if you are pregnant and breast feeding, what harm can breast feeding do to a developing child?

Question

sorry i mean developing unborn baby

Answer 1

For most mothers, continuing to breastfeed while pregnant is PERFECTLY SAFE.

First off, get a copy of the book "Adventures in Tandem Nursing: Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and Beyond" by Hilary Flower.

Contact your local La Leche League Leader for information and support.

Breastfeeding during pregnancy should NOT increase your chances of miscarriage, as some people might suggest.

Lesley Regan, PhD, MD, heads the Miscarriage Clinic at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, the largest referral unit in Europe, and is the author of Miscarriage: What every woman should know. She was surprised to hear that anyone considers issues related to miscarriage to be reasons for weaning. She added:

Once a pregnancy is clinically detectable, breastfeeding should pose no added risk of pregnancy loss. There isn’t any data suggesting a link between breastfeeding and miscarriage, and I see no plausible reason for there to be a link.

See the links below for more information on safety.

As far as nutrition goes.....basically follow your own instincts. Eat to satisfy your hunger. You will probably find you are more hungry during this pregnancy than your last. You may also find that you are more thirsty. If you feel yourself getting thirsty, this is a sign that you are getting dehydrated! Make sure you get plenty of fluids.....carry a waterbottle every where you go.

If a mother is reasonably well-nourished her body can continue to meet her own needs and the needs of both her unborn child/infant and the older nursling. This is especially true if the older nursling is at least a year old when mom gets pregnant. In some cases, the health care provider may recommend that the mother consume more calories and/or take prenatal vitamins (but it’s unwise to take more than one a day).

There is also NO REASON to wean your older child before the baby comes if you don't want to do so. After all, you DO have TWO breasts, don't you? :-) MANY mothers do go on to nurse siblings of different ages together. It is a WONDERFUL bonding opportunity for the children to nurse together and can help to make sibling rivalry LESS of an issue. I saw NO sibling rivalry between my tandem nurslings for the first 6 months. The only issue we had was around 6 mos when she became mobile and could go after his toys!

Your milk will gradually change over to colostrum during your pregnancy. Some nurslings like it and others don't. I nursed through pregnancy twice. One child nursed right through the changes in milk and tandemed with the new baby. The other child didn't like the change to colostrum and weaned when it came in during my third trimester.

The older child WILL NOT use up the colostrum. The signal for your body to begin changing from producing colostrum back to mature milk will not come until AFTER the baby is born. For the first few days after the birth, when you have only colostrum, you may want to always make sure the baby gets to nurse first, but there is NO REASON to deny the older child the chance to nurse as well. (And having a toddler to help out with postpartum engorgement is GREAT!) You may notice that, when your colostrum comes in, your older child's stools become more runny and more like "breastmilk poop" of a young baby. That's fine and normal too.

If you have more questions, please ask!

Answer 2

I totally agree with a previous response that most women with normal pregnancies can continue breastfeeding while pregnant with no harm to mother, nursing child, or unborn child.

I got pregnant with my 2nd child when my older daughter was 8 months old, and I continued to nurse her until she was 14 1/2 months old. None of my OBs/midwives or my pediatrician had any problem with me continuing to nurse -- it was simply a non-issue.

I started weaning my older daughter at a year because I wasn't sure I wanted to tandem nurse, but that was a personal choice at the time. (If I had it to do over again, I'd let her continue to nurse as long as she wanted.)

My children are now 3 years and 21 months old, and they're very healthy.

I know several moms in person and online who have nursed through pregnancy, then gone on to tandem nurse, and everyone was in great health.

Answer 3

I won't hurt the baby while you are pregnant, but you should really be taking in a lot of calories. It is suggested that nursing mothers stop nursing before the birth of a new baby. The reason is the new baby won't get the colostrum (first milk). It is full of antibodies that the baby will need.

Answer 4

No harm at all!!! Howevre it may make you more tired than the pregnancy is and you will have to take more vitamins etc. to supply to both, so you could consider giving up breast feeding.

Answer 5

I know that if you are then you are going to need to take more Vitamins.. also I think that it will be smart to wean the child ASAP because you cant really try and breast fed birth children and you will want the Newborn to get the Nutrition it needs. plus the older child may not be willing to give it up if you wait to long.

Answer 6

nothing that I know of, but consult your Dr.

Answer 7

it may hurt if they bite really hard