Tandem Nursing - Blue Springs,MO

try here :)http://www.lalecheleague.org/vbulletin/index.php and there is a local LLL chapter also! :) best of luck

ETA: I didn't see all the other responses before lol glad you got help :)

Hi-

I am currently tandem nursing my 2 year old ds. He just turned 2 on July 17, and I have a two month old. I have a 4 year old dd and 3 year old dd also. (So yes, it's 4, 3, 2, and 2 months)When I got pregnant with #3 I planned on tandem nursing #2, but the pregnancy caused my milk to dry up and she wasn't interested in comfort nursing. Ds (#3) really needed to nurse just to have that special time with mom, even after my milk went away when I was about 6 months pregnant. After I had dd (#4) ds was delighted when my milk came in.

Why I choose to tandem nurse instead of wean? I felt for ds he was still needing that attachment to me. It was important to him to have some 'milky' time with Mommy. I had no nipple soreness with dd since ds was still nursing. Also, engorgment never happens. Dd has not been nursing as much this past 2 days as normal, and I was very full. Only a few minutes with ds and that is taken care of.
I only nurse one breast at a time. So i usually have one full tank and one recharging, so to say. Since ds nurses for comfort mostly, I will usually give him the one that ds has already nursed on recently, saving the majority of the milk for dd.
Some people who tandem nurse nurse them at the same time. I tired and it is just not comfortable or necessary for me. If I am nursing dd and ds wants a milky, I just explain that it is not his turn and he waits for his turn. He understands and knows that he will have his time too, and it does not cause jealousy.
It is your chouce to tandem or not. Do what you feel comfortable with, and if your current baby still needs to nurse, don't feel like you HAVE to wean him.

Hi A.,
I'm a tandem nursing mom, too. My sons are 22 months apart in age. My older son was just not ready to wean when I was pregnant, though he did cut down to just a couple times a day until the baby arrived & the milk came in. Once the milk came back he went back to nursing more frequently.

I recently wrote about my breastfeeding experiences for World Breastfeeding Week. You can read it here: http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2006/08/world_breastfee_4...

I also do the one boob per child feeding. My body just adjusted to the demands they made and kept up enough supply for both of them. I do nurse them together most of the time, but that is usually because if one sees the milkies, the other one wants it too! I think tandem nursing has really strengthen their bond as siblings and prevent any jealousy from the older one. With an active older baby, the nursing time together gave us all a chance to sit down and take a break.

Good luck with your pregnancy!
D.

I suggest calling Kangaroo Kids. They have a breast feeding consultant and I have had to call them several times and each time have found them to be very helpful. They also can put you in touch with someone who can come to your house for a fee. However, if you are able to go to the breast feeding support group that meets at 12:00 on Thursdays, I would recommend that. The breast feeding consultant is there to answer your questions and you get to meet other moms and their babies. They are good people at Kangaroo Kids. I don't think I would have made it through without them. I have been back at work now for 3 months, my son is 6 months, and I just called them two weeks ago because i had a few questions and I also wanted their opinion on something. The number is ###-###-####. I actually have it entered into my cell phone contacts.

A., there are a couple of simply angelic LLL leaders; Kayl & Tiffany
Kayl ###-###-####
Tiffany ###-###-####

God Luck and God Bless

Wow! And I thought nursing twins was a challenge! I wish I had some advice, but since I don't I'll give you my profound respect instead! You Go, Girl!

I tried this when I got pregnant (my son was 8 months old) but my supply soon cut into 1/2 of what I had been producing and my son would get fustrated when he wasn't getting what he needed. If you are still producing and haven't had any troubles I say continue with what you are doing...good luck!

I think that, especially when babies are so close together, that tandem nursing can really ease the transition for your older one. I'm tandeming right now with my 7-month-old and my 2.5-year-old. You've made it through the toughest part (sensitivity in the 2nd trimester made me brace my hands against the wall, like nails on chalkboard!). Be prepared for a drop in milk supply, with an 8-month-old (wow!) you may need to supplement with formula or extra solids until your son arrives.

When the milk comes back, your daughter is going to be thrilled! The look on my son's face was priceless. Like the previous posters, my son is old enough to wait his turn but we have done both at once (in the early days). My advice is to position the little one (football hold works great) and then let the older one climb up and sit upright on your lap. I also let my older son nurse off the breast the baby got last, saving the fuller one for the baby. The benefit to you, with tandem nursing, is that you can probably expect better behavior and less jealousy, no painful engorgment, and you'll build up a greater supply so it will be much easier for you during growth spurts or if you need to tuck away a few extra bottles!

Hey, we should have a St Louis tandem mommies meetup. Anyone interested?

I've not been in that situation, but I've heard it's possible and I just wanted you to know that I think it's great that you're willing to go for it!!

God bless!
P.