Breastfeeding and Pregnant?

When you breastfeed -- this causes uterine contractions.. which could cause a miscarriage... so as far as I know you are supposed to stop immediately when you find out you're pregnant.
Congrats !

My doctor made me quit breast feeding as soon as I found out I was pregnant. My daughter was allergic to formula and he still made me stop immediately. Good luck.

My kids are 18 months apart and 14 months apart. I breast fed through all, but my first pregnancy. It worked out fine because I DOUBLED my Pre-natal vitamins. Otherwise I think you will be exhausted. I use Twin Lab. I have also heard good things about Super Mom. Also drink tons, and tons of water. You need water for feeding and for pregnancy, so you must need twice as much to do both, was my theory. And lots of milk. And if you are not that hungry for meals eat a lot of high protien snacks like cheese and hard boiled eggs.

Yes you can and don't let anyone tell you otherwise! I am 13 weeks pregnant and still nursing my 10 month old. You need to eat more, drink more water and it does really drain you so try and get extra rest. My ob told me to stop, saying it is "very dangerous to the pregnancy" which is a load of bull. My lc says it is fine but your milk may decrease a bit and it changes from mature milk to colustrum around 24 weeks. Kellymom.com has a whole section about nursing while pregnant and tandem nursing. Good luck and congrats!

Hi A.

If you read any breastfeeding books or ask any breastfeeding experts, they will probably all tell you that it's good to continue to nurse... But, and it's a big but I think, it will be hard on YOU. Like some other moms said you definately need to take vitamine, eat well, rest, etc... My son was almost 2 when I got pregnant, and he wasn't really nursing more than once a day. I also felt run-down and tired and my nipples hurt A LOT when nursing. Long story short, when I weighed the benefit of breastfeeding my almost 2 year-old and the well being of myself and an unborn child, I weaned my son when I was 3 months pregnant. Now I really think that it is a very personal decision. Your child being not yet one can definately still benefit a lot from nursing, yet you need to take care of yourself too since now you have other responsibilities. How about try to do what other moms suggested first and continue to nurse for the time being; if it seems like nursing is getting harder and harder on you, wean him without guilt...ok?

I nursed my first son through my pregnancy with my second. The midwife said it was fine so long as I was having no complications, which I was not. While there are some medical situations where it would be advisable to wean for a normal, healthy person with a normal pregnancy there is no reason at all. La Leche League has lots of wonderful information http://www.llli.org/.
My first son had turned 2 two months before I got pregnant. He chose to cut back during pregnancy, he didn't like the change in milk and later running out of room and getting kicked by his brother. When my second was born my first was 2 months to turning 3. He nursed maybe a handful or 2 more times before his third birthday and was done. Had my second son wanted to continue nursing when I got pregnant with number 3 I would have but he was already almost done. He was 2 months to his 5th birthday. It'll be weird only having one nursing when she's born this June :)
So long as you eat right and when hungry you're not depriving anyone of important nutrition. You might find yourself a little bit more hungrier, just eat a bit more and make sure it's healthy food. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Hey A.. It's absolutely fine to continue breastfeeding, but you definitely need a good, food-based prenatal vitamin (Rainbow Light makes a good one), and a calcium supplement (this is very important....both your son and your growing baby are feeding off your calcium supply, and they will both get what they need, but you want to avoid osteoporosis later in life! Phyto Therapy makes a good liquid calcium in capsule form). My son is 2.5, and I am 6 months pregnant, and we just weaned 3 weeks ago. It was totally natural, no drama on either side. Also, have your doctor test you for anemia at your visit (he/she probably will, anyway)...that could be one reason you're feeling run down. Lastly, I didn't gain any weight my first trimester, but I had morning sickness all day long and couldn't eat much without running to the bathroom. I'm doing just fine now, though, and the baby is at the right weight and size, so don't worry too much about that!! Okay, hope this helps, and congratulations!!!

Hi A.,

My sister asked her doctor about feeding while she was pregnant with her second and they said Do Not Do It! She was told it can cause miscarriage of the new baby. I would check into a little more before I continued or quit just to be safe.

S. H

Don't worry, your babies...the one within and your little one will take what they need...always!!! With my first, I gained 12 lbs. and I went 42 weeks and she was 7.14 #2 I gained 14 lbs. and I went 41 weeks and he was 8.2 1/2 & our twins (#3 & #4) I gained a total of 20 lbs. and went 38 weeks..and they were 5.5 and 6.5 lbs. (boy/girl)....I am not a big person...but babies take what they need and it doesn't really matter whether you're big or small...God made us wonderfully. Good luck and listen to your doctor and your own heart for advice. Congratulations.

Congrats!! I was nursing when I found out I was pregnant, too. My doctor said it was fine, although I now doubt that she was completely correct... Any way none of that mattered because a few weeks later I became SOOO sensitive that I was experiencing horrible pain when my baby nursed so I had to wean him ASAP.
Details: I conceived when my son was 12 months, and weaned him at about 14 1/2 - 15 months. As far as being healthy and nursing during pregnancy, I have far more sensitive teeth now than I did before and have heard that you shouldn't bf while pregnant, due to the calcium draw by the baby.
Trust your gut! If you feel like your body is telling you that your overtaxing it, I say, believe it. Maybe give your first child his full 12 months of nursing and then if you still aren't feeling on top of your game, wean.

Best of luck to you. :)

Dear A.,

YES! Breastfeed still. It is the best thing you can do for your children. I was pregnant with my second child when my son was 6 months old. He is now 20 months old and I am still breastfeeding him, and my 5 month old daughter. I went through the entire pregnancy and beyond breastfeeding. It is definetly okay by many standards. My OB was not concerned at all. She did recommend that I get on a natural supplement (like Juice Plus) which increased my energy significantly. I also ate a lot but did not gain much pregnancy weight. Your body is genius and capable of many things. Nevertheless, it is always important to eat healthy! Thank you for your question. I hope my response helps.

Warm Regards,
K. Rich

P.S. I know this sounds crazy, but I started distributing Juice Plus after I had such an amazing pregnancy and childbirth while on Juice Plus. If you are interested in trying Juice Plus for yourself, please contact me. ###-###-####

I BF my 11 month old when I pregnant. My OB/Gyn said to stop; however, I asked 3 other OB/Gyn's and they said it was ok. So I kept BF since there was only 1 Dr saying no and 3 others saying it was ok. I did notice that once my son reached about 13 months (about 3 months pregnant) he wasn't really interested in BF anymore. Not sure if it was the change in milk or he was just ready to wean?? Anyway I would check with your OB when you go in for your appt, but in the meantime I would keep BF your little one as long as possible. Congrats!

You can breastfeed, just be sure to eat and drink enough healthy foods. Great job bf so long, keep it up!

I nursed my first until I was about 20 weeks pregnant with my second, and would have continued but I started getting braxton hicks contractions so my doctor thought I should be safe and stop. Many women nurse all the way through and then tandem nurse. If you don't want to be nursing both at once, then you will want to wean a few months before the birth. But in a normal pregnancy there are no worries about nursing while pregnant.

Congratulations :)

Many of my doula clients are still breastfeeding during their 2nd pregnancy. Some continue to breastfeed the 1st baby after the 2nd is born and then they tandem nurse them both! More often than not, when the milk changes, the baby will self wean, but if he is happy to continue nursing, there's no reason to stop. Be sure to stay well hydrated, especially now that it's getting warmer!

Hi A.! Congratulations! You can definitely breast while pregnant...things just change a little. I know my OB advised me not to, and unfortunately I listened and was SO sad I did. Our daughter was only 4 months old and exclusively BF when we found out we were pregnant again. My OB advised me to stop right away...so I started formula, and I managed to keep breastfeeding until she was 6 months, but noticed I was exhausted and my milk supply had dropped alot. I did pump as much as I could too before we stopped so she did hve another month of breast milk at least.

The good news in your situation is your 11 month old is almost a year...and that's a great amount of breast milk!!

Just talk to your OB and see what he/she advises for your particular situation!

All the best!!

C.

I got pregnant 7 months after 1st born. I nursed for three more months, but I was also slowly weaning, so we supplemented with bottles too. It was VERY TIRING due to taking care of a toddler, 1st trimester tiredness, and loss of calories to nursing, so just find the balance that works for you--as far as how much you can nurse vrs. bottles. My doctor told me it was fine (read: safe) to nurse while pregnant.

As far as weight, just keep healthy foods around the house, including things you can snack on/eat one-handed, and eat as much of it as you want. AND of course, stay hydrated! (Drinking enough water was always my challenge.)

CONGRATS on #2! It's a fun adventure...

I'm not 100% sure on this, but think it is ok up to a certain point. This happened to my friend and at about 16 weeks her doctor told her it was time to wean her daughter. So I know she breastfed until then, but not sure if it's "recommended" or not...
I think you'll be ok at least until you can talk to your doctor about it. Congrats!! :)

Check out Adventures in Tandem Nursing and kellymom.com. And don't listen to docs that tell you it's not good to nurse while pregnant.

I did it... it was difficult at times but worth it. And it helps your supply for #2 when he/she arrives! It's also nice for when your milk comes in, because your bigger child will love helping you out by "pumping" you down. You never have to be engorged again! And you don't have to give up that wonderful closeness that nursing provides for your big baby.

Your milk will change and supply will drop around 4 months and that will last for a while. Your baby may not be interested in nursing, or may only want it once or twice a day. Interest will probably return once your colostrum starts flowing. If it doesn't, it will surely return when baby is here and your milk comes in!

Ask your Ob/GYN and your Pediatrician.

Some say don't nurse while pregnant (it may cause contractions) and some say it's okay.

Prgnancy can also change the taste of the breastmilk, (making some babies reject it), and may change the constitution of the breastmilk.

I don't know how breastfeeding affects a developing fetus... so that is something you may ask your Doctor.

I was breastfeeding my daughter, when I was pregnant once, which I miscarried. (it was not due to breastfeeding). But by the time I got pregnant with my now son, my daughter was already weaned.

Again, it would also depend on the status of your pregnancy and how your individual health status is.

So, ask your Doctor and Pediatrician (since your baby is still not quite 1 years old).

All the best,
Susan

First get good vitamins. You need something organic and made by a company that grows it's own stuff, you can even go to the plant and take a tour!! I suggest Nutrilite XX for any one, but for sure a pregnant nursing mom. Then IMMUNITY IMMUNITY IMMUNITY!! We have Immunity twist tubes that you can put in water and they are astonishing!!! I just attended the birth of my third grandchild and mom took Nutrilite the whole time. The baby and mommy are so healthy even in the cold north! www.we-us.mychoices.biz or email me for more info. All my grandchildren get these vitamins and my children too. They are so important to me that I send them to them. Immunity support plays such a big role in avoiding cancer that we really need to be looking at what supplements we are taking. We all have about 20 cancers in our body during our lifetime and the people with good immune systems have a better chance at fighting them off. Antioxidants are important also and there is an organic, flavored twist tube for that also. I am willing to send you a couple as a sample. You have nothing to lose and only your health to gain.

I nursed (and am still nursing) my 2 yr old boy throughout my pregnancy and my 4 month old son is perfectly healthy. He was born VBAC, too!
Please consider reading Adventures in Tandem Nursing by Hilary Flower (?) for research, statistics, and personal stories of all types. Your local LLL group should have a copy to borrow.
Way to go! So glad you're considering it as an option. It wasn't (isn't) always easy, but it is so good for your child.
E.
www.ez-ec.com

I'm in the same boat, and I plan to continue breastfeeding my son throughout my pregnancy. :) My sister did this with her older daughter without any problems. You might want to check with your OB about how many calories you should be taking in, and try to rest a little more (I know, almost impossible with a little one)!

I've read that when pregnant you do not need to increase your calories until the second trimester, but it may be different for women who are breastfeeding. Best of luck, and congrats! :)

There's SO much misinformation out there:( Even some doctors will tell you that you can't breastfeed while pregnant. Unless you have a history of premature labor, there is no cause for concern. Just know that you may have some uterine contractions and they are nothing to worry about as long as they only happen while breastfeeding.
It's perfectly safe to breastfeed while pregnant, and if you keep it up, nurse both children continuously after giving birth.

The added benefit for me was that my labor slowed down and I just nursed my toddler and it sped back up faster than if they had given me the dreaded PIT the retarded on-call doctor was threatening (long story there...bitter feelings over the idiot with the medical degree who knew nothing about natural birth).

Congrats and keep it up!!

I breastfed all thru my pregnancy too and my 2-year old AND 4 month old are happy, healthy and thriving! In fact, my 2 year old is STILL nursing! My 4 month old has actually benefited from my 2 year old nursing because she has helped to keep my supply hearty for my 4 month old! Also in the beginning when I was engorged my 2 year old helped! Rather than having to use a pump! :-)

Oh and I also had a VBAC with my 4 month old!!! YAY!!!!

Congrats to you!!!!!

You can definitely bf while pregnant. I nursed my 7 month old son until he weaned himself at around a year. Your milk will change and possibly not be desirable for your baby at around 24 weeks but I've heard about people going longer. It was a good way for me because my son chose to wean. I now have a healthy 11 month old and two year old. Good luck and drink plenty of water!

I think it's great that you want to keep nursing your little one while you are pregnant! Make sure you are taking a good prenatal vitamin, and drink lots of water. All should be well. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Hi,
The same thing happened to me. I became pregnant when my son was 15 months and still breastfeeding. My dr. told me the new baby needed the nutrients more than my older son and I would have to increase my calories tremendously if I wanted to keep breastfeeding. She said it could be done but was more encouraging for me to stop breastfeeding. Also, it's really hard on your body (specifically, your bones) to breastfeed while pregnant.
There are so many variables when you're pregnant, you might as well give the little bean his/her best chance at being a strong, healthy baby:)
I totally get your dilemma, I didn't want to stop breastfeeding myself. But, I know I would've been worrying the whole time I was pregnant if I hadn't stopped.
Good luck to you! Congratulations!