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

[Mork]

Congrats Dragonfly!!!! xx

 

[ChesMik4eva]

Hi Ladies,

I'm not actively TTC yet but it's getting there. My son is 13 months old and still nursing at least 10 times a day. We co sleep and he feeds through the night, I still have no idea how often as I pretty much sleep through it.

A part of me would like to get pregnant again as I'd like a two-ish year age gap but the big hesitation is nursing. My son is incredibly reliant on it for every nap, every bedtime and night waking. I've tried to have his dad put him to sleep multiple times and it ends with him screaming bloody murder to the point where we are all so upset I can't take it and I go in. He eats solids and drinks water very well but has flatly refused ANY kind of milk alternative. I've tried goats milk, almond and cows.

Nursing is very important to me and I would like him to continue until he's at least 2 so if he weaned during pregnancy it would be heartbreaking for me. I guess I've got to weigh up the options about what's more important, nursing him or giving him a sibling. My partner would like me to get pregnant again in the next 3 months. I've had my period since 11 weeks postpartum and have always used NFP to prevent pregnancy until now.

Anyway I like reading this thread for stories, it's great!

Thanks

 

[freddie]

Hi ladies! I have another question for you experienced pregnant/ breastfeeders! I noticed my milk supply drop around 4/5 weeks as LO was feeding on both breasts each feed rather than just the one and seeming to get a little frustrated that there wasn't as much milk as usual. However, I am now 7 weeks and it seems to be going back to normal... He's back to feeding on just one side and doesn't seem to be fussing over it. Now I'm worried that this means there is something wrong with the pregnancy?? Anyone had this happen or know what it could mean?

 

[Celesse]

Hi ladies! I have another question for you experienced pregnant/ breastfeeders! I noticed my milk supply drop around 4/5 weeks as LO was feeding on both breasts each feed rather than just the one and seeming to get a little frustrated that there wasn't as much milk as usual. However, I am now 7 weeks and it seems to be going back to normal... He's back to feeding on just one side and doesn't seem to be fussing over it. Now I'm worried that this means there is something wrong with the pregnancy?? Anyone had this happen or know what it could mean?

I've breastfed through a successful pregnancy and a miscarriage (complete 11+week). Both times supply remained normal during first trimester milk started changing colour a little around 10weeks and let down started reducing. .... no difference in breastfeeding experience between my healthy and failed pregnancies.

I would think most likely is the hormones changed around 4/5weeks giving you a supply dip and your body has now compensated. Or perhaps your let down has changed and he's now got used to it.

 

[xxx_faithful]

Hi ladies! I have another question for you experienced pregnant/ breastfeeders! I noticed my milk supply drop around 4/5 weeks as LO was feeding on both breasts each feed rather than just the one and seeming to get a little frustrated that there wasn't as much milk as usual. However, I am now 7 weeks and it seems to be going back to normal... He's back to feeding on just one side and doesn't seem to be fussing over it. Now I'm worried that this means there is something wrong with the pregnancy?? Anyone had this happen or know what it could mean?

Do you have an available lactation consultant you could go visit? They are there to answer and assist with questions like this, i found my SO helpful. I had one on speed dial when my little one was days/weeks old lol. Try feeding from both breasts, although your baby may not get any milk to start with, it will stimulate the breast to produce more. Try an electric breastmilk in the morning after the first feed, this again will stimulate more milk flow.

If your pregnant with your second, and your first baby is still feeding, then it seems both are well ad healthy and you have nothing to worry about but be grateful you have the opportunity to still feed and be pregnant with baby #2 xxxx

 

[xxx_faithful]

I was completely dry for about 6 weeks of my last pregnancy. Milk kinda disappeared at 18 weeks and then came back as a colostrum type milk at 24 weeks. So we had 6 weeks of dry nursing and then 16 weeks of token amounts of colostrum. BFing became much more about comfort than nutrition.

But as soon as my milk came back in she increased her intake and went on to nurse for another 15 months.... So a few months of dry nursing meant she was still interested for a whole lot longer of getting boobie milk again.

Hi,

this might sound really stupid so correct me if it does lol. I have been exclusively breastfeeding for 6mths, my period has not returned despite me taking vitex. The past few weeks i have weaned her onto formula with 1x breastfeed in the morning only. I will be taking fertility meds to start my period and to get my pregnant with my #2 baby next month, do you suggest i stop feeding her entirely, take the medication, and then if im successful start dry nursing until milk comes back? Or do you think the milk will dry up until i am ready to have my second?

 

[xxx_faithful]

Beankeeper, Vitex worked for me...

Did you take vitex whilst breastfeeding?

 

[Celesse]

I was completely dry for about 6 weeks of my last pregnancy. Milk kinda disappeared at 18 weeks and then came back as a colostrum type milk at 24 weeks. So we had 6 weeks of dry nursing and then 16 weeks of token amounts of colostrum. BFing became much more about comfort than nutrition.

But as soon as my milk came back in she increased her intake and went on to nurse for another 15 months.... So a few months of dry nursing meant she was still interested for a whole lot longer of getting boobie milk again.

Hi,

this might sound really stupid so correct me if it does lol. I have been exclusively breastfeeding for 6mths, my period has not returned despite me taking vitex. The past few weeks i have weaned her onto formula with 1x breastfeed in the morning only. I will be taking fertility meds to start my period and to get my pregnant with my #2 baby next month, do you suggest i stop feeding her entirely, take the medication, and then if im successful start dry nursing until milk comes back? Or do you think the milk will dry up until i am ready to have my second?

I think dry nursing is a very child led thing. There's no milk there so they need to want to suckle for the closeness and familiarity. I think if I'd stopped nursing DD for more than a few days she wouldn't have taken to it again when I was dry. She would have found another way to get comfort.

 

[xxx_faithful]

I was completely dry for about 6 weeks of my last pregnancy. Milk kinda disappeared at 18 weeks and then came back as a colostrum type milk at 24 weeks. So we had 6 weeks of dry nursing and then 16 weeks of token amounts of colostrum. BFing became much more about comfort than nutrition.

But as soon as my milk came back in she increased her intake and went on to nurse for another 15 months.... So a few months of dry nursing meant she was still interested for a whole lot longer of getting boobie milk again.

Hi,

this might sound really stupid so correct me if it does lol. I have been exclusively breastfeeding for 6mths, my period has not returned despite me taking vitex. The past few weeks i have weaned her onto formula with 1x breastfeed in the morning only. I will be taking fertility meds to start my period and to get my pregnant with my #2 baby next month, do you suggest i stop feeding her entirely, take the medication, and then if im successful start dry nursing until milk comes back? Or do you think the milk will dry up until i am ready to have my second?

I think dry nursing is a very child led thing. There's no milk there so they need to want to suckle for the closeness and familiarity. I think if I'd stopped nursing DD for more than a few days she wouldn't have taken to it again when I was dry. She would have found another way to get comfort.

Thanks heaps perhaps dry nursing is for woman who are already pregnant and want to continue breastfeeding through the time where the child refuses for a little while until they adjust to the difference of taste??

 

[ssjad]

Hi Faithful.
Yes, I started Vitex when LO was about 12 weeks old. i then went on to get pregnant when she was about 5 months old, without ever having a period...

 

[Rickles]

A bit of a random one - I am 3/4dpo TTC - Last night my daughter kept biting during feeding, and again this morning. She hasn't done this since she was about 9 months old. And that was once, I firmly said no, she cried, went on nursing strike and hasn't done it since.

So I guess I am wondering if milk is different in super early pregnancy. I TOTALLY realise this is me being hopeful/wishful for pregnancy. But also I don't want to cause another nursing strike if she is reacting to a change that I can't see iykwim???

Any experience or thoughts welcome. I promise I am not a bunny boiler poas type - I was just really taken aback by the biting last night. She's not teething - we just had the top one through. xx

 

[Tryandwish]

Hi ladies

My situation - Conceived via ICSI IVF after almost 3 years trying naturally. (Conceived on first try. Needed IVF due to DH low sperm count).Got a very healthy happy baby boy born May 13th (now 17 weeks old). I'm 4 months pp, exclusively BF'ing and getting broody for baby#2 as want a small age gap. (Hoping there's a chance to conceive naturally now that my body should recognise DH sperm. If not then I need my cycles back before going back for ICSI IVF again.) So far had a few niggles and twinges and felt like AF was coming but had nothing.

Several questions.
Already realise everyone is very different for length of time waiting for cycle to return but is there anything I can do to encourage my cycle back?
Is there anything I should do to prepare LO? (i.e. Get him used to bottle feeding expressed milk? Express aswell as BF to keep supply up? Any general advice form those of you pregnant and BF'ing?)
Anything any of you wish you had known before conceiving whilst BF'ing and tandem feeding?

Also do any of you feel an emotional effect of not having a period? Every month I used to get a few days of insecurity and jealousy which we call "girl head" (I'm quite tomboy-ish). Now though I'm finding I'm getting this "girl head" all the time. Feels like my period sort of resets my brain for me but now I'm lacking my reset button. Though I know 100% DH would never cheat or even look at another woman, "girl head" is driving me insane and I keep feeling I want to ask "Who was that you just spoke to?" "Who just waved at you?" "Who's she?" "How do you know her?". I try and suppress the "girl head" which I manage successfully every month normally but now its just so mentally tiring. Don't want to let "girl head" loose on DH 'coz I know its not really me and my heart knows the answer to all those questions but my head runs away with scenarios that don't end well for me. I tell DH what "girl head" does to me but I try my best not to keep nagging him with every little insecurity. I'm babbling now Thank you to any of you still reading

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[futuremama88]

Hello,

I just found out I'm expecting #2 and I am still nursing my 16 month old! I am not sure whether I will tandem nurse or wean during this pregnancy.

 

[futuremama88]

Hi ladies

My situation - Conceived via ICSI IVF after almost 3 years trying naturally. (Conceived on first try. Needed IVF due to DH low sperm count).Got a very healthy happy baby boy born May 13th (now 17 weeks old). I'm 4 months pp, exclusively BF'ing and getting broody for baby#2 as want a small age gap. (Hoping there's a chance to conceive naturally now that my body should recognise DH sperm. If not then I need my cycles back before going back for ICSI IVF again.) So far had a few niggles and twinges and felt like AF was coming but had nothing.

Several questions.
Already realise everyone is very different for length of time waiting for cycle to return but is there anything I can do to encourage my cycle back?
Is there anything I should do to prepare LO? (i.e. Get him used to bottle feeding expressed milk? Express aswell as BF to keep supply up? Any general advice form those of you pregnant and BF'ing?)
Anything any of you wish you had known before conceiving whilst BF'ing and tandem feeding?

Also do any of you feel an emotional effect of not having a period? Every month I used to get a few days of insecurity and jealousy which we call "girl head" (I'm quite tomboy-ish). Now though I'm finding I'm getting this "girl head" all the time. Feels like my period sort of resets my brain for me but now I'm lacking my reset button. Though I know 100% DH would never cheat or even look at another woman, "girl head" is driving me insane and I keep feeling I want to ask "Who was that you just spoke to?" "Who just waved at you?" "Who's she?" "How do you know her?". I try and suppress the "girl head" which I manage successfully every month normally but now its just so mentally tiring. Don't want to let "girl head" loose on DH 'coz I know its not really me and my heart knows the answer to all those questions but my head runs away with scenarios that don't end well for me. I tell DH what "girl head" does to me but I try my best not to keep nagging him with every little insecurity. I'm babbling now Thank you to any of you still reading

Any advice greatly appreciated.

I'd say it's evolutionary lol. Your inner cavegirl doesn't want him going out and getting other women pregnant.

 

[Celesse]

Main thing to encourage your cycle back is to feed smaller amounts and less often. When you nurse your prolactin levels go up which suppresses your oestrogen levels and prevents a new ovarian cycle from starting. Having a long gap between feeds can help as it gives your oestrogen levels longer to go up. But it can be the amount they feed as well which suppresses ovulation.

Some women do get cycles back when exclusively breastfeeding, but most have to wait until baby starts some solids and is sleeping for a good chunk of the night. So you can try things like combi feeding, giving a bottle's at night, sleep training....anything that reduces the amount you feed and gives you a longer gap. I read (I think on here) of a woman who would swap night feeds for bottles for a couple of weeks which was enough for her to ovulate then go back to breastfeeding. I think trying anything like this is a personal decision and a bit of a balancing act between the needs of your existing child and trying to get pregnant.

Other things you can do is take Vitex which helps normalise the menstrual cycle. I believe part of the mode of action is to reduce prolactin levels so it could have an effect on milk supply. I've been taking it post miscarriage to help with conception and I haven't noticed any supply but my nursling is 20months.

I can't express when I'm pregnant. My let down goes pretty quickly. This last pregnancy my milk had already begun to change at 10 weeks even though the embryo had stopped growing at 6 weeks. It seems to be from knowing a lot of tandem nursers that those who get their cycles back and conceive when their babies are younger generally cope better with supply than those who have to wait until their babies are older.

 

[jacky b]

Hi, I've been reading back through some of your posts and think its so great that many of you have continued feeding while pregnant! I hope I can do the same.

I was wondering if I could get some advice. My DD is currently 8 months old and my af hasn't returned yet. I exclusively bf until she was 5 months when I introduced some solids. She is now down to 2 feeds, 1 in the morning and 1 at bedtime (12 hrs apart- has been sleeping through the night without feeds for 4 months) and I would love to have another baby as soon as I can. We want to start ttc but I don't think I'm ovulating and I want to avoid weaning as I would love to keep feeding (especially at bedtime) for at least another 6 months (aim is to DD is 18 months old if I can). Is there anything I can take to induce ovulation without impacting on my milk supply? Would really appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance.

 

[jacky b]

Thanks Celesse - I think you probably covered my question while I was posting it

Other than Vitex is there anything else I can try (given I have a big break between feeds)??
What dose of vitex should you take and how long should you take it?

 

[Tryandwish]

Thank you Celesse. I don't want to do any formula feeding but my LO is now 17 weeks so going to start giving him finger foods and start baby led weaning today. Getting this LO's nutrition right is higher on my list than conceiving again as I want to do all I can for each baby so if no.2 has to wait a little bit then so be it. I will try Vitex though to see if that will kick start my cycle again while I still maintain BF'ing. Is it counteractive to also take something to boost milk supply incase the vitex reduces my supply or will that make it pointless to take the vitex?

 

[Tryandwish]

More questions! Just looked on ebay for vitex and I have found 400mg, 500mg and 1000mg. Anything to guide me towards a particular strength or should I start the lowest dose and increase if nothing happens?

 

[ssjad]

I had 1000mg half an hour before breakfast each morning.