calories up.

Anyone else have these issues? Or have success stories to share?

 

[FeistyMom]

Beatha - my first two were only nursing 2-3 times a day, and tapered to a single evening or night feed within a few weeks of the next pregnancy.

My DS currently feeds 2-3 times a day, but does not bite. A few weeks ago he did go through an odd 'spit it out, suck it back in, spit it out, look quizzically at me, and then proceed to nurse normally' phase, which in hindsight was probably near the beginning of this pregnancy but was before I knew it had happened.

Hope that helps!

 

[iow_bird]

Hi
AF has just arrived, first one postpartum, caught my first ovulation on an ov test, dtd the day before and day of the positive, and started bleeding today at 4dpo. I'm feeling a bit confused, pretty light for af, but pretty sure it isn't implantation. Guessing my cycle is a bit out of whack and my LP is short, is there anything that is safe to take while ebf to lengthen my LP??

 

[summer rain]

you can take vitamin b6; it can lower supply in some cases but it has no other negative effects and is safe while BF. The usual starting dose suggested is 50mg a day. I ended up taking 60mg a day as I was taking it alongside a high dose b complex. I found for me it didn't lower supply and it worked dramatically on the first cycle I took it, luteal phase went from 5 days to 11 and the next month I conceived. xx

 

[Srrme]

Hello, I would like your opinion please beacause I'm really scared. My son is 21 months old and I'm pregnant with no2. When I found out I was pregnant my son started breastfeeding less and I was afraid he was weaning but after a while he started breastfeeding like before. He nurses a lot, a lot. Especially during the night, I've lost count of his night feeds. I'm very tired but mostly scared. I'm afrafid that nursing all night long is not good for the baby. I don't know maybe it's the hormones but I'm really scared. Also, he's started biting me and he never did that before. How often did your little ones feed when you were pregnant?

Please, I would really appreciate some replies.

Thank you.

I breastfed my oldest during my entire second pregnancy. He ate a lot, especially at night. I'm pregnant again, and tandem feeding both of my toddlers. I just make sure to eat a well balanced diet, and take my vitamins!

 

[Mork]

Hey ladies,
Beatha - I am tandem feeding and now have a 1 year old and 3 year old, so I am proof it is possible to breastfeed throughout pregnancy and beyond. When I fell pregnant, my then 1 year old was feeding numerous times day and often at night. I did notice some dip in supply but not enough to be problematic and I did have sore nipples and breastfeeding aversion. However, I am confident that the tandem feeding has been partly responsible for the wonderful bond between my two children so feel it has been so worth it. Hope that helps xxx

 

[Beatha]

I breastfed my oldest during my entire second pregnancy. He ate a lot, especially at night. I'm pregnant again, and tandem feeding both of my toddlers. I just make sure to eat a well balanced diet, and take my vitamins!

Oh thank you, you made feel so much better! And wow feeding two and pregnant! Amazing! Happy and healthy pregnancy!

 

[Lauki]

I am now officialy tandem feeding !!

 

[Tacey]

Congratulations Lauki! How's it going?

 

[Lauki]

Struggling a bit with tongue and lip tie and Sophie is having a bit of a strike, so just letting her lead!

 

[Tacey]

Ooh, hope you don't have too many issues with the ties. Are you planning to have the tongue tie snipped or see how you go? Love the name Jasper by the way, it was in my top 3 choices

 

[Lauki]

They are not too bad, we can get a good latch in rugby hold for now. I feel things will get easier as he grows bigger!
Just for Sophie to settle now, but the heat isn't helping that !

 

[Beatha]

Hey ladies,
Beatha - I am tandem feeding and now have a 1 year old and 3 year old, so I am proof it is possible to breastfeed throughout pregnancy and beyond. When I fell pregnant, my then 1 year old was feeding numerous times day and often at night. I did notice some dip in supply but not enough to be problematic and I did have sore nipples and breastfeeding aversion. However, I am confident that the tandem feeding has been partly responsible for the wonderful bond between my two children so feel it has been so worth it. Hope that helps xxx

Thank you for sharing your experience. It does help a lot!
Tandem nursing sounds so beautiful. I hope we'll be able to do it too.

Thank you again!

 

[Lauki]

So my milk has come in today! Sophie now wants to nurse again when Jasper nurses. I would be okay with that, but eeeeeek! Logistics!

He only latches properly in rugby hold, how can I position Sophie so she can nurse comfortably? She is not a nursing gymnast and prefers to put her head down and snuggle.

 

[Celesse]

Try double rugby with a pillow? Or can she sit next to you while baby is in rugby hold?

There's a positions post on my Blog, complete with Monkey's posing the positions. https://www.nommonster.co.uk/2013/05/tandem-breastfeeding-positions.html

 

[Lauki]

Will give that a go once we have his latch sorted!

 

[NDH]

If I'm nursing Chloe when Saranna wants to join in she usually either sits beside me or in front of me and leans in over Chloe. If I'm laying in bed partly propped up then she lays half on me.

Nap and bedtime are a bit more complicated as Sara typically wants to be on my lap in cradle hold. Chloe lays on the bed if she's happy to, and if she needs a feed after we've started then I football hold Chloe or occasionally double cradle with Chloe laying on Sara. If I know Chloe is going to be extra fussy then Sara has to sit beside me instead of cradle and then lays her head on my lap when she's finished until she falls asleep.

 

[NDH]

This is what tandem nursing usually looks like for us
https://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a175/Roshinda/Saranna/IMG_20130610_110050_zpscde116af.jpg

 

[Lauki]

Thanks! We managed double rugby hold on the couch yesterday! Will probably get more adventurous as Jasper gets bigger and stays latched easier!

Sophie looks humongous now!