Nursing While Pregnant?!

Hi there!!! I know this response is a little late..but the same thing happened to me. My kids are 16 1/2 months apart. I found out I was preganant again when my son was 9 months old...I was already about 7 weeks. My son was exclusively breastfed, and when I asked my doctor about breastfeeding while I was pregnant, I was told it was a good idea to stop as soon as possible, but if I were to continue I should just take in a few extra calories everyday. I ended up stopping when he was 1 week passed his first birthday, and everything was fine for me. I also have a book about breastfeeding that said it was ok, and you can continue to breatfeed the first child as well as the second after giving birth. I thought that was a little over the top myself. Anyway, it was refreshing to find someone else that will be in the same position I am. I'm 29 and stay at home with my two little ones, so it was nice to get in contact with you. I hope you've been able to get answers and good luck with everything.

L.

Hi C.,

Congratulations! I personally haven't nursed while pregnant, but I know that there are lots of successful moms out there who have. Have you contacted La Leche League? They are extremely pro-breastfeeding and I am sure would be able to offer you support and advice on this issue. Also, maybe its time to get a second opinion as far as your obgyn is concerned-

Take care,

Molly

Why on earth would it not be safe????
A LOT of doctors just don't know much about breastfeeding, I'd strongly urge you to see a lactation consultant, if your pedi dr's office doesn't work with one, call or go on line to the la leche league. Women have had babies close together for millions of years and before bottles and formula breastfed them!!! Sometimes multiple ages at a time!!!!! Maybe there's something I don't know, but I'd strongly urge you to see a lactation consultant!!!

u can bf her. it is very safe. just eat more more more. bec u burn 300 cals being preg and 500 cals breastfeeding. eat n drink. continue bf. it is the best thing for your baby. smile

this is ridiculous advice from like the 1950's. while you're searching for a new doctor, contact the la leche league. they have leaders with lots of experience with this, and with tandem nursing. don't know anyone who has had them this close, but i'm sure it's possible as long as you can have lots of help with the baby as 18mos-32mos seems to be the prime time for needing "mommy!!"

Hi C.,
I just wanted to let you know that I breastfed my son during my second pregnancy until I was about 5 months pregnant. My doctor just told me to make sure I got plenty of calcium so that I would have enough to go around. I don't regret my decision to nurse during pregnancy at all. However, I think it may have taken an extra toll on my energy level. I just remember being sooo exhausted when I was pregnant with my second son while I was nursing my first. But my son was also a very busy toddler who didn't sleep very well. That's all behind me now though and I'm onto my third pregnancy. This time my body has had a break from nursing for about a year. We'll see if it makes a difference in my energy level. Take care and have fun with whatever you decide to do. Congratulations on your second pregnancy. Our third pregnancy was a surprise too. I'm still in shock myself.

Congratulations! Having your children close together can be such a blessing. Yes, there are plenty of challenges that come along with that, but I think you'll be so pleased that things happened this way for you and your little sweet peas. My first two were 19 months apart, and my 2nd and 3rd were 18 months apart, so not quite as close as yours, but almost. I nursed each of my first two halfway into the next pregnancy, and nursed my last one till she was almost 3. Everything went fine for me, and I'm sure so many other wonderful moms out there will tell you that everything went fine for them, too. There are plenty of women who nurse through their entire pregnancy, and go on to nurse their toddler and their newborn together without a hitch. But every women is different, every precious little life inside is different, and every women's experience with pregnancy is different, so I think it would be irresponsible for myself or anyone else to tell you with complete confidence that you should go for it and that you and your baby will be fine. There are risks, as there are with everything in life. I absolutely loved nursing while I was expecting, and my pregnancy ran very smoothly. Some people are not so fortunate, and some have suffered heartbreaking losses. You are an amazing mom to both of your little ones for wanting to give them your very best...your decision to continue nursing or to stop for now will not change that. I pray that whatever decision you make, that it will be one that YOU are peaceful with, not one that anyone has "guilted" you into, or scared you out of. Enjoy every moment of your two sweet miracles! The Lord bless you and keep you!

I have known a lot of women who continued to nurse while pregnant, and it worked out just fine. One of my really good friends continued nursing her son during her entire pregnancy, and then even after her daughter was born, she nursed both the kids! So, it can be done. I know that most of the time we tend to listen to our doctors, but in this case it doesn't sound like you should. Of course, if you have a special circumstance or medical condition that you didn't mention in your post, then maybe that's why your doctor is concerned.

Hi, I was in exactly your situation. I tried to quit breastfeeding, but my daughter would have none of it - and it just broke my heart to say no to her. She never liked formula, so I just risked it, and when she was 1 I started giving her cow's milk which she loved and then it was easy to wean. My daughter's are 17 months apart and are both totally healthy and fine. A compromise might be to stop pumping and just breast feed at night. Also, your milk changes when you get pregnant, so your daughter may decide she doesn't like your milk anymore anyway. The doctors did tell me that I had an increased risk of miscarriage, but I risked it. Its a tough choice to make no matter what. Good luck.

C., I didn't have the priviledge of breastfeeding my baby as long as you. No, you don't have to stop. I know a lady who attends church with me. She did stop breastfeeding the month before the new baby (#3) was born. The reason is when she had her oldest (now 3 1/2) she continued to nurse all the way even when the new baby was born (#2). #2 choked on the milk because it was the full milk instead of the first milk which has more water in it. I hope this helps & you find research to help you with your doctor.

HI C.
you will be fine I did the same thing I nursed while I was pregnant nothing happened Congrats and good luck
Danielle mother of 4

You absolutely do NOT need to wean your baby girl!! I just don't understand why American MDs are so ready to just tell you to wean whenever anything comes up! Check out this link for some wonderful information about tandem nursing: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/tandem/index.html and also contact your local La Leche League chapter if you haven't already done so. I know several moms in the group I used to attend (before going back to work) who have very successfully nursed through pregnancies and then tandem nursed an infant and a toddler.

Good luck and keep giving your little one the liquid gold!

N.

I breastfed while pregnant. My husband who is a doctor told me the same thing(not to), but I did it behind his back-haha. However I had no problems. The one thing that breastfeeding does is contracts the uterus. I think this is why they all say no. However I really think that is just in the begining stage-after you have the baby. I guess there is a chance that could happen. I really don't know, but I had no problems with it. I also read in the what to expect book and they didn't have anything negative to say about it. I say continue since your little one is still so young and she needs that. Good luck!

Hi C.!

Congratulations!!!!

My brother and I are 17 months apart :o) We are now grown adults in our 40's :o) But when we were young, we were sooooooooooooo close :o)

My brother and I had the best friendship all the way through High School. I absolutely love my brother. And my kids LOVE their Uncle :o)

I know it will be a little "frightening" with all the diapers and everything, but I don't think it's an accident, and God has a perfect plan for you :o)

Blessings!

:o) N.

Congratulations! And... you need a new doctor! Breastfeeding during pregnancy is fine, although it can be a bit uncomfortable at times. I know plenty of women who have done it! Contact La Leche League or any online breastfeeding support group for more info. Also, look up a book called "Adventures in Tandem Nursing." It is great.

C.,
Talk with your local La Leche League. If you choose to nurse while pregnant then find a Dr who is supportive and who will look after you. http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVMayJun95p35.html

I nursed my son for the first four months of my second pregnancy and finally stopped because it became painful (it felt like someone was rubbing sand paper across my nipples!) and my milk seemed to dry up. By then he was over a year and was really only nursing in the mornings and evenings. It was tough for both of us emotionally for a few days and then he seemed totally fine with a sippy cup and milk and plenty of hugs. I had a friend who nursed the whole time and had a great pregnancy and a healthy baby. I know other people who have stopped and they were fine with that decision too. I think it just really depends on the person and the pregnancy. I didn't really know what to do, but sort of took it day to day. Right after I decided to stop nursing I found out I was pregnant with twins. I guess my body was telling me that I needed to stop nursing because of the needs of the developing babies. On another note, having kids close together is both great and extremely tiring. The first several months are crazy so hang in there! Now the twins are 9 months old and have fun playing with their "big" brother. Sometimes it feels like everyone wants my attention at the same time which can be distressing. My husband has been a huge help which is a life saver! At first I was so worried about not being able to handle everything, but it turned out the same as nursing; just take it day by day and you'll be fine. I have a brother who is one year younger and we were the best of friends growing up. We are still close, but it was so great to have a buddy to play (and fight!) with all of the time when we were younger. Congratulations! Take a deep breath and relax: you will be fine and you will make the right decisions for you and your family.

Breastfeeding while pregnant is perfectly safe, but many doctor's seem to think not but I think they are simply uneducated. I have breastfed through three different pregnancies and at times was uncomfortable and tired but would not change it for anything. Get the book "Adventures in Tamdem Nursing" by Hilary Flowers it covers everything from nutritional needs to feelings to weaning if you choose. Also there is a Yahoo Group the tandem nursing list that you should consider joining. It is for moms nursing to kids of different ages and for those nursing while pregnant. It is a great resource for questions, support and the occasional need just to vent.

H.

C. -
Congratulations. It is a blessing. Looks like we're in the same boat. My son was born 08/27/06 and we found out we were pregnant when he was about 8 months old. Our daughter arrived 02/11/08.
I nursed until the day I went to the hospital and everything turned out fine. I know he didn't get much by the time I was about 5 months along, but every little bit counts. Unless you have a condition where you can't nurse, I believe you can keep going. I used to nanny for a family and the mom couldn't nurse when she got further along only because her other children were preemies and the nursing caused her to have contractions. But feel it out. If you feel fine, I don't see why you can't. And luckily I didn't have to wean my son. He never asked to nurse again after baby sis arrived.
Good luck. It's wonderful having them close together. It's difficult at first...always will be, but they'll be great playmates.
D.

Congratulations!! Here's an artical about the subject.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-continue-brea...

Your doctor may just be ill-informed. I say continue nursing as long as you are comfortable and the pregnancy is going well and give your doc this information so he knows to monitor you appropirately.

Hmm, I don't want to go against your dr's advice but I know that many women successfully breastfeed while pregnant. My mom nursed me when she was pregnant with my sister. I think it's only a problem if you have a history of pre-term labor, because nipple stimulation can cause contractions. Check out www.kellymom.com and look for the section called "tandem nursing." This is the website my lactation consultant referred me to and it has lots of great articles and information. Good luck and congratulations!

Hi C., congratualtions! I really think you should continue breastfeeding. My first daughter was 9 mos when I found out I was pregnant with my son and I breastfed her until she weaned herself at 13 mos. I did not have any problems and actually felt less tired during my 1st trimester with my son than I had with my daughter. Also, having them 18 mos apart has been so great. I love how close they are and that they have similar interests. I really encourage you to do what you feel is best. Blessings.

It's not dangerous unless you have a history of problems like miscarriage or preterm labor. I just don't get why doctors won't give women accurate info about things like this! (well, it might have something to do with all the formula ads plastered all over their waiting room?)

anyway there are some great resources for moms nursing through pregnancy! Here's a page from Mothering.com, the mamas at the discussions forum there have a lot of info and experiences to share. http://mothering.com/discussions/search.php?searchid=8272641

and a good resource here too: http://kellymom.com/bf/tandem/index.html

My first two kids are 19 months apart, and I continued to nurse my first until he was a year old, while I was pregnant. It worked just fine, except that I think I was extra tired. Nobody ever told me that I shouldn't do it. I think you'll be fine.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-continue-brea...

Click on the above link to find some real life experiences and comments of women who have nursed while pregnant.

From my personal experience midwives understand better than the medical professionals how your body can compensate for two or more people depending on your nutritional intake. Have you found a La Leche League in your area? LLL women have likely been pregnant and nursing at the same time...get their support and info from them if you can and or consider joining the counter revoluntion and find a midwife for prenatal care. A midwifes only priority is to live and breath making sure M. is healthy and babies are too. I and both of my daughters have purposely birthed healthy big babies at home or out of hospitals.
If I were you I would relish the idea of eating anything and not worrying about gaining anything other than growing two healthy babies.
More Trader Joes soy ice cream anyone? YUM

I was 3 months pregnant when I finally weaned my oldest (my comfort mostly). He was 18 months at the time though. My doctor said there wasn't anything wrong with it, but that my milk would probably dry up because my body would focus on supporting the new life growing inside. In my case, that seemed to be true. My doctor also said it was probably more comfortable for me to wean. My 18 month old had already started weaning on his own. But I know someone who nursed (a vigorously nursing 18 month old) and carried a second child to full term, and continued to nurse both, without any problems. Just monitor how you feel, and keep your doctor involved whether they disagree (or find a new doctor who will support your decision to continue nursing). Good luck. Happy, healthy new baby to you!

Mothers have been nursing while pregnant since the beginning of time. If you have had trouble with miscarriages, then I might think about the pros and cons, but if not, personally i wouldnt even consider weaning my child. The reason behind them not wanting you to nurse is, before 10 weeks you are at your highest risk for miscarriage. Every time you nurse/express milk, it causes your uterus to contract.
My girlfriend and I have kids who are 6weeks apart. My youngest is 16mo now. I have two kids who are 6yrs apart. Her daughter was born 5/04/07, and she now has a son who was born 4/05/08. 11 months apart! She handles it well. Says it simply takes A LOT of teamwork from her and her husband.

Was it the doctor, or someone else in the office who told you that you must wean? If it was the doctor, please do yourself and your child a favor and FIND A NEW DOCTOR who is competent to advise you on breastfeeding while pregnant. Meanwhile, you may find it helpful to read "Adventures in Tandem Nursing." It is possible and not uncommon to nurse through pregnancy and even to nurse a toddler together with a newborn, if you choose. (FYI: My own son was already 16 months when I conceived again, but I am now in my second trimester and he is still nursing. I plan to gradually wean him in the next 2-3 months.)

I was in your boat too... my daughter is a little older, but she was still nursing when I got pregnant! I am sorry to the medical community who are not idiots about nursing, but I would say that most of them really are. My daughter nursed until I was over at least 3 or 4 months pregnant, she quit at 17 months or so, mostly because she was fairly ready and it hurt a lot and my milk was drying up.... BUT I have heard of parents who nurse all the way through. I have heard really good things about the website kellymom.com and you may also want to check in with La Leche League if you want more scientific information. From what I have heard and read many babies wean themselves because our milk changes when we are pregnant, but if they don't there is no reason to wean just becuase you are pregnant. i think doctors are way off the mark when it comes to nursing, I have NEVER heard it is in any way dangerous!
Good luck

Nursing while you are pregnant is NOT uncommon nor unsafe, especially if your other pregnancy was full-term and uncomplicated.
Nursing does cause the uterus to contract, (which is why it is good to nurse after delivering your baby), and with the overwhelming majority of women, this does not hurt the developing baby.
If you have an irritable uterus, or delivered pre-term with your first child, see if you can feel your uterus contract while you are nursing, and if it causes contractions to continue between nursings, then you probably should consider stopping (to prevent pre-term labor/miscarriage).
S.

I would check out the boards on motheringdotcommune, the online discussion board for Mothering Magazine. I know personally, many moms who successfully breastfed while pregnant with number 2. You may experience discomfort, but they were able to make it work. I'm sure you can find a working mom on the boards or here who has had a similar experience and a successful pregnancy.

Some doctors don't support breastfeeding. Despite what we know about it being the most superior feeding choice. If they weren't breastfed themselves, or if they chose not to breastfeed their own children, this may sway their advice to you. Keep it up!! Good luck!!

Mom to breastfed daughter for nearly 3 years
Expecting #2 in late August.

That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.....women since the beginning of time have tandem nursed..many cultures today do it. I weaned my two year old when I was 4 mo pregnant just because I made the choice not to tandem nurse myself. I was also a higher risk pregnacy with my last one and I was never told it was a bad thing to breastfeed while pregnant. I know several women personally who have done it with no problems. I would recommend you do some talking with a LaLeche counselor before you wean your 8 mo old and then have later regrets. You do also know that if you are planning to continue even after the baby is born (tandem) that your milk will automatically switch to newborn milk for the newest one. Our bodies were made to do this. Congrats and best wishes

Hola. My son was born 5 weeks early and stayed in the low percentage for birth weight so our pediatrian said to breast feed him as long as possible. I got pregnant at about your same time frame (kids 16 months apart) and breast fed through my entire pregnancy and only stopped nursing my son after my daughter was born. I had no problems other than the logisitics of a huge stomach and nursing a toddler! Actually the only real problem was my concern that my son would feel jealous of the baby getting to nurse when I decided not to tandum. I made sure to take my multi vitamin, added some carnation instant breakfast to my routine and feel it was very succesful. Good luck!

Dear C.,
I had my kids 10 years apart, so I can't answer from my own personal experience. But I have known moms that not only nurse throughout their pregnancy, but continue to nurse both kids after the new baby arrives. If you have some type of complication the medically prohibits you from nursing, that's one thing. Nursing can stimulate uterine contractions, but that's not always the case. If your production slows down or your milk tastes different, your first baby may decide to be done on her own. I personally know women that had kids boom, boom, boom and they didn't quit nursing any of them. I can't imagine juggling two or a few kids on my boobs everyday, but it has been done. I even know of a kid that was completely weaned and about 3 years old when the new baby came along and decided to start nursing again. I would have said no way, but it turned out to be kind of a novelty thing and didn't last long. He'd rather have a chicken nugget or big boy food.
It's a personal decision. I don't think you should be swayed either way. Your body will let you know if you can do it or not, or if you even want to continue. You can also contact a local midwife or La Leche League to see what information they have.
Congratulations on your new baby!
Let us know how it goes.