I Still Want to Breastfeed

Kellymom.com is a great website for breastfeeding info. Here is one article about bfing while pregnant. I saw a couple others too.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/fertility.html#transition

My daughter is 20 months old and I still let her nurse at least twice a day. We're trying to get pregnant again and if she doesn't like the taste and quits, I'll let her. But if she wants to continue, I'm not going to make her stop. I believe I've read that your body will provide for the fetus first, so as long as you eat right there shouldn't be a problem. And if you want to tandem nurse, just make sure the new baby gets first dibs.

I found out I was pregnant with my 3rd daughter when my 2nd was 10 months old. I was able to breastfeed her until I was 6 months pregnant. She decided to wean at that point. As long as you're healthy there's no reason you can't continue to breastfeed. At 9 months your baby can still benefit a lot from breastmilk.

I breastfed my older son while pregnant with my younger son. However, mother nature will make sure that the new baby/fetus receives the nutrients they need before the nursing child will. My milk supply was totally gone by the time I was about 4 months pregnant. I think it is variable, but it is natural. You may well need to consider supplementing with formula as your milk supply goes down since your 9 mo. old should be getting most of her nutrition from the breastmilk/formula until age 1.

That all said, you should make sure your B vitamin and Iron levels are good. Along with vitamin D and add supplements as necessary. That might enable you to nurse up to the point that your 9 mo old is one.

The pediatrician IMHO doesn't understand the breastfeeding process.

Hi V.,
I did breastfeed while pregnant....I had to supplement some but I am not an over-producer anyway, so that did not surprise me. I started to supplement within two to three months into the pregnancy, but nursed until I was about 6 months pregnant and then my daughter seriously cut me off!!! They say your milk will change in taste and the child will NOT want it after about 4 months into the pregnancy, however I was able to go to 6 months, but it was very evident when she was DONE. I say go as long as you can, supplement when needed, and just enjoy this time.

I nursed my first during my entire second pregnancy with no detriment to the growth of 'the fetus'. My OB and I had an agreement whereby if he felt like it was endangering my pregnancy - in any way - that we would stop. #2 was born 8# 5 oz one week early by c-section, and for the first two months it was blissful... then he started suffering from hypotonia and failure to thrive, pervasive developmental disorder.. you name it. Sometimes I wonder if it wasn't because I nursed while pregnant, or because I tandem nursed (until he started having problems) - but no one has suggested it.

When he spontaneously recovered at 2, the pediatrician said, "it must have been a virus".. thereby confirming my belief that virus = latin for we have no idea. However, now at 3 he is beautiful - perfect, really - just a little behind in some areas, but rapidly catching up. :)

S.
Good luck, with whatever you choose.
S.

I completely agree with April C. As far as I know from any research I have read there is no clear benefit to breastfeeding past age one. I could be wrong, but I've never seen it. I really think that means physical or emotional benefit. I think you can easily keep nursing until your little one turns one, though. You'll be 3 or 4 months at that point and that's about the time they start really pulling from your body. You've got to think about what's healthy for you, too, you know? Our bodies are absolutely amazing, but sustaining 3 lives at one time has go to be hard on them. You sure don't want to end up looking "ridden hard and put up wet" as my Grandma always said.
The other thing you've got to keep in mind is your 9 month old's independence. She's going to need it once the baby comes if you don't want some serious attachment issues. I'm not saying she just needs to totally grow up all at once...but she does have to start growing up a little sooner. That's just they way it goes when you have them so close together.

I am proof that you can nurse two! :) I nursed my two year old through my pregnancy & continue to nurse her & my infant with no problems. My OB said my milk might dry up during the pregnancy, but it never did; other than that, she had no warnings or problems with my nursing while pregnant.

I haven't had any health issues related to nursing the two of them. I feel fine, I'm not overly tired (no more than a mother of three would normally feel, anyway!). My pregnancy wasn't negatively impacted by my nursing.

My two year old has been brilliant about having a little sister. There are times that she asks me to put the baby down so that she can nurse, but there haven't been any huge problems & she's never shown any animosity towards her sister. Furthermore, I don't feel that continued nursing has inhibited her independence at all! She's a feisty little lady. :)

Baby Maisie was born healthy, 8lbs 3oz, & has continued to thrive. She's a chunky little nugget, now three months old. Her pediatrician knows I nurse both & has never said anything against it.

Good luck to you!

Good luck!

i got pregnant with baby number 2 when my daughter was about 7 months old, i nursed her till 12 months of age with no problems!

breastfeeding is awesome, i'm for it wholeheartedly, but there's a point where you do let go. my son was breastfed, but when he was 9 months old, yeah he went to milk/formula mix, and started eating FOOD. we were doing single grain oatmeal, baby yogurt, stage 1 foods, and already starting stage 2 foods by that time! breastmilk is great, but i think sometimes moms can't let go for their OWN attachment reasons, not the baby's. you've done an awesome job, but you can really start feeding food and formula, and keep yourself as healthy and strong as possible for BOTH babies. only 3 months from now is your baby's 1st birthday!!! my son had jambalaya, white beans, and a tiny bit of blackened aligator (which rocked his world) for his birthday dinner. he had chocolate cake for his birthday party. you can't just BAM give children food. start working on this now, so she'll be able to take food without upsetting her tummy. my son is extremely healthy, very happy, and isn't missing a thing. props to you for wanting to breastfeed, but it doesn't have to go on into the toddler years at all.

Your baby has already got a lot of nutrients if it is none months old, and it won't hurt her to now have just the frozen, and baby food or other milk. I feel your body now needs to prepare for the new one.

I breastfed my first until I was about 4 months pregnant with my 2nd. My son bfe until he was almost 2. I know many people thought I was crazy, but I really didn't even intend to wean then, my nipples were just so incredibly sensitive that I just couldn't handle the pain anymore. I still had plenty of milk and my OB said that I could bf until the day I gave birth and then tandem bf if I wanted to. I probably would have done it too if the pain wasn't so bad. I definitely think you should continue if you want to. I have a feeling that you midwife will be much more supportive than your doctor was.

Good luck and congrats!

There is a way. It's been done before. Most of my kids weaned when I was pregnant. My middle daughter, however, kept on nursing. She didn't stop until a few months after her little sister was born. My oldest daughter weaned herself while I was pregnant, but then wanted to nurse again when she saw the baby nursing. You may have to supplement, but if it works for both of you, you should be able to continue. Talk to your midwife. I found my midwife to be wonderfully supportive.

V.,

I know how you feel. My kids are 16 months apart, and when I got pregnant with my second one, my first one was still nursing.

I went on for as long as I could, but I felt the energy was being zapped from me from BOTH of my kids!

I ended up nursing my oldest until he was about 10 months, then I couldn't take it anymore. He went directly to a sippy cup and there was no looking back.

I know the feeling of still wanting to nurse the one you can hold right now, but you will know when enough is enough - and you will be okay with stopping.

Congratulations!

V.,

I know where your heart is. I breastfed my first child all through my second pregnancy and my second child through my third and my third child through my 4th pregnancy. :o) They are all 2 years apart. They were all on solids by the time I was pregnant with another but I was able to maintain my milk....I guess I'm lucky. It was a beautiful experience for me and I feel so close and bonded to my children. I didn't want to push one away because another was coming. I took prenatals and iron (slow -fe) pills and I drank a LOT of water.

Incidentally, I breastfed my first 2 until they were 3 years old. The third weaned herself just after the 4th was born and the 4th weaned himself around 18 months.

Best wishes in whatever you decide and congrats on your upcoming baby.