I am 36 so we are thinking we would like to have a second baby soon. My daughter is 10 months and I am still breastfeeding. She has food allergies so we are waiting to retest her. We want to find out if we should introduce her to cow's milk or soy milk or maybe continue breastfeeding. What are your experiences with breastfeeding during pregnancy?
So it appears that my daughter cannot drink soy milk. It is frustrating for me b/c I am allergic to different things than she is, and I am trying to continue not to eat meat! She is allergic to dairy and eggs so I have not been eating those. Is there anyone else who is vegan and dealt with food allergies like this? We will try rice milk next. I worry that if I am breast feeding and pregnant I will not be able to eat enough to keep myself healthy and relatively nausea free if I have all these food restrictions.
La Leche League's website has good information on this subject.
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBJanFeb08p32.html
My recommendation is to continue breastfeeding.While it may delay your chances of conceiving, it won't keep you from getting pregnant.
I nursed through a pregnancy and still nurse my 2 1/2 year old and his 7 month old brother. I had my sons at 36 and 38 years old.
I personally think 10 months is too early to wean. They should still be eating on demand for the first year and beyond nutrition, your daughter gets a huge immunity boost and emotional benefit from it.
My son just had a horrible stomach virus and the only thing keeping him out of the emergency room was that he would still nurse.
It was also a great bonding experience for him and his new brother.
Check out www.kellymom.com for lots of good info on breastfeeding and conceiving and pregnancy.
I don't know if your periods have returned. My returned right at 13 months post partum and I was pregnant 1 month later.
You can try some herbs, Pregnancy Prep, is a good one and safe for your nursling. You can do accupuncture or just wait.
If you conceived easily the first time, there is no reason why you won't do it this time around.
I know 4 moms besides me who, in the last year, got pregnant with number 2 while nursing number 1. Their nurslings were 11 months, 14 months, 18 months, and 3 years respectively.
Good luck. I would really at least give your daughter those extra two months before weaning if you can....2 months isn't a long time to try and conceive and the benefit to her is greater in my opinion.
My son also has food allergies (peanuts, tree nuts, milk) so it was important that I nursed. When he was was 7 months I became pregnant. I was planning on continuing to nurse but he started to reject my milk. Sometimes your hormones change the taste of the milk. I eventually weaned him and put him on the Alimentium formula for food allergies and at a year he went on fortified rice milk. Once she turns 1 there are other options out there if she does not like your milk once you become pregnant. I personally did not do the soy milk at 1 because of the amount of estrogen in soy, and found rice milk to be a better alternative for us. He's 3 now and could start having cow's milk once he was 2 1/2. Good luck!
T.,
Absolutely you can breastfeed while pregnant. You can email me off list ; ) I'm there now! Breastfeeding is especially important if you want to limit your daughter's access to allergens!
No worries you are 'robbing the 'baby' as a friend of mine put it. Either one of them.
La Leche League can help you also.
There's a book out there too - Adventures in Tandem nursing. Worth the buy or even a borrow from a library if you can find it.
You will have a sweet pair of kids too - there are moms out there who have had the luck and pleasure of seeing their children holding hands while nursing. No guarantees of course, but it does build stronger sibling relationships.
good luck!
M.
Updated
T.,
Not sure if this will post or not, but something to point out. Breastfeeding while pregnant CAN cause contractions, yes, but it is not a reason to put off getting pregnant - or to wean your older child. If it happens, so be it, and you will either wean then or work your way through. Best not to put your daughter through the unnecessary process of weaning against her will if you don't have to.
IANAD (I am not a doctor - or a midwife for that matter) so go with your best judgment. Most doctors WILL tell you to wean however. It's simply CYA vs what's best for your baby. I was lucky - I foundout you don't HAVE TO wean even though all the doctors at my practice said exactly that. They of course, told me I needed a c-section, when in all likelihood, I didn't. I'm still mad about that, but very grateful I changed practices and found a doctor that has his head on straight.
Good luck!
M.
I was nursing my 9 mo old when I got pregnant with my second. I don't remember the exact timing, but I know my daughter weaned herself shortly before the birth of her brother. I was glad, because for some reason, nursing had started to physically hurt. Once her brother was born, she sometimes asked to nurse again, but not often, and not enough to affect supply.
Good luck!
My son was only 7 months old when I got pregnant with baby #2. I breastfed him until he was 14months old. Then he self weaned. I am currently breastfeeding #2 who is 20months old while pregnant with #3. I've loved still being able to breastfeed. You do get a little more tired, more quickly, but just take in more calories and while you're little one is napping, take a nap.
You should never introduce a child to cow's milk before 1yr, and if she has allergies I would try to wait even longer. Good luck!!!
I have an opposite story to nursing and being pregnant. The first time that I did this I was nursing #3 and found out that #4 was on the way---#3 was only 6 months old. I consulted with her ped and he said that as far as the baby was concerned, breastfeeding and being pregnant is fine, but you should consult with your OB. Breastfeeding does cause the uterus to contract somewhat and if you are at risk for preterm labor or something, then it isn't advisable. In my situation I was advise to wean #3, as I had had some bleeding complications with her pregnancy that almost cause me to miscarry and we didn't want that to happen with #4. It isn't always an issue, but I would consult with your OB before you decide what to do. Since you are older, you wouldn't want to risk the health of a new baby, yourself or the first born just to continue nursing her. Good luck.
J.---SAHM of 6 1/2
A good friend of mine breastfed through all her subsequent pregnancies (3). You may need to cut out middle of the night nursing to return to fertility. And once you are pregnant it will take a whole lot of calories to grow a new baby and feed the one you already have so don't deny yourself!
I personally do not like soy or cows milk because of the hormones contained within. Hemp and Almond milk are good alternatives, they have low hormones and provide a lot of nutrition. Definitely talk to your doctor. What I have heard is that at 10 months it should be either formula or breastmilk so the baby is getting all the vitamins and nutrition she needs.
Best wishes!
My friend nursed during her pregnancy but said her daughter ended up weaning herslef because the hormonal changes make the milk taste differently. Good luck!!
