Pregnant & Breastfeeding - Rock Hill,SC

Out daughter-in-law experienced a similar problem; she discovered that she was pregnant when her son was 20 months old. She was advised to rub garlic on her nipples, and tell her son that Mommy's milk was now "yucky". It worked! Her doctor advised her that it was not healthy for her to nurse while she was pregnant. Good luck!
Mimi (A grandmother of a healthy three year old grandson, and healthy 11 month old granddaughter.)

If you are ready to wean and she isn't I would recommend trying to increase offering a cup and even try to use the cup with breast milk. Hopefully this will diminish her want to nurse.

I was still breastfeeding and co-sleeping with my 20 month old son when I became pregnant. It was hardest for him to give up nursing to go to sleep or at night, and I just had to say no till he fell back asleep (but offered him water which he wouldn't drink), gradually getting it down to only going to sleep, and not waking up at night. Eventually I said no to that too. So, it wasn't easy and he wasn't happy about it, but eventually it was over.
J. M..

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate. How long were you planning to nurse her before you found out you were pregnant? And if you had a plan for how you were going to do that, follow through with that. You have to get ready to get her out of your bed soon, because if you wait til the new baby comes, your daughter will resent the baby because she will associate being "put out" of mommy and daddy's bed with the baby. Take it one day at a time. They usually say most children who are still nursing when the mother is pregnant again ween themselves because the milk begins to change to get ready for the new baby. If you have someone else who can put her to sleep instead of yourself, you can try to ween her that way. Give her soy milk in a sippy cup or just lay her down and rub her back or belly. It will be just as hard for you as it will be for her, but you have to be strong and not give in or you may end up nursing two children together and continue to have a "family bed".

I was in the same boat. I started by pumping breast milk into a bottle and adding a little baby food to give it flavor (apple sauce or bananas). Every week I would add 1/4 less breast milk and add that add more formula to the mixture. It was less of a shock to my daughters system. Once she was drinking all formula, I started decreasing the amount of fruit I put in the bottle. As for breastfeeding in the bed, I just had to wear a sports bra and use a pacifier. Warning weaning her from the pacifier took three nights of her crying intermitten throughout the night. My doctor told me it wasnt safe to nurse while pregnant.

I HAVE been there! I had tried weaned my 15 mth old and then my husband left for Iraq. She started right up again. I was also pregnant. I ended up tandem nursing. (baby always went first!) I tried and tried to slowly wean. But I finally had to do cold turkey. It was hard. But one thing I have learned is that EVERYONE is going to ask you when you are going to stop nursing, and with my first child I felt pressured to try to wean. It was never successful. SO only wean when YOU or your child feel like it is the right time to do things. I nursed through two pregnacies. At the end I did feel some braxton hicks when they started to nurse. and then we would only nurse for a minute. I know some people will read this and say "STRANGE!!!" But to everyone their own! right! I have seen posters at my doctors offices saying that is just fine to nurse through a "NORMAL" pregnancy.

Hope this helps!

H. ~Mother of three, 6 and under, military spouse, and I am doula (labor coach)

Hi T.,

My son was 13 months old when we found out we were expecting he was so attached that I chose not to wean..During the beginning of my 3rd trimester I woke up one day and my supply was dry...I explained to him that is was nature's way of letting us all know it was time to save up for the new baby, he dry nursed for a few days and then was fine with it(plus he was enjoying watching his sissy grow so it was a great distraction)...My midwife informed me that it wasn't uncommon for that to happen and not to worry, my supply would come back, and it certainly did...I was afraid he'd want to nurse again when the baby came, but he was fine with it...I did have both of them at home, and he was there through every stage of labor with his mamma, even clapped his hands and spun in a circle when his sissy was born..Talk about a magical moment!! Then we just explained to him this new milk was for the new bay. I really feel like him being there with us helped him with the transition....They are 2 1/2 & 4 1/2 and very close, he calls her 'My Mellia' (her actual name is Camellia)
I never tried to remove Preston from the family bed when Camellia was an infant, we just agreed on a designated side of mommy he'd be sleeping on...Worked like a charm, although we did invest in a king size bed and daddy gets pushed out some nights...Thank goodness we have an exceptionally comfy couch...and a GREAT husband/dadddy
We still co-sleep, they have a very nice bedroom with a reading corner that we spend quality time in but they always end up in bed with us....I do look forward to that precious pitter patter down the hallway that wakes me a lot of mornings between 1 & 3, if I've been able to get them to sleep in their own room that is...My husband and I know these days aren't forever and just embrace it, and have learned to make the most of our quiet time together...
Great big Congratulations to you and your family, and best wishes!!
P.S. I have always gone with my heart, and I have two very kind and well adjusted pumpkins

I would imagine it being a little more difficult to wean while co-sleeping. Although you might not be ready to put her in her own bed, it might be a good idea to do it now since you are expecting another baby. It would make it much easier to wean her at night time. I really have no experience in the co-sleeping thing b/c we only brought our daughter into bed with us when she was much younger & it was only during the nights when she was waking up several times from teething. If you do decide to move your daughter into her own bed, I would suggest your husband going in at night time if she wakes up. My husband would go in & calm her down & place her back in her crib then leave. If she cried, we'd wait 5 minutes & he'd go back in & calm her then leave & wait 10 minutes. Eventually she would fall asleep. This went on for a few nights...each night getting easier until she was sleeping thru the night with no night time feedings. At this point though, I'm not sure if you want to start her in a crib or in a toddler or twin bed since she's older??

Regardless of your decision, it's not going to be easy. But it will probably be harder on you than it will be on your daughter. I really do recommend starting with getting your daughter into her own bed though. She needs to have time adjusting to that & may still need your comfort in nursing her to get thru it.

Good Luck to you!

My suggesstion is to feed her FULL and give her some milk in a cup when she usually wants to nurse...and let her have the breast for a few minutes only, then take her off and offer her milk in a cup. keep decreasing the amount of time you let her nurse and keep offering her milk in a cup. If she is already full and can still get the snuggle from you she should give it up pretty quickly!

I was in very much the same situation. I am an attachment mom as well. My daughter had just turned 2 when I found out that I was expecting my son. We co-slept and she only nursed at bedtime. What I did was tell her that we were going to have a little baby and that little babies nurse (moms milk)and big girls drink cow milk. The 1st 3 nights were very rough. I would let her hold my breast for comfort but not nurse, and I would offer her her sippy of milk. After those 3 nights she was fine. When I was 7 months prego we decided to put her in her own toddler bed in our room to sleep. It went so well. She loved her big girl bed and sometimes I would awake to her in the bed but mostly she stayed put. Then a month before I was due I moved her into her own room. I did do a big no-no though. I set her up with her own small TV in her room. This way at night if she couldnt sleep, I would put on Barneys PJ party for her...it worked wonders. Now my son is 8 months old...still nursing and co-sleeping and my daughter is 3 and we just bumped her up to a twin bed decked out in Disney Princess =)
Good luck with the changes. It seems so hard when you're going through it, but when you look back you realize it really wasnt that tough.