Pregnancy and Nursing

Hi A.-

I can speak from experience here :) My first two daughters are 19 months apart. I nursed my first up until a little past a year, so I did a few months of nursing while pregnant and it worked fine for me. My milk supply didn't diminish and I ws no more tired than I was the pregnancy before :)
Having children so close together does have its challneges. I struggled for the first several months and sometimes wished that they had been a little further apart so my oldest could have been more independent when the second came along. However, once they were 2 and 3 1/2 I was VERY pleased they were so close together. They are best friends and do everything together. I am hoping they will continue to be so close when they are older.
I don't feel like having them that close in age short-changes the other in terms of time and attention, not any more than the second child would be in any case. You can never give the second child as much time and attention as you do your first because now you have to divide those things between two children. Now that my oldest is in kindergarten (and when she was in preschool last year), I am getting some one-on-one time with my second child (I also have an infant - her day will come someday!). I really love having my kids close together and wouldn't want it any other way.
You may not be able to get pregnant while you are nursing, especially if you haven't had a period. The hormones released during lactation often prevent pregnancy and if you are not having periods you probably won't get pregnant yet. I got pregnant while nusing, but my periods resumed a few months before. It would be better to start trying to get pregnant after your period returns so you can have a start date for calculating yoiu due date.
Good luck with everything!

Definitely- but I hear it can be hard work! I recommend attending a La Leche League meeting to meet other nursing moms in your position. Good luck!

You CAN nurse while pregnant and beyond.. check out the book Tandem Nursing by Hilary Flower.. you can get it on ebay half.com

It is perfectly safe to BF while pregnant as long as you are healthy and are not in a high risk pregnancy. My midwife just made sure that I kept track of any braxton hix (sp?) contraction that I had but all was well. I also reccomend going to a La Lache League meeting. There are a lot of women who nurse through a pregnancy and tandem nurse.
As far a getting pregnant while nursing before you get your period...it is possible but unlikely. I have been where you are right now when my 1st was about 8 months we decided to start trying and got pregnant about 6 months later. I love the 2 year spacing.

My kids are 18 months apart.. I nursed my duaghter for the first month that I was pregnant.. but pregnancy will likely make your milk dry up.

My doctor did not recommend continuing to nurse while pregnant..

It is too hard on your body to be pregnant and nurse at the same time..

you will be exhausted.

I would also recommend waiting until your first child is at least 1 year old to get pregnant.. Having 2 young children so close together is very very hard.

I felt like my second child did not get all the attention that the first did. I also felt like the first child got really shortchanged as she had to give up all of her special mommy time when the second child came.