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

[canadabear]

Hi everyone. Thought I would pop in here even though we are not TTC until July. Our DS is 25 months now. BF'S three times a day and once or twice a night. and on my days off probably more! ha ha He eats wonderfully and is the size of a three year old. The thought of loosing my milk while pregnant really bothers me as it seems to be something he still needs. Emotionally more than phisically at this point. I am only bf with one breast though, since about 12 months, so I assume it is more likely I will loose my supply. This is such an informative thread. Happy to have found it! :smile:

 

[Wishing_well]

Just a quick update for those worried about milk supply.
My milk is coming back now after 4 weeks of dry nursing and Quinn still doesn't seem to have noticed a change. She still feeds at least 6 times in 24 hours.

 

[freddie]

Hi ladies!

So it's looking like my supply is pretty low now, many feeds I can't hear any swallowing at all, just sucking so I think LO is often dry nursing. He never used to ask for milk during the day, I fed him on waking, before both naps and before bed and he was happy with that but he is asking a lot all through the day now... After his morning "feed" he is back and forth to me asking for milk and then he asks for it a lot all day.

I am presuming this is because he's not really getting any so he is not satisfied? He doesn't get upset or anything but I feel bad that he clearly wants it and it's not there!

He is good with his food now, his appetite seems to have really picked up in the last couple of months (probably due to much less milk!) but I am wondering if he needs cow's milk or some other milk substitute? The thing is, the last couple of mornings I have tried giving him a little warm cow's milk after his feed but he's just not very interested. He'll take a couple of sips and then chuck it aside. I tried offering it when he keeps coming back asking for milk but it won't do!

I am not sure what to do? Should I be looking for a replacement milk? Does he need it? I'm worried what he might be lacking/ missing out on now that he's not having breastmilk

An additional note - he was weighed at his 12 month check and he weighs the same as he did 3 months ago. Now the hv was not concerned as he had been putting on weight very fast and had gone off the charts by 9 months so obviously he was due a slow down. Also he started crawling/ pulling up and never stops moving so I know it's all logical and normal but there's still a little part of me that wonders if he'd have slowed down as quickly if my supply hadn't dwindled Argh gotta try to stop feeling guilty...

Sorry for the essay... Any advice would be so appreciated ladies

 

[Wishing_well]

Hi ladies!

So it's looking like my supply is pretty low now, many feeds I can't hear any swallowing at all, just sucking so I think LO is often dry nursing. He never used to ask for milk during the day, I fed him on waking, before both naps and before bed and he was happy with that but he is asking a lot all through the day now... After his morning "feed" he is back and forth to me asking for milk and then he asks for it a lot all day.

I am presuming this is because he's not really getting any so he is not satisfied? He doesn't get upset or anything but I feel bad that he clearly wants it and it's not there!

He is good with his food now, his appetite seems to have really picked up in the last couple of months (probably due to much less milk!) but I am wondering if he needs cow's milk or some other milk substitute? The thing is, the last couple of mornings I have tried giving him a little warm cow's milk after his feed but he's just not very interested. He'll take a couple of sips and then chuck it aside. I tried offering it when he keeps coming back asking for milk but it won't do!

I am not sure what to do? Should I be looking for a replacement milk? Does he need it? I'm worried what he might be lacking/ missing out on now that he's not having breastmilk

An additional note - he was weighed at his 12 month check and he weighs the same as he did 3 months ago. Now the hv was not concerned as he had been putting on weight very fast and had gone off the charts by 9 months so obviously he was due a slow down. Also he started crawling/ pulling up and never stops moving so I know it's all logical and normal but there's still a little part of me that wonders if he'd have slowed down as quickly if my supply hadn't dwindled Argh gotta try to stop feeling guilty...

Sorry for the essay... Any advice would be so appreciated ladies

I've been thinking the same thing recently. I do not want to give cows milk, so have offered oat, soya or coconut but she's not interested. She drinks enough water and eats enough calcium etc but she seems rather petite now.

 

[honey915]

Ttc number three but bfeeding ds who is 1 in three weeks. Ds still feeding at night and i still have no period so guess im not fertile. What are the first signs of fertility returning?

 

[Mork]

Hey Honey,
Everyone is different but my first signs of af returning were ov cramps and cm changes. With my first, af returned just after 1 year, and with my second (bearing in mind the tandem feeding) at 1 year 2 months. I have not been feeding through the night for some time. I have had two cycles now so hoping number 3 wont be long - hope its not long for you! xx

 

[Krippy]

I am anxious to start TTC our third child but I do not want to stop BFing my 10 month old. He only BFs in the morning when he wakes up, twice after his day naps, and before he goes to bed. He has been sleeping 8-12 hours stretches at night for at least 2 or so months, 11-12 hours every night the last month, and I haven't had my cycle return. I have had very promising cramping, cervical mucus, bloating, etc. on and off for about 2 months but no period and therefore I am assuming no ovulation. I am thinking to start Vitex and Raspberry Leaf Tea this weekend to help my cycle start up again. Any other advice or insight into something I may be missing? I also know that my body may not be ready and I am ok with that too. I do not want to wean my son before he is ready at all so that is not an option (until he decides otherwise) and if I don't have my cycle back I will be content to wait but I would also like to do all that I can to optimize my fertility! TIA!

 

[honey915]

I think for me its the night time feeds that are stopping my fertility returning and also that my body is not ready. I guess its natures way of saying wait!

 

[charlie15]

I had cramps for 2 months before AF returned and that was 2 months after night feeds. When I got AF back, my LP was very short, so I took vitamin b complex 50. My LP is now 12 to 14 days, no idea if the vitamins helped or if that would have happened naturally. So we are now all good to start TTC, a bit later than I had originally wanted but you can never totally plan these things.

 

[Leids]

William drinks one cup of whole milk a day (I go with horizon organic). He doesn't mind coconut or almond milk though. I have hashimoto's disease so I don't typically keep soy in the house.

I'm just about 8 weeks pregnant. It was sensitive for a week or so but now it isn't anymore, at all. I'm still having other symptoms and didn't experience much breast soreness with my first pregnancy so I'm not going to worry about it. My milk seems fine still, I just have to remind myself to drink more water!

 

[honey915]

I suppose we are all different and nothing can be predicted. Im weaning off night feeds in few weeks. Not sure how he will cope wity that! Dont want him upset. But we also cosleep in our bed so hve to work something out! Any advice on that would be much appreciated x

 

[Krippy]

Thank you Charlie15!

 

[TillyMoo]

Hi ladies,

I was hoping someone could advise me please?

My 22 month old son still breast feeds couple of times during the day & a couple of times through the night (we co-sleep).

I'm newly pregnant (5 weeks) & am experiencing two things - just don't know if they're 'normal'....

- my nipples are so sore when breast feeding. It feels like he's chewing them! They're fine the rest of the time & I'm experiencing no breast tenderness whatsoever.

- the other thing is that every time I breast feed my back gets crampy - feels like my period is coming.


Any advice / shared experiences would be so appreciated xx

 

[Mork]

Congrats Tillymoo! I also had the soreness due to the uncomfortable feeding, this led on to breastfeeding aversion, which didnt go away till my youngest was at least 6 months old, and occasionally still happens now. Im afraid I dont have an tips for dealing with it, I just cringed lots!! lol but, i do believe my two are so close partly because of the tandem feeding so it was worth it in the long run.
Oh and breastfeeding causes uterine contractions (nothing to worry about) - which could account for the period type feelings you are experiencing xxx

 

[TillyMoo]

Thank you so much for replying Mork.

Your words have given me a lot of comfort.

I have been really concerned about the cramps so its a comfort to know I'm not the only one!

 

[honey915]

Tilly moo i didnt breastfeed whilst pregnant but distinctly remember having alot of period cramps whilst i was in the first 12 weeks with my second but not my first. I think its normal with subsequent pregnancoes xx

 

[TillyMoo]

Thank you honey - that's very reassuring to hear x

 

[Dk1234]

The sore nipples were killer they went away for me within a few weeks.

 

[misspriss]

Ugh. Stupid keyboard in the dark. I had a huge long post and I accidentally lost it.

Basically, I am worried I might be pregnant. Worried is not the best word. I would be happy to be pregnant again, but I am worried about losing my supply.

So far, I've tested and it was BFN. I can't help feeling off though and having some symptoms, and I know we DTD recently (10-11 or 14 days ago, I can't recall exactly). About 3-4 days ago I started feeling some "symptoms". I can't decide if I'm pregnant, if my body is just being weird, or if AF is trying to come back.

Wednesday I woke up with the worst trapped wind ever. I have only ever had trapped wind when I was pregnant before. It was so bad I stayed home from work! That day I had a serious craving for a chocolate chip cookie. Chocolate chip are NOT my favorite, in fact, I usually avoid them as far as cookies go. Then that night, I was up all night with heartburn and general insomnia-feeling. I have not had heartburn since I started losing weight about 3 or 4 months PP. I'm 6.5 months out now. I have not had insomnia since I was pregnant. I've been particularly thirsty for water. I have been feeling oddly mildly nauseous, not enough to be sick but enough to ruin my appetite. Today, I cooked chicken with garlic. I love garlic. The smell of the garlic totally turned me off though and made me feel sick. The thought of eating chicken totally turned me off as well. I had no appetite for chicken when I was pregnant before, but have had no issue with it since until tonight. Also, I have had to get up to pee in the middle of the night the past two nights. I have had to do that on occasion since the baby was born, but two nights in a row, what are the odds?

Anyway, I took a test yesterday, not with FMU but with urine held for 4.5 hours. It was a BFN. I have 1 more $-store test, I can't decide if I should take it in the AM, or wait....for what I'm not sure, it's not like I'm expecting my period in a few days or anything....

Anyway, I have not told ANYONE how I'm feeling. I don't know how to feel. I have not reached my weight-loss-before-ttc-goal (I'm 4lbs away from my minimum loss goal, 12 from my ideal goal). LO is only 6.5 months, I want to at least be sure to BF him for a year before my milk dries up (if it does, which it appears it probably will). I don't have a large freezer stash or anything. Maybe I should work on building up a stash just in case?

I'm kind of freaking out, internally.

 

[laodicean]

Basically, I am worried I might be pregnant. Worried is not the best word. I would be happy to be pregnant again, but I am worried about losing my supply.

No advice for you just wanted to say you're not alone.

My LO has a severe cow milk allergy, and hates the taste of hypoallergenic formula. The thought of losing my supply is stressing me out so much that it might cause me to lose my supply all by itself!

Had my milk supply drop off after I'd ovulated a week ago, but it seems to have picked up again in the last few days.... but for the past 48hrs my nipples have been increasingly painful when nursing.

Can't test and get a reliable negative for at least another week, so in the meantime am left worrying. Ah well...