Nursing While Pregnant

I'm in the same boat as you, except that the littlest one is 6 months old.

Basically, the way it was explained to me is that you need to increase the calories with pregnancy, but with breastfeeding *and* pregnancy, even more calories are required.

Be glad that you're still successfully doing it. I'm having a hard time due to a decrease in my production.

Hi A.,
First off, kudos to you for extended breastfeeding!

Second, congratulations on the pregnancy!

Third, everything I've read says that breastfeeding during pregnancy is safe. The mild uterine contractions caused by breastfeeding are just like the ones you have from sex. So as long as your ob hasn't restricted you from sex, you should be fine. The LaLecheLeauge website has good info on breastfeeding during pregnancy. Kelly mom is also a good source of info. Here are the links for those sites:

http://www.llli.org/resources.html

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/tandem/index.html

Good luck and have a happy & healthy 9 months!

All my best!
A.

I did it for the first trimester, and gradually weaned. it hurt when he latched on, so i lost interest in nursing especially since it was mostly for comfort...

Unless you are super high risk of miscarriage it is perfectly safe to nurse while pregnant. Just make sure you get plenty of rest and water/food - you know.
It is awesome that you have been nursing your baby this long! Keep up the good work.

Seriously though - it is safe. I did it in pregnancy and know many other women that nursed through their entire pregnancy.
Your uterus does contract when you nurse but it doesn't harm the baby. The uterus contracts regularly through pregnancy - whether or not you nurse.
I have heard women say not to nurse while pregnant b/c of what their Dr's told them - and maybe that pertained specifically to them - or maybe they had a misinformed doc.
Go talk to a lactation consultant if you are really concerned.

Best of luck and many warm smiles to you and your family.
You must be a wonderful mom!

It is safe to nurse while pregnant. SOME doctors will tell you to stop but they are mostly the ignorant ones. There is no research to suggest that it causes anything bad. I was pregnant and nursing my 6 month old. My SIL who is a doctor in Oregon said to keep nursing her as long as I could. I stopped sometime in the second trimester because my daughter started weaning herself. But there is nothing wrong with keeping going. I wish I had kept nursing. My daughter is very allergic to dairy and we had a hard time finding formula. As long as both babies are growing and thriving you are fine! You got pregnant while nursing so there is no reason to think that all of the sudden it's harmful. Talk to an informed midwife.

It's like the doctors who tell you not to lift while pregnant. I am a lifter and she said that I could continue to lift while pregnant because I was doing it before I got pregnant. The same with running. You have to cut back on the pace and duration a little but you can continue to run.

Do what you feel is best for your baby and/or toddler.

Warm wishes,
M.

I was pregnant with my fourth child while still nursing my 3rd. I nursed for 18 weeks of my pregnancy. It is safe for you to nurse while pregnant. I would have done it longer but she stopped due to a cold. I encourage you to continue!!!!! If you have any questionsfeel free to ask-

A little about me: I am a stay at home mother of four children- ages 8,6,2, and 4months.

K.

It is perfectly fine to continue nursing your toddler while you are pregnant.

One thing to keep in mind though is to keep your caloric intake up so that you can support both the pregnancy and nursing (you are the one who will feel the effects if you don't or your milk will dry up).

Another thing to consider is the possibility that your daughter will wean herself. My daughter did this. The taste of breastmilk changes when hormones change and she may not like the taste of it anymore. Or, if you're at all like me (and I pray you aren't, lol) you will stop producing because of severe dehydration (I suffer from severe morning sickness during my pregnancies and tend to be dehydrated a lot of the time).

But, if everything is going fine, there's no reason to stop.

As for staying at home, it's a wonderful thing to be able to do. Funny thing is that we can't afford for me to go to work, lol. Sit down sometime and really do the math. Is it costing you more to work than not to? Sending our kids to daycare or a sitter would end up costing too much money and we'd be losing it in the end. So, really sit down and go over all the numbers with your husband. What could you do without to make it possible? If it isn't possible, that's alright too. We all do what we have to do to get by.

God bless,
A.

Yes you need to stop.. I was nursing and was pregnant and had no clue and when I went to the DR they stop NOW. When you nurse it contracts your uterus which I am sure you knew that and it is not good for the baby. It will be hard on your lil one I am sure just say it is ALL gone and hope she will be ok with that. lol I was 2 1/2 mo pregnant and my daughter was 2 1/2 when I stopped she was mostly at night time before bed. I said it is all gone and she really did not fuss at all she said ok and that was it. I laid with her in bed and got her a Cd with her name in to play at night and rubbed her back and I guess that was comfort enough for her lol... Good Luck

It's totally ok to nurse while pregnant, if though you want to wean her go ahead and stop pumping and then just nurse her at night, then you aren't just cutting her off and she still gets the comfort and bonding with mom.

lots of women tandem nurse as well after baby is born, though your milk will change to accomadate the new baby and some older children self wean when this happens.

Yes! It is totally safe to nurse while pregnant as long as you do not have a history of miscarriage or preterm labor. Your breasts are likely to be sore at different times throughout the pregnancy and your milk supply with drop. Eventually, the milk changes over to colostrum again for the new baby. It is safe for your toddler to nurse all the way through. You might consider looking for the yahoo group for women who are nursing while pregnant. It is good support!

Hello. My SIL nursed 9 children during 9 different pregnancies. When the next baby was born the 1 year old stopped nursing. However, I would ween your baby slowly off of nursing. Not dramatically when the next baby is born. Also, with my baby when I was weening her I still pumped to relieve some of the pain and I would give her the breastmilk in a cup or in her cereal.

As for wanting to be a SHAM, it might not be as hard as you think. Figure out how much it cost you in childcare (now times 3), gas, eating out, car repars, and all that...you might find out it cost you to work. Also, you could look into selling MaryKay, Avon, or Home & Garden Party (just to name a few) to make extra money and still be a SHAM. However, just don't sell what your friends sell :) You will want them to buy from you. If you choose to do something like that, I suggest getting started while you are still working and get your co-workers hooked as clients :D

Best of Luck and Congrats on another angel!

I have never heard of it being wrong or unhealthy to nurse while pregnant, and I too think it is awesome that you are still nursing. I was nursing son when I got pregnant for my daughter and nursed him half way through pregnancy. He was 20 months when I weaned him, and like another mama said, it just got to be not as enjoyable for me and he was mainly doing it before naps and bedtime. Do you have a midwife? They are such wonderful companions and friends before, during and after a pregnancy and they will understand you so much better. We birthed our last baby (number 7 ) at home and absolutely loved it! If we happen to be blessed with any more, it will be the same way, it is such a beautiful thing.
Good luck with your pregnancy and deciding what to do.

Hi A. - It is fine to continue nursing. She may end up weaning on her own b/c the taste of the milk changes and sometimes diminishes (and you get very uncomfortable as it seems as though they are dry nursing) somewhere around 4-5 months but then the colostrum comes back usually around the end of the 7th month and they either don't like it and wean then or continue to nurse even after baby is here.

I have had personal experience w/this as I tandem nursed my boys together for a year and currently nursing my 2 year old and 8 month old now. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions - you also might want to check out LaLeche - there is a meeting in Huber Heights on Tues at 10 a.m. at a church on Brandt Pike (can't think of the name of it right now) and others that may be close to you also. Best wishes!

I nursed for three months while I was pregnant with my second. It didn't cause any problems with the pregnancy. I do have to tell you, though, it was exhausting. I felt like a zombie until I weaned my daughter(16 months). It is just too much drain on the body, in my opinion. We are planning a third, but this time I am going to make sure my second daughter is weaned first. If you do keep nursing, take your prenatal vitamins religiously. Good luck and congratulations!

Hi A.-
I nursed all my children while pregnant with the next. I seemed to get pregnant very fast after each one. As long as you are feeling okay with it, and it is not stressing you out go for it. I did wean each child right before the next was born stating that they were big and babies need the milk but allowed a few "tastes" after the new baby. All of my kids were not interested really after the baby was born. The little amount youare nursing does will not cause cramping or problems for your pregnancy. Go for it and enjoy these last few days/motnhs of it! ( I had my kids all 2 or less years apart and nursed all of them until almost 2)

It's safe to nurse while pregnant. It doesn't sound like she's nursing that often any ways, so you may want to take this time to start weaning her, just so that you have a break in between nursing babies. Give your breasts some "alone" time, lol. Congrats on your new pregnancy!

Don't stop!!! It's so good for your toddler through the second year and beyond and won't hurt your pregnancy. There have been years of studies done and except in extreme cases of high-risk pregnancy and previous miscarriage/pre-term labor, there is absolutely no reason for a mother to stop nursing. It's too bad that there are still doctors who haven't read a book on nursing in 30 years...
I nursed #1 through pregnancy #2 and am still nursing him twice a day. There are just two things you have to keep in mind. 1) Physically, your breasts will be tender and you may find it too painful, it's totally ok to stop if you are in too much pain! Also, yes, your uterus will contract (basically Braxton Hicks), but no more than after having sex or peeing (maybe this didn't happen for you, but every time I peed after about months, I would have a contraction), there's nothing wrong with contractions unless there is blood 2) Your milk may dry up and if it doesn't, the taste will change and she may not like the changes. She may quit for a while but be interested again when she sees the baby nursing. If you want to offer to nurse the toddler, it's a FABULOUS way to get past engorgement!!! If you do decide to tandem nurse, just read up on the facts. PM me for a couple good books on the subject. Really, the only thing that you have to do is feed the infant first to make sure s/he gets everything s/he needs before letting the older one empty you out;)
It's actually hard to find credible information on the internet backing the argument to stop, I couldn't find anything but opinions. Here are some links in case your doctor disagrees or you want to take it up with your hubby:)

http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-continue-brea...
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Breastfeeding-While-P...
http://www.breastfeeding-magazine.com/when-to-stop-breast...
https://www.askdrsears.com/faq/pr2.asp
http://www.pregnancy-period.com/feedingwhilepregnant.html

Hi A.,

congrats on your pregnancy! It is safe to nurse while pregnant and perfectly ok to keep nursing your toddler after the new baby comes.

contact La Leche League if you'd like more information.

K. z.

IMO this is a question best left to a professional. I have heard that it's not good to nurse while pregnant, but have heard of people who have done it. Both pregnancy and lactation involve a number of hormones so I would ask your obstetrician.

Of course this is totally a personal decision. That being said..I tend think that in the long run, it couldn't be all that healthy for YOU to be pregnant AND nursing, both of which are physically taxing things to do. As to tandem nursing I don't quite see the health benefits for the kids in this type of situation, how can you be making the 'perfect' food for two babies with such differing health needs. I may not be a doctor, but I do know that kids nutritional needs are constantly changing-especially in the first year, so how can it be 'perfect' for both of them?
I know you didn't ask about tandem nursing in your question, but I saw that quite a few moms seemed to be pushing for/encouraging it and thought I would add my two cents. At least we are lucky we live where we live (US of A) and can raise our children as we see fit and make our own decisions regarding their nutrition and health without fear of repercussions from the government or anyone else.

Good Luck
~J.

PS-to anyone thinking of attacking me/sending rude emails (yes, it has happened to me before) please think about the fact that we are all entitled to our opinions and remember that I did not attack you before clicking send, thank you.

Good Morning,
Although my OB suggested that I stop at twenty weeks with my second and fourth pregnancies, I just couldn't do that to my nursing babies. My first was just eight months old and still sleeping with me at night when I got pregnant again. I nursed him through the entire pregnancy, and then continued after my daughter was born. He gained four pounds that first month after she was born! He never slowed down and I never had trouble with the nursing causing contractions, as some say might happen. As long as you have a healthy diet, I say go ahead. I will say that with my fourth, I did stop at 24 weeks because my third just seemed ready to wean, and I seemed to gain wait more easily without the nursing using those glorious 500 calories:) Good luck and enjoy your babies.

I think you are supposed to stop because breastfeeding contracts your uterus and that can't possibly be good for the new baby!

There's no reason to stop unless you want to! The baby will be perfectly healthy and your toddler will continue to get the benefits from breastmilk. My middle daughter was 14 months when I found out I was pregnant. She continued to nurse until I was about 5 months pregnant. I started weaning her down to one nursing a day (bedtime routine) about a month before she stopped. I decided to stop simply because I was EXHAUSTED. I didn't know if it was the nursing while pregnant or just chasing 2 active young kids around while doing it. I do know I had alot more energy after I stopped nursing.

I know lots of women who continued to nurse their toddler while pregnant and then tandem nursed (meaning had a toddler and baby nursing) after the baby was born. The babies are perfectly fine. Your body will take what you need for the baby and your milk. You will need extra calories and alot of more water. Also keep in mind that many toddlers wean themselves mid-pregnancy becuase the milk changes a bit in consistency and taste. And some get put-off by the ever-expanding belly and lack of lap space to get comfy nursing.

I have nursed when pregnant through 2 pregnancies without a problem. The research I have done said that it is only a problem if you have a history of pre-term labor. I am also a La Leche League Leader, and I know lots of moms who have done the same. It really makes the transition for the sibling much easier. I would check out the book Adventures in Tandem Nursing, and continue to follow your heart. You'll do great!

Please don't stop nursing if you think you are going to hurt the unborn baby. You wont hurt the baby by nursing your second child. I have nursed my first child while i was preg. w/ my 2nd child and nursed the 2nd child while preg w/ child 3. i got a 3 mth break before my 2nd child was born and i got a 5 mth break before my 3rd child was born. my children are 21 and 18 mths apart. i plan on nursing my 3rd child as long as she wants as well. i have done that for all my children. Please nurse as long as you feel comfortable. i know that when my children nursed while i was preg. it would hurt when they first latched on but then the pain went away in a few seconds and i could relax to let the child cont. to nurse.

i have a friend that nursed all the way thru preg and still nursed the 1st child and 2nd child.

hope this helps in your decision but please do what is comfortable for you.

My first wasn't weened until about 6-7 wks before my second was born. And it was the same type of thing - only nursing a couple of times a day. There's no harm to the unborn baby that I've ever heard of. Just be aware and in tune to your own feelings about nursing. With breast sensitivity and a growing belly, you may get tired of nursing before your 14-mo old does. Just be honest and don't have unrealistic expectations of yourself. You, your daughter and your unborn baby will all fare better if you don't stress about it. Good luck! : )

It is safe. As your daughter is a bit older, she may decide to stop as your breast milk will likely change a bit. You may want to wean her by the time the next baby comes as nursing two might get taxing. Otherwise, it is fine.

A.,
I nursed my 22-month-old while in my first trimester of pregnancy. It was fine at first until I started having contractions that were a lot like early labor. Maybe something to do with the strength of his sucking because of his age and size - a very big boy! which triggered the contractions. My contractions, according to my nurse midwife, weren't harmful to the baby, by the way, just painful and stressful, which is why I completed the weaning process. But nursing while pregnant is totally safe - it's just a matter of if it is working for you. I would suggest reading up on nutrition for your situation if you haven't already. Make sure your getting enough of everything - especially calcium and protein. Some moms choose to wean just because they find the nutritional demands of both pregnancy and nursing to be pretty tough. They were for me for the brief time that I was nursing and pregnant. One other thought that honestly occurs to me is that weaning now my be easier than later. I found weaning my two-year-old to be a very big challenge unto itself! Good luck to you!

Hi A.!!

Actually it is completely safe to keep nursing full-time while your pregnant.. Doctors will even tell you..why should you stop giving your daughter the wonderful nutrients from breast feeding just because your pregnant again.. Breastfeeding while pregnant won't cause harm to your unborn baby...

Good luck

YES! By all means you can nurse while pregnant! Most babies will self-wean by the time the mama reaches her third trimester. (My son self-weaned at 20 months--I was pregnant.) Some think the pregnancy hormones change the flavor of the milk and the babies don't like it as much. I would follow the "don't offer, don't refuse" policy at this point. So, don't offer it automatically--wait for your child to ask for it. But if they want it, don't refuse them either. I ma sure that if you follow "don't offer, don't refuse" your child will self-wean before the birth, but if they don't, there are plenty of mamas to give you advice on tandem nursing!

Please Please Please call a La Leche League Leader!!!
It is fine to nurse while pregnant and even great for the nursing baby as they get another dose of the colostrum which is so high in anitbodies!!
Oh...I can not tell you enough to call a La Leche League Leader in the area. Infact google La Leche League Cincinnati and you will get a list of leaders in the area. (I am assuming you are in the Cincinnati area)
Good luck, Congratulations and God Bless.
L.

I got pregnant with my second child while still nursing my first and it sounds like at about the same point as you. (They are exactly 2 years apart.) I continued nursing until he was 18 months old. I stopped 6 months before the new baby was born. The new baby was fine and I was fine in my pregnancy. I chose to stop then because I didn't want him to feel like the new baby was the reason he had to stop nursing. I suggest talking to your doctor and if s/he says you and your new baby are healthy then you can stop nusing at a point that feels comfortable for you.

Congratulations! It is perfectly safe, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise! I too am pregnant and still nursing my toddler. Any risk is more associated with people who have had previous miscarriages, and it is possible to have contractions earlier. If you are worried about any of this, you can speak to a lactation consultant, or La Leche Club. I specifically asked a WIC counselor, my nurse-midwife and others who have experienced this. It is also possible to tandem nurse if you are willing! May I also suggest joining an online community. I have had much success with networking with other mothers who are supportive and understanding. Yahoo has Breastfeeding Mother groups, and Extended Breastfeeding groups. If you do want to go ahead and wean, there are also many resources to help you, and it can be done gently. Most importantly congratulations on nursing for as long as you have, it is the best for your baby and yourself!!

I could be totally wrong, but I think it's OK to nurse while you're pregnant. I've known several people that have done it and haven't had any adverse side effects. You should contact your OB and the La Leche League. I found this article on babycenter.com.
http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-continue-brea...

A.,

There is no evidence that it is harmful to your baby to continue to nurse while you're pregnant, but you will probably find that your milk production slows considerably, and it may become uncomfortable to nurse. This was my experience while pregnant and nursing. I continued to nurse through my pregnancy and in retrospect, I might have weaned my older daughter, if only for her sake: she was so distraught at having to share "nummies" with her baby sister that it was emotional turmoil in our house for a long time after her baby sister was born! There's some great information about nursing two in the La Leche book "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" (I think that's the name)--you can probably find it online, at the La Leche League website, or at your local library. If you do decide to wean, in my experience (and from what I've read) the gradual approach works best, and saves lots of heartache (and potential emotional difficulties) for both baby and mom! I truly believe you can't go wrong either way in terms of continuing nursing or not. Whatever feels right to you and is best for you and your family is the way to go.

Best of luck,

J. (wife and mom of three girls, I'm a writer working part-time and in grad school)