Diaper Swappers

charliethegirl · 04-14-2011, 07:56 AM

My LO is almost 5 months old and I'm thinking about having another one! My main concern is milk supply...
Will I still be able to EBF this LO if I get pregnant soon? I've heard so many different things on this subject. Hoping to find someone who's actually "been there".
Thanks!

momma_saracm · 04-14-2011, 08:17 AM

I got pg with No2 when my DS was 18mo old and still BF like 1x a day. It hurt like heck to nurse him.... But he still wanted to feed and it never seemed to him to "taste bad" - I read all kinds beforehand (about this) to see what would happen, too. they said the milk would change taste - but he wanted to comfort and didn't mind.

I never got my period back until my DS was 11 mo old he ate so darn much! But good luck to you.

VeganCupcake · 04-14-2011, 09:44 AM

Most women have a big decrease in supply, but some don't. There is only so much you can do to maintain a supply while pregnant, too--since the cause of it is a hormonal issue.

My supply pretty much disappeared, but my DD liked to comfort nurse, and she was 2+ years old, so it wasn't a big deal. She is thrilled with all the milk now, though!

In my personal opinion, if you want to BF until 1 year, I would wait to get pregnant. I would prevent pregnancy until your LO is closer to a year.

cacasey1981 · 04-14-2011, 09:46 AM

Probably not. I don’t have first hand experience but from what I read in 'Adventures in Tandem Nursing' (I'd consider this a must read for you) it's likely that you're supply will dip. While a toddler can handle this dip in supply a nursing as young as yours would probably have to be supplemented with formula or donor milk.

Aside from the supply dip, like pp said, nursing can become pretty painful. For some women it doesn't happen or they fight through it but for others it's bad enough that they wean.

I haven't finished the book but I'm getting to the part about how nursing and pregnancy affects your body and it seems like its a good idea to give your body a year to replenish its reserves (even while nursing you can rebuild your calcium levels) before TTC. That way your milk still has what it needs and your body isn't suffering trying to nourish you and two babies.

VeganCupcake · 04-14-2011, 09:55 AM

It's true that nursing while pregnant is uncomfortable. Sometimes I felt like jumping out of my skin--just creepy crawly and icky. And it was often painful, too--especially in the first trimester, IIRC.

charliethegirl · 04-14-2011, 04:11 PM

Thank you all for the advice. I wouldn't want to deprive this LO and definitely don't want to have to supplement. I'll check out that book

Sigh* guess my twitching womb is just gonna have to wait! Lol!

Truckerswife · 04-14-2011, 05:16 PM

i got pregnant with my DD when DS was almost 2.5 months old i ebf him until 7 months than did 1bottle a day and mostly nursing after that now my DD is almost 8 months old and I'm 10 weeks pregnant she will not take a bottle or baby food so we nurse in the last 6 weeks she has gained 10 ounces so she is ebf and still gaining weight well during this pregnancy

charliethegirl · 04-14-2011, 08:05 PM

I was hoping to hear something like that. I'm so torn! I don't want to risk it but I really want another babe(and for them to be close together!)

LilRedRooster · 04-14-2011, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truckerswife

i got pregnant with my DD when DS was almost 2.5 months old i ebf him until 7 months than did 1bottle a day and mostly nursing after that now my DD is almost 8 months old and I'm 10 weeks pregnant she will not take a bottle or baby food so we nurse in the last 6 weeks she has gained 10 ounces so she is ebf and still gaining weight well during this pregnancy

I don't have anything to add to this thread, but wow, mama, kudos to you for being able to handle three kids back to back AND tandem nurse!!

hippieintraining · 04-14-2011, 09:04 PM

I was in a 'bit' more pain, but nothing that really bothered me (like I've read from others). DS was 7m when I became pregnant. He was NOT interested in comfort nursing, at all. Around 9 months, he wouldn't latch during the day at all, since he knew there wasn't much there anymore and by 10 months, he wouldn't latch at night anymore. I pumped until I only had drops per day (10 month-ish) and we supplemented with goats milk.

We 'whatevered' after he turned 6m, knowing we wanted them close together... I never had a PPAF.

As the PPs have mentioned, everyone is different, so there's no way to know how your body will respond. I was absolutly devastated when my BM went away, since I wanted to tandem so badly. Baby will arrive any day now and I know DS will not relatch. He doesn't remember. I did everything I could to keep my milk up, but my body took over.

My advice would be to avoid trying until you'd be ok with supplementing, just to be safe.

04-14-2011, 07:56 AM	#1
charliethegirl Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Atlanta, IN Posts: 101 Ratings: 11 Feedback: 100%	Pregnancy and milk supply My LO is almost 5 months old and I'm thinking about having another one! My main concern is milk supply... Will I still be able to EBF this LO if I get pregnant soon? I've heard so many different things on this subject. Hoping to find someone who's actually "been there". Thanks!

04-14-2011, 08:17 AM	#2
momma_saracm Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 37 Ratings: 5 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Pregnancy and milk supply I got pg with No2 when my DS was 18mo old and still BF like 1x a day. It hurt like heck to nurse him.... But he still wanted to feed and it never seemed to him to "taste bad" - I read all kinds beforehand (about this) to see what would happen, too. they said the milk would change taste - but he wanted to comfort and didn't mind. I never got my period back until my DS was 11 mo old he ate so darn much! But good luck to you.

04-14-2011, 09:44 AM	#3
VeganCupcake Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2,605 Ratings: 58 Feedback: 100%	Re: Pregnancy and milk supply Most women have a big decrease in supply, but some don't. There is only so much you can do to maintain a supply while pregnant, too--since the cause of it is a hormonal issue. My supply pretty much disappeared, but my DD liked to comfort nurse, and she was 2+ years old, so it wasn't a big deal. She is thrilled with all the milk now, though! In my personal opinion, if you want to BF until 1 year, I would wait to get pregnant. I would prevent pregnancy until your LO is closer to a year. __________________ Catherine, tandem nursing mama to Preschooler Girl 9/08 and Toddler Boy 3/11 Breastfeeding for 4 years and counting!

04-14-2011, 09:46 AM	#4
cacasey1981 Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NorCal Posts: 2,001 Ratings: 5 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Pregnancy and milk supply Probably not. I don’t have first hand experience but from what I read in 'Adventures in Tandem Nursing' (I'd consider this a must read for you) it's likely that you're supply will dip. While a toddler can handle this dip in supply a nursing as young as yours would probably have to be supplemented with formula or donor milk. Aside from the supply dip, like pp said, nursing can become pretty painful. For some women it doesn't happen or they fight through it but for others it's bad enough that they wean. I haven't finished the book but I'm getting to the part about how nursing and pregnancy affects your body and it seems like its a good idea to give your body a year to replenish its reserves (even while nursing you can rebuild your calcium levels) before TTC. That way your milk still has what it needs and your body isn't suffering trying to nourish you and two babies. __________________ Wife to Brandon - my high school sweetheart (Oct 00), delaying vaccs as best we can and WOH parents to Trent (Nov 08) our intact, formerly ERF, slightly son and Lilly (May 12) our , maybe one day , and (for now) daughter (my hypnobaby).

04-14-2011, 09:55 AM	#5
VeganCupcake Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2,605 Ratings: 58 Feedback: 100%	Re: Pregnancy and milk supply It's true that nursing while pregnant is uncomfortable. Sometimes I felt like jumping out of my skin--just creepy crawly and icky. And it was often painful, too--especially in the first trimester, IIRC. __________________ Catherine, tandem nursing mama to Preschooler Girl 9/08 and Toddler Boy 3/11 Breastfeeding for 4 years and counting!