My daughter is six-months-old and i've just found out i'm 7-weeks pregnant, i really would be sad to stop breastfeeding my daughter early because of the new baby my eldest two children breastfed for 19-months and the second for 20-months and i'd feel guilty to breast feed my daughter for less time as it would seem i have given my eldest two children a better start in life than my youngest!
what should i do? i'm not sure about this tandum feeding where i feed my newborn and my daughter too, has anyone done this sucessfully? if so, how much did each take and will my newborn get the right amount of milk if my daughter is also feeding?
would be very greatful for anyone who has done this to give me some advice and tips? or would you suggest i wean my daughter off the breast before my new baby arrives?
2007-07-10 05:23:11 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
As long as you don't have any high risk factors (esp preterm labor/contractions) you can continue to nurse for as long as you and current baby desire.
Many women who nurse during pregnancy find that it becomes quite uncomfortable and that their supply diminishes. But, for some, they do not experience this, and for some of those who do, they continue to nurse anyway.
Towards the end of your pregnancy, your body will begin to produce colostrum again, just like it did at the end of your other pregnancies. You may find that your current baby, if she is still nursing, will have some pretty gross "newborn-ish" diapers b/c colostrum has a laxative effect. This will NOT hurt your current baby...just might be kinda gross and messy. But then again...it might help to prepare you for that newborn phase of diapers again!!! LOL!!
Nursing while pregnant and tandem nursing are totally possible and healthy w/ a "normal" pregnancy. I'd recommend Adventures In Tandem Nursing. I don't remember the author but you can find it on Amazon.
Good luck.
2007-07-10 06:18:21 · answer #1 · answered by Robyn 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have not done tandem feeding, but I would suggest giving it a try with your daughter still so young. I believe your body will be able to produce enough for the demand of 2 babies.
If you don't think you can nurse both at the same time, at least keep up with your daughter until a little while before the new baby is born, she'll be somewhere around or over 1 yr old by then, at least she'll have gotten a good year's start.
2007-07-10 05:30:34 · answer #2 · answered by Manda Lin 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
By the time your newborn gets here your daughter will be old enough to only nurse a couple times a day. I say go for it. just make sure you let the newborn get its fill before hooking up the toddler. If I was in your situation I would feel exactly the same way as you do. I would definately keep nursing the 6 mo old. My sis in law stopped when she found out she was preggo she claimed nursing her baby was making her miscarry. She's a pathological liar and had been looking for a dramatic excuse to quit nursing anyways cause she couldn't admit she didn't know what she was doing. But at the same time I would make sure that nursing wont effect your pregnancy. Good luck
2007-07-10 05:29:07 · answer #3 · answered by . 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I found out I was pregnant when my baby was 8 months old. I was breastfeeding. I had no problems with milk supply until about 16 weeks when it started to decline, and it completely dried up by 22 weeks. I nursed my son until I could and gave him bottles of regular milk when I completely dried out, though it was very hard on him. He tried nursing everyday and would cry when he got nothing. At 24 weeks my Colostrum came in, (colostrum is very high in antibodies). So my son nursed colostrum for the rest of the pregnancy. Breastfeeding during the end of my pregnancy gave me some very strong braxton hicks contractions, but it was normal and okay. I nursed my newborn for the first three days after his birth (I had another boy), then I went home and nursed both my boys. It has been very easy nursing both actually. However I feel the need to wean my oldest now.
I am still tandem nursing, my oldest nurser 25 months and my baby is 7 months, I also exclusively breastfeed my baby.
Hope you understood everything, its a bit hard writing while three little kids need me :D
Any questions just ask :D
Also my OB didnt agree with nursing during pregnancy, but my midwife was completely fine with it. However it went, I was going to nurse no matter what...that is unless I were to begin dialating due to the powerful braxhicks contractions, but I didnt. I had a healthy 8 pound 11 ounce baby.
2007-07-10 10:55:43 · answer #4 · answered by SandLady 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I haven't been in this situation...yet...but I probably will be eventually.
I have several friends who are tandem nursing now or have done so in the past. Sometimes the milk will get very sparse in the later months of pg and sometimes it can be very uncomfortable to nurse, but if you're dedicated (and it sounds like you are) you can do it.
I highly recommend the book _Mothering Your Nursing Toddler_. Even though your daughter isn't a toddler yet, it addresses tandem nursing and how to talk to the older sib about it. Some tandem nurslings have amazing bonds forged during their time nursing together. It's really sweet.
Even though you're an experienced bf'er, you might also try attending some LLL meetings or the LLL parenting enrichment meetings so that you can talk first-hand to some moms who have been in your shoes and have practical advice.
There is also a forum on the LLL chatboard for moms who are tandem nursing/pregnant and nursing. I put the link to the chatboard below.
Good luck! You can do it!!
2007-07-10 05:41:44 · answer #5 · answered by Evin 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Lots of women tandem feed successfully! Read up on it, la leche league international has plenty of info, as well as Dr Sears' website and books.
Your body will adjust the milk supply for both babies the same as it did for one baby. The good thing is that the older baby is eating other foods and getting nutrition from other sources, as well, so she won't be nursing as much as the younger baby.
Sometimes the older baby will wean themselves while Mom is pregnant and the want to start again when they see the new baby nursing. It's all up to you how you handle it.
Congratulations on your new addition!
2007-07-10 05:33:46 · answer #6 · answered by nightynightnurse 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i think of maximum folk have indexed the main important variations right here. in basic terms a pair of ideas to characteristic. Breast milk has the fore milk (watery, thirst quenching milk) and hind milk (wealthy, fatty and pleasurable milk) which follows a jiffy later. once I convey, that each and all and sundry gets blended collectively, so specifically situations my infant has to have some water as properly to make certain his thirst is quenched. I went back to artwork whilst my infant became 3 months, so pumping became the sole way he gets my breastmilk interior the day time. So from that perspective, it incredibly is a real beneficial. yet once I had the alternative between breastfeeding or pumping, i'd elect straight away from the breast every time.
2016-09-29 10:58:22 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My aunt breastfed her daughter all the way through her pregnancy til about the last month. I'm not sure how that worked out with the first milk that the baby is supposed to get to help build their immune system, but it seemed to work. That is a serious question you should ask you OB doctor or midwife. Every woman is different.
2007-07-10 05:26:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
You have plenty of time before you have the next one to breastfeed for at least a yr.. Most moms don't even make it that far.. .I would focus on the first one and breastfeeding and then worry about the second one and breastfeeding, why put the cart before the horse right..? If you are really anxious about it try pumping and freezing your milk in storage bags and have your husband start feeding the baby #1 from a bottle or use the milk in a sippy cup... That would free you up to nurse the second child and get the first one use to being breast independant... Personally, if I were you I would nurse #1 for a yr. and give yourself a bit of a break.. Golly...!!!
2007-07-10 05:29:50 · answer #9 · answered by pebblespro 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I have heard of this done before . I have never presonally done it though. Your body will produce the amout of milk your babies or babies need. I would tell you that I think it is great you are willing to give feeding the two of them a shot. Thats all you can do its really trial and error. I wish you the very best of luck and much happiness!!!!!!
2007-07-10 05:30:23 · answer #10 · answered by Brandie L 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋